Here are the most popular local stories of 2015 by month, based on traffic to Barrie.CTVNews.ca.
January: All eyes were on Orangeville, as the community came together to protest a “No tobogganing” sign at Murray’s Mountain. Dozens of people staged a sled-in, including the town’s mayor. It was ultimately decided that residents could use the hill at their own risk.
Sticking with winter fun, a popular route at Arrowhead Provincial Park reopened for skaters. The 1.3 kilometre long rink became the longest outdoor manmade skating rink in Ontario.
February: Cold weather warnings dominated in February, as record breaking temperatures dug in over the month. However, it was a warning on Feb. 22 that took the top spot. Environment Canada issued an advisory warning of temperatures between -30 C and -40 C with the wind chill.
Later that month, a 40 car pileup on Highway 400 in King City caused major delays during a Saturday morning commute. Drivers say the crash happened quickly; luckily, no one was seriously hurt. Weather conditions were believed to be a possible factor.
March: A 16-year-old girl was rushed to hospital in critical condition after she struck a tree, while skiing on the Schuss run at Blue Mountain Resort. The teenager was at the resort for a ski competition and was a member of the Milton Heights Race Club. The girl later died in hospital.
In Barrie, the RCMP launched an investigation into three senior members of the Ontario Provincial Police Association. Officers searched the OPPA offices of president Jim Christie, vice president Martin Bain and chief administrator Karl Walsh. All three were eventually suspended by the OPP. The RCMP investigation is ongoing and no charges have been laid.
April: A 46-year-old woman died, when police say the driver of a tractor trailer lost control and hit an oncoming car on Highway 400. The truck went through the concrete barrier during the collision, just south of Barrie. The driver of the tractor trailer was not seriously injured.
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre was put on high alert, when a patient, who had returned from West Africa, was transported to the hospital with flu-like symptoms. Ebola protocols were activated, resulting in doctors, nurses and paramedics donning protective gear. The patient was placed in a negative pressure room before being transported to a Toronto hospital. The patient went on to test negative for the disease.
May: The community of Innisfil came together to support a family, who’s five-year-old son died in a accident. The boy’s mother was moving her car out from a driveway, when police say he rode his bike behind the vehicle. Members of the community held a vigil and wrapped blue ribbons on a tree.
Graphic details were revealed in the ongoing trial of Shayne Lund. On May 26, Lund plead guilty to 35 charges, including making child pornography, sexual assault, bestiality and conspiring to get some of his young victims to perform sexual acts with animals.
June: A head-on crash east of Shelburne claimed the lives of a mother and her two sons. The family’s car collided with a dump truck on Highway 89. Investigators later determined the car crossed the centre line and struck the dump truck.
Riders of side-by-side ATVs and other multi-seat machines learned they would soon be able to ride on the shoulder of some provincial roads. In addition to that announcement, the province revealed new rules, which required drivers and passengers to wear helmets and seatbelts. Drivers are also required to have a G2 or M2 licence and must have their vehicle registered and insured.
July: A search to find a missing Newmarket man ended in early July, when officers located the body of Jonathan Adams in a forested area in town. York Regional Police conducted large scale searches throughout Newmarket for more than a week before locating the body. Investigators immediately ruled the death as not suspicious.
The Barrie Molson Centre turned Hollywood for the filming of “Goon: Last of the Enforcers”. A call was put out asking residents if they wanted to be extras in the movie. The casting call saw hundreds of people sign up for a chance to be in the film. The Goon sequel is expected to be released in 2016.
August: A slew of intense summer storms captured headlines across the region, which included an EF-2 tornado that touched down in the rural community of Teviotdale. The tornado brought wind speeds of up to 200 km/h. Several homes and businesses were damaged, but luckily no one was seriously injured.
A few days later, tragedy struck just before the parade at the annual Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championships in Shelburne. A young girl died when the horse she was riding reared up and caused her and the animal to fall. The 12-year-old was an experienced rider and ultimately her death was ruled accidental. Days later, the community gathered to pay tribute to the girl.
September: An odd discovery was made in Wasaga Beach when hundreds of eels washed ashore near the mouth of the Nottawasaga River. The eels had pointed noses and spots on the tail. Samples were handed over to Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources for testing, but the fish was believed to be a peacock eel. Those eels are typically grown in aquariums and are native to tropical waters.
The death of three young children and their grandfather left a mark on the community in York Region. A King Township man was charged in the fatal collision and is accused of driving while impaired. The four deaths brought people together for a vigil in early October. The accused will appear back in court on Jan. 6.
October: A graphic video surfaced in late October, showing an OPP cruiser striking, what the officer believed was a coyote, before getting out of the vehicle and shooting the animal. It was later determined that the animal was 20-year-old dog that was deaf and suffered from dementia. The video was shared all over social media and sparked public outrage. Many people called on the OPP to terminate the officer, while others wanted charges to be laid. The OPP‘s professional standards bureau is still investigating.
Veterinarians in Orangeville were puzzled by a respiratory illness that was affecting dogs. Vets suspected the illness to be “Kennel Cough”, but were unsure because some dogs were vaccinated. In most cases, the illness faded on its own in about a week.
November: A young child died at CFB Borden after being struck by a vehicle that was backing up in a residential part of the base. The collision remains under investigation by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service.
A Tillsonburg couple died, when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Parry Sound Area Municipal Airport. The 59-year-old man and 55-year-old woman were married for 34 years. The Transportation Safety Board is still investigating.
December: News that a high-risk offender was now living in King Township sparked outraged from residents. York Regional Police issued a public alert after learning Keith Theodore Constantin was released to a facility in the municipality after serving four years for sexual assault with a weapon. A few days later, a public information meeting was held to help ease the minds of residents. Since then, a campaign and Facebook group has been established to relocate Constantin to a better suited facility.
A mild December had people across Canada talking, but when snow hit the ground for the first time this season in Muskoka, a plow operator found himself being accused of impaired driving. The operator was plowing a section of Highway 11 in Gravenhurst, when police say it went into the ditch. The OPP had received reports from citizens concerned about the driving behaviour of the plow. The Huntsville man was arrested and will appear in court on Jan. 12.
