One of the most valuable parts of knocking on doors and speaking with Ward 1 residents is hearing about problems I may not have considered before.
Recently, a resident shared an experience with me that raised a simple but important question about safety on Barrie’s trails.
While using the Rail Trail, she came across someone who was not doing well and appeared to need assistance.
Her first thought was to call 911.
Then she realized there was a problem:
How do you tell a 911 operator exactly where you are when you’re somewhere along a trail with no street address?
That conversation led to an idea that I think is worth looking into.
Could We Add Location Markers Along the Trail?
The resident suggested installing kilometre or location markers at regular intervals along the trail.
For example, instead of telling a 911 operator:
“I’m somewhere on the trail between two streets.”
You could potentially say:
“I’m at Rail Trail marker 2.5.”
If emergency services had the corresponding marker locations, that could provide another simple reference point to help identify where assistance is needed.
Barrie already uses maps and trail-marking systems in some of its trail networks. The City’s trail information explains that markers and signs are installed for both safety and navigation. City of Barrie
That made me think this resident’s suggestion deserves a closer look.
What Would It Take to Get This Considered?
I don’t think the answer is to immediately start installing signs.
The first step should be bringing the idea to the appropriate City staff and emergency services and asking some basic questions.
Would location markers help Police, Fire and Paramedics respond to emergencies on the trail?
What type of marker would be most useful: kilometres, numbered emergency-location markers, or something else?
Where should they be placed?
Could they be incorporated into existing trail signage?
What would installation and ongoing maintenance cost?
And perhaps most importantly, do our emergency responders believe this would help them locate people faster?
Barrie’s Sustainability Committee is also tasked with providing advice to Council on active transportation infrastructure, so there may be an opportunity for an idea like this to be considered through that process as well. City of Barrie
This is exactly the type of resident suggestion I believe is worth investigating before deciding whether it should move forward.
There Is Already Another Tool Residents Should Know About
After discussing the situation, I also spoke with a firefighter who told me about a location tool called what3words.
I looked into it further, and it turns out this is particularly relevant in Barrie.
what3words divides the world into small 3-metre squares and gives each square a unique combination of three words. Instead of trying to explain where you are on a trail, you can open the app, determine the three-word location and provide those words to an emergency call taker.
Importantly, what3words lists Barrie Police Service and Barrie Fire & Emergency Services among the Ontario emergency services using and accepting what3words locations. What3words
I also found Barrie Fire documentation that instructs personnel to use the what3words app to confirm the location of a fire and document the three words for sharing with other departments. Amazon Web Services, Inc.
That makes this more than simply an interesting app. It’s something Barrie residents using our trails should know about.
However, what3words itself makes an important point: the app does not replace calling emergency services. In an emergency, call 911 and provide the location information to the call taker. What3words Support
Barrie Police similarly advises people calling 911 from a cellphone to be prepared to provide the exact location of the emergency. Barrie Police
Maybe the Best Answer Is Both
The more I looked into this resident’s idea, the more I thought we shouldn’t necessarily view physical markers and technology as competing solutions.
There may be value in having both.
A simple, clearly identifiable emergency-location marker along the trail would work for anyone walking, cycling or running past it.
what3words provides another way of identifying a precise location using a smartphone.
The next step should be asking Barrie Fire, Barrie Police, City staff and other emergency responders what system would be most useful to them.
If a relatively simple and affordable improvement could make it easier for someone to communicate their location during an emergency, I think it’s worth investigating.
This Is Why Listening to Residents Matters
This entire idea came from a conversation with a Ward 1 resident.
She experienced a problem, thought about how it could be improved and brought forward a practical suggestion.
I listened.
Then I started looking into it.
Now the next question is whether we can take that information and determine if there’s a practical improvement the City can make.
That’s the approach I want to bring to Ward 1:
Learn. Understand. Act. Measure. Communicate.
Not every resident suggestion will ultimately become City policy.
But every good idea deserves to be heard and properly investigated.
And sometimes a conversation at someone’s door can identify a relatively simple improvement that could make our community safer.
Brent Bowser
Candidate for Ward 1 Councillor
Working for Ward 1. Together.
What I would do next
I would actually pursue this one rather than leaving it as a campaign blog. Start with Service Barrie and ask that the suggestion be routed to the staff responsible for trails/active transportation, while specifically requesting input from Barrie Fire & Emergency Service on whether numbered or kilometre-based emergency-location markers would improve response on the Rail Trail. The City lists Service Barrie at 705-726-4242 and Service.Barrie@barrie.ca for trail-related issues. City of Barrie
I would frame the request as an investigation, not a demand to install kilometre signs: “Can City staff and emergency services evaluate whether standardized emergency-location markers along the Rail Trail would improve the public’s ability to communicate their location to 911?” That leaves Fire and Police free to recommend kilometre markers, numbered markers, what3words signage, or another system that works better operationally.
