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Meet an unsung entrepreneur of downtown Barrie

'It's one of those success stories'
2017-12-20 Danny Houle 3
Danny Houle has carved out a niche by taking ownership of shovelling and sweeping downtown streets. Sue Sgambati/BarrieToday

Danny Houle is an unofficial downtown Barrie custodian. 

In winter, Houle is up in the middle of the night and out with his shovel to clear snow for a long list of clients.

The city bylaw states sidewalks must be shoveled by 10 a.m. and it's possible Houle may well have single handedly reduced the number of infractions.  

There are others who randomly take up the snow-clearing cause to earn some cash but Houle is the 'main guy,' according to the Downtown Barrie Business Association. 

"Sometimes I'm up at 3 or 4 to shovel the sidewalks before businesses open in the morning. Because some businesses open at 6 in the morning and 7, I have to get them done," said Houle, who often works very long days.

The Downtown Barrie BIA took Houle under its wing about three years ago by tasking him to sweep and clean the sidewalks in summer and shovel in winter. The 56-year-old, who was once homeless, developed a clientele of downtown businesses. 

Before carving out his niche, the now driven Houle was down and out and had hit rock bottom.

"I used to be bad. In trouble with the law. I was drinking a lot. Instead of buying food I was buying alcohol. Then I went to AA.  I've been sober almost three and a half years now. It feels pretty good," he said proudly. 

Members of the BIA were invited to celebrate Houle's first anniversary of sobriety. 

"He's an enterprising, entrepreneurial guy," said BIA Managing Director Craig Stevens, who has witnessed Houle's journey. 

"It feels good to be able to be there along with him. He does work that needed. He's hard working. He's sort of a fixture in the downtown and loves it just as much as you and I."

Houle was homeless about 20 years ago but has lived in an apartment above a shop on Dunlop St. East ever since.

Perceptions can be misleading and Stevens says the downtown is a series of layers that you need to peel back to get to the real stories, like Houle's. 

And sometimes people just need a break. 

"I think you'll find his client list have done the same. He's got a number of people that have supported him. It's not an easy go, he's hauling garbage, shovelling snow," said Stevens.  "It's one of those success stories. It's a neat story. The people that are on the street, it's typically not their choice. It's heavy challenges that they're dealing with."   

The dedicated worker has taken ownership of his territory and shovels tirelessly to ensure sidewalks are safe for walking and cleared for his clients. 

"A lot of people really respect me. Even the people I shovel for ask other businesses who shovels the sidewalk and mentioned my name and they get ahold of me," he said.

The entrepreneur will be spending Christmas with his five-month-old godson but if it snows, he'll be working. 

Houle pays the compassion forward with a gesture of kindness to people he sees that are struggling. 

"I give them money for a coffee and stuff like that. I know what they're going through. I went through it. Long time ago I was homeless," he said, acknowledging he's now in a much better place. 

"My friend, he used to see me drinking all the time and stuff like that, and he said I came a long way."

 

 


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Sue Sgambati

About the Author: Sue Sgambati

Sue has had a 30-year career in journalism working for print, radio and TV. She is a proud member of the Barrie community.
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