Honouring Destiny, Barrie's Youngest Gym Owner, and One Man's Case for Sasquatch

This week's program covers a lot of ground.

A Barrie father talks about honoring the daughter he lost to mental health through a ball hockey tournament bearing her name. A 21-year-old gym owner shares what it took to build something real in a competitive industry. And an Oro-Medonte author makes the case that Sasquatch not only exists, but has spoken to him.

Here's what Barrie's talking about this week.

A Father Is Keeping His Daughter's Name Alive

Two years ago, Chris Alley lost his daughter Destiny at age 23 after a long struggle with her mental health. She was a multi-sport athlete who played ball hockey everywhere from Barrie to Bradford, and all the way to the international stage representing Great Britain.

To keep her spirit alive, Chris is organizing Destiny's Tournament of Hope, a ball hockey tournament running August 14th to 16th in Innisfil. Four divisions are planned: men's, women's, co-ed, and men's 40-plus, with youth divisions being added in future years. The event is supported by the Canadian Mental Health Association and the South Simcoe Ball Hockey League.

Chris says the point isn't only fundraising. It's a reminder that every person lost to mental health is not just a story. They're a person. Say their name, he says. It gives families joy, not pain.

For team registration, sponsorship, or more information, visit starttalking.ca/destinystournamentofhope.

She Was 21 When She Took the Keys

Riley McCullough was grinding 12 to 16 hour days at Finest Fitness on Lennox Drive when the previous owner decided to sell. She had no formal business background. What she had was a year of listening, a mentor who showed her what to do and what not to do, and a real knack for connecting with people.

Her dad put it simply: she was already running the place. Why not make it official? On the very morning she sat down to sign the lease, her Georgian College acceptance email landed in her inbox. She chose the gym.

She was 21 at the time, likely Canada's youngest gym owner at the point of takeover.

Community Is the Whole Point at the Warehouse

The Warehouse Gym on Lennox Drive now has just under 300 members, and that number is somewhat intentional. Riley isn't trying to pack the floor. She's interested in knowing your name, your birthday, and at least one thing about your family.

New members get added to a group chat. Riley tracks down their name before she ever meets them in person, so when she finally says hello, it already feels personal. No lunk alarms, no competitive staredowns, no people racing each other for mirror time. Just people who show up, say hi, and sometimes have so much fun they forget to actually work out.

A Space Where Women Belong

When Riley took over, the gym skewed heavily male. Changing that took real effort. She kept the old-school black-and-white grunge aesthetic that defined the space, but showed up as something it hadn't had before: a young female owner who was open about her own challenges, telling other women there's nothing to lose by walking through the door.

The membership is now close to 50/50. Riley says if she can do it at her age, in a male-dominated industry, anyone can.

HYROX Is the Next Chapter

The Warehouse has its sights set on becoming Simcoe County's biggest HYROX training facility.

For the uninitiated, HYROX is an 8km race with a functional workout station between every kilometre: rowing, ski erg, sled push, farmers carries, and burpee broad jumps. It's gaining serious traction across Canada, and the Warehouse has the coaches to back it up.

Staff member Judica is heading to Sweden in June competing as one of Canada's top pro athletes in her age category. Endurance coach Jordan Ford brings Ironman, triathlon, and marathon credentials to the floor. If you're curious but have never tried it, Riley says come to a class and meet the coaches first.

Two-Year Anniversary Open House on May 30th

The Warehouse Gym turns two this month, and they're marking it with an open house at 46 Lennox Drive on Saturday, May 30th from noon to 3 PM.

The event doubles as a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters Barrie, with a giant raffle featuring prizes from local businesses across the city. It's open to absolutely everyone, current members, former members, curious newcomers, and yes, even the skeptics.

Expect burgers, hot dogs, day passes, and announcements about the new run club and upcoming HYROX programming. Find them on Instagram at @thewarehousegymm (two M's) or at w.thewarehousebarrie.com.

An Oro-Medonte Man Says Sasquatch Has Spoken to Him

Mike Patterson has been researching Sasquatch in Ontario since 2008. He didn't go looking at first. Then one October night in a forested area he'd rather not name, he heard a triple-whoop vocalization that filled the trees and, in his words, vibrated through his body. He's been at it ever since.

His new book, Invisible Giant: A True Story of Sasquatch Contact, was published April 10th. It covers 18 years of encounters, audio recordings, and documentation, including what he describes as one of the largest private libraries of Sasquatch recordings in the world. He's lectured at McMaster University, presented at Indigenous cultural conferences, and received backing from wildlife researchers in the field before their passing.

Patterson says visuals are rare, but he believes if you're in the right forest with the right intentions, there's a real chance something will make itself known. Invisible Giant is available on Amazon.

Stay Connected With What Barrie's Talking About

If you like what you've heard, please subscribe to What Barrie's Talking About.

You can also keep up with What Barrie's Talking About on Bluesky and X at Barrie 360, and on our website at Barrie360.com.

And there's our Daily Kickstart podcast available from any streaming service and on our website.