City of Barrie road crews got some star powered help with snow removal today as the CBC's Rick Mercer was in town to film a segment of his show.
The visit to Barrie was three years in the making but this time old man winter delivered lots of the white stuff for the Canadian icon and his crew.
Mercer said they had shopped around several cities to do the segment but Barrie won out with the weather and the best offer.
"We've wanted to do this shoot for a long time but it's a really tricky thing to plan because you can't plan for weather," said Mercer from the city's Operations Centre. "So we'd been talking to the municipalities in Ottawa, we talked to Barrie, we talked to Kingston and Barrie is the one that promised us the most access which is important but of course you can't schedule a snowstorm."
Yesterday when the storm alert was issued Mercer and his crew hopped in the car and drove north from Toronto.
"This is like the classic best snow day ever," said Mercer of Barrie's blue skies, bright sunshine and mounds of snow. "Like for kids at home, it's actually a nice day. They can go outside. It's the snow day of your dreams when you were a kid. It's perfect."
The CBC star met the Mayor first thing in the morning and said he talked to "the individuals responsible for planning the assault on snow."
Then Mercer donned his orange City of Barrie toque and climbed up into a giant plow to tag along with operator Mike Loosemore who was clearing streets.
Mercer admits that along the way they filled in some driveways and he expected an angry response.
"Everyone was quite nice," Mercer said, surprised by the reaction. "Some of them even smiled and waved after we dumped them in which speaks volumes about the people of Barrie. Although for dramatic purposes I would've liked someone to lose it and throw a shovel but it never happened."
Mercer said the people of Barrie were "super nice" and while they did block some driveways with snow, the comedian says they made one exception.
"We did turn the snow plow around and clean out a guy's driveway for him. But he was in the uniform of the Canadian Forces so we thought it was appropriate - although he did have a snow blower but it wouldn't work."
Mercer's snow segment from Barrie will also include the star driving a plow on an obstacle course in the parking lot of the Operations Centre "set up to see how well I do operating the giant snow plow around things like cars."
Mercer happily posed for pictures with city officials and demonstrated his famous and endearing sense of humour.
"I'm a shoveller," Mercer said. "If I had a driveway and I lived in Barrie I'd have a snow blower. There's no doubt about it. But when I grew up my father thought that was an insane extravagance. If we'd say 'Mr. Glenn got a snowblower' he'd say 'Maybe Mr. Glenn won the lotto.' And that would be the end of that."
The Rick Mercer Report featuring Barrie is scheduled to air in two weeks.
