Dr. Livingstone, I presume.
If you’re thinking the busy east-west Livingstone Street in Barrie’s north end is named after the African explorer, you’d presume wrong.
Although, there could be a former city street named after the man. Or could there?
Long before before Bayfield Street’s ‘Golden Mile’ of shopping destinations popped up around what is now the intersection at Livingstone, the area was still part of Vespra Township and farmers' fields were everywhere.
The newly incorporated City of Barrie annexed the area (Innisfil isn’t the only neighbour that has surrendered land to the city over the years) from the township in January 1959, according to local historian Brad Rudachyk, PhD, in his book Streetwise in Barrie.
Livingstone Street is named in honour of one of Barrie’s dead from the First World War: Sgt. George ‘Livvy’ Livingstone, 46589, 13th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment), who died from his wounds on Sept. 5 at age 21, Rudachyk says.
“He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial (in France) upon whose ramparts are inscribed the names of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers who were posted as ‘missing, presumed dead’ in France,” he says.
Livingstone was determined to see action.
“In May 1915, Cpl. Livingstone reverted to the rank of private to be able to be among the first draft of 25 Barrie men eager to leave the town as reinforcements for the First Contingent," Rudachyk says.
Livingstone — who soon got his stripes back — found the action he was looking for, and then some.
“He wrote to his father… that after a recent battle, only 40 of his company of 250 men were able to answer the roll call,” Rudachyk says, adding the corporal suffered critical injuries in the trenches of Somme.
At its eastern terminus at Cundles Road East, Livingstone Street winds its way through the city’s north end, ending at Ferndale Drive North, where it turns into Cloughley Drive. At some points, it is no more than a few hundred metres (or less) from Springwater Township, which was incorporated on Jan. 1, 1994 when the townships of Flos and Vespra were amalgamated.
From one end to the other of Livingstone Street, many cross streets are named after other Barrie veterans and military men of the past as well as past prominent businessmen.
Cundles, for instance, is named for lumberman and farmer Thomas Cundle.
Bayfield is named after Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield.
Kozlov is named for developer Lou Kozlov.
Ford Street is named after G.A. Ford, who sat on Barrie town council in 1896.
Ah, yes. What about that possible Barrie connection to Africa? The jury might still be out on that street name.
Rudachyk’s book states that, according to an 1879 map, at one point a Livingston (no ‘E’) Street ran “north-south from Ross Street (Brock Street), through Connon Street (deleted), to Town Liine (Tiffin Street), one block west of Seaforth Street."
A 1892 plan of Allandale — portions of which used to be in Innisfil — also showed the street.
“The origin of Livingston Street has yet to be determined," he says. “It may be named for Dr. David Livingstone — there’s that ‘E’ again — (1813-1873), Scottish missionary and African explorer.”
