Indelible mark

Barry Davidson left the County a better place

Barry Davidson needed to make things happen. While others pointed out gaps and needs in the community, Davidson put his energy toward tackling them. He quietly but deliberately set out each day to work toward a solution. His ambition was supported by the rare ability to attract other people to his cause.

Last Thursday morning, Barry passed away at home, surrounded by loved ones.

There simply isn’t enough space in these pages to include all of Barry’s volunteer efforts and achievements. A truncated list includes the Millennium Trail and PECTrails, PECSyria, Back the Build, Wellington Rotary, Twelve Trees, the Storehouse Foodbank and the Wellington Community Association.

As is frequently the case with Barry, he did most of his work outside of any formal organization. He saw a need and simply turned his attention to it without worrying too much about how.

Since the rails were removed from the spur line of the Central Canada Railway that ran through the County, many dozens of people had met around tables to discuss the potential role of what is now known as the Millennium Trail. But rather than talk about it, Davidson marshalled the support of the Rotary Club of Wellington. He spoke to local heavy equipment contractors and volunteers to reclaim and resurface an 11-kilometre stretch of the Trail. That was just the beginning for Barry. Today, the entire 46 kilometres of the Trail has been resurfaced, due largely to his effort and initiative.

He outlined his vision to council in 2018.

“I was thinking to myself, ‘If only we could have a construction crew like Rotary had’ and once again I said, ‘I can do that.’ My longterm goal is to connect the Millennium trail with the Trans Canada Trail, which is north of the 401.”

Barry’s passion, dedication and hard work went much further.

Carlyn Moulton remembered Barry as an energetic supporter of PECSyria, a grassroots organization formed in response to the plight of children and families fleeing civil war in that nation.

Barry joined PEC Syria at its inception in 2015 as a member of its fundraising team. The Al Jasems, an intergenerational family of 14, arrived in the County in October 2015. By the end of that year, Barry had joined the administrative committee to help set policy, coordinate the work of subcommittees, and pursue applications to sponsor additional families.

When Barry got involved with a project, he was all in.

In February of 2016, Wellington welcomed the Mostafa family. Barry stepped forward to provide interim housing and support until the family decided where they wanted to settle. Barry and his wife, Liz were in constant contact with the family, helping them establish their banking, get the required vaccines, shop for groceries and answer questions large and small.

In 2019, PEC Syria established a needsbased education fund through the County Foundation for refugees pursuing postsecondary education. In addition to his other roles with PEC Syria, Barry became a member of the bursary selection committee.

“Volunteers develop close, ongoing relationships with the families as they help them gradually become independent and feel more confident. Relationships that begin with a focus on resettlement become lifelong friendships. There was no end date to the commitment Barry had taken on; he was a trusted advisor, mentor and friend to these folks for the rest of his days,” said Moulton.

Attainable housing was little more than a buzzword before Barry stepped forward. He, along with Anthony Lemke, founded the network in the context of re-developing the Dukedome site, as well as a possible site on Maple Street in Wellington.

Although both properties ended up under different ownership, Barry managed to spur the conversation about affordable housing in this community in a tangible way.

“Barry’s work had the effect of kick-starting into existence the current County initiative, Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation,” said Lemke. “Many folks have been working in and around the County on affordable housing, but it was Barry’s relentless push to just get the work done that forced the County to decide whether or not to hand the land over to a third party group or to found an organization of its own with players who had been involved in the space for years.”

Lyn McGowan, the President of the Rotary Club of Wellington, said Barry truly lived the Rotary motto of Service above Self. “Barry was an exemplary Rotarian, recognized by the Rotary Club of Wellington as Rotarian of the Year in 2019 and Rotarian of the Decade in 2022,” she said. “He was a man of quiet vision, with the will and energy to make his vision come to life. He was always one of the first to volunteer his time, ready to lend a hand at whatever needed to be done. We grieve the loss of our friend and colleague, but we celebrate the life he lived. He left the world a better place.”

On Wednesday, a day before he passed, Barry was awarded Canada’s highest award for Volunteerism— the Governor General’s Medal of Honour for Volunteerism. The award recognizes Canadians who have made a significant, sustained, and unpaid contribution to their community in Canada or abroad.

Mayor Steve Ferguson visited Barry as he was presented with the award. Ferguson noted that Barry left an indelible mark on Prince Edward County and on the many organizations he was involved in.

“His volunteer contributions and unwavering commitment to bettering the lives of others were diverse and included the new County hospital, PEC Syria, Hospice Prince Edward, and the Wellington Food Bank. His love for the County and his irrepressible ‘I can do that’ attitude and drive resulted in making the 46-km Millennium Trail a natural amenity that is now enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors each year and will be for the many generations that follow,” he said. “It is a difficult task to know how to express gratitude to someone who has done so much for our community, all done quietly and with humility and without the expectation of recognition or reward. Suffice it to say that we are all in Barry’s debt, and his legacy is an example to us all.”

All are welcome to celebrate the life of this quiet, tenacious “volunteer of the decade” at a memorial Mass at St. Gregory the Great Church, Picton at 11 a.m. Friday, April 19, 2024 followed by a reception at Highline Hall, Lehigh Arena, Wellington.