'Showing the love': City park renamed for renowned fundraiser

Will Dwyer’s name will live on by the shores of Barrie’s Kempenfelt Bay.

Centennial South Park was officially renamed Will Dwyer Park at a ceremony Wednesday evening honouring Dwyer, who raised approximately $1.2 million for the local Terry Fox Run.

Fred Fox, Terry Fox's brother, who attended the renaming, praised Dwyer for his efforts.

“It’s amazing. It’s people like Will Dwyer that have kept Terry’s legacy alive,” Fox said. “He’s inspired so many people in Barrie. People are showing the love and respect for someone who worked very hard to keep Terry’s dream alive.”

In June, city council approved a motion to rename Centennial South Park after Dwyer, a Second World War veteran. Known as 'The Million Dollar Man', Dwyer died at age 96 last May.

The Terry Fox Foundation hosted a barbecue fundraiser Wednesday evening in honour of Dwyer’s legacy, and naming the park after him. Donations from the barbecue go to the Terry Fox Foundation in Dwyer’s name and for his family’s quest to fund-raise $2 million.

The Dwyer family was out in force for the park renaming and Ted Dwyer, Will’s son, said it was an important evening.

“It means everything to our family,” he said, after unveiling the park’s plaque with Fred Fox. “We are very proud of what Will accomplished over 41 years. That’s a lot of money, $1.2 million and counting.” 

The park is close to the Terry Fox Memorial tree and rock, which is by the Tiffin Street Boat Launch, and the 2022 Terry Fox walk and run will go through this park Sept. 18, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Centennial Park South, now known as Will Dwyer Park, is on Lakeshore Drive, 8.2 acres on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay and includes the outdoor rink that doubles as twin basketball courts during the warmer months. 

Dwyer leaves behind a legacy of not only raising money for the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope, but the Royal Canadian Legion poppy fund as well.

Beginning his campaign 40 years ago, Dwyer aimed to raise $1 million for the Terry Fox organization and attained that in 2018. That same year, Dwyer was awarded the Order of the Spirit Catcher for his charitable work in Barrie.

In 2018, Will Dwyer told BarrieToday that one reason he gave so much of his time to charity fundraising was he lost two sons to cancer and his wife to Parkinson's disease.

Dwyer served two years with the British Army and when the Second World War ended, he returned to his native Newfoundland. He joined the Canadian military and spent 25 years with the artillery and, beginning in 1967, Dwyer worked another 20 years as a civilian driver at CFB Borden. 

Dwyer remained in the Barrie area after his retirement.

Barrie has a municipal naming policy intended to provide a fair, consistent and efficient process for naming, renaming or dedicating assets such as city streets, parks and facilities, which includes public consultation and legislative approvals. It outlines the processes to request naming, how public consultation will take place, the limitations of naming and how the decisions will be made.

Since 2015, examples of municipal naming are Peggy Staite-Wong Pavilion, Sam Cancilla Park, Wyman Jacques Arboretum, H. John Murphy Water Reservoir and Pumping Station, and the Osmond ‘Ossie’ Rowe Pedestrian Bridge.