Trinity worshippers have had a deep personal and supportive interest in the DAVID BUSBY STREET CENTRE. The Centre’s creation was a result of Mandy Hillyard, a parishioner of Trinity, noticing the many transients who came to Trinity for assistance.  Opened in 1992 with the blessing of the Incumbent, The Rev. Canon David Busby and the Wardens, the drop-in-centre, known as “The Barrie Street Centre” became a safe place for people to sit, chat, relax, read or have a cup of coffee in the lower level of Trinity Church Hall.

In the year 1994 plans began to incorporate the Centre.  Canon Busby, recently retired, and was known to have a heart for the poor and disadvantaged, was asked, and gave his permission for the name “The David Busby Street Centre” to be used. Tragically, Canon Busby died Nov. 21, 1994, in an air crash while on a mission in Bequia, W.I. In late 1995 the Centre was officially incorporated. 
Trinity's Outreach Committee is represented on the Board of the Street Centre. The demands in the services of this centre have grown correspondingly with the rapid pace of growth in population which Barrie has experienced.

To the many disadvantaged, this is a safe and non-judgmental place to put in the day and know their needs will be met. A dedicated staff and a devoted group of volunteers see that help is provided to find shelter, food and identification.
Given the close proximity to the new Super Jail, a lot of newly-released inmates turn to the Centre for help. There is networking with both the Social Services and the Super Jail to make the transition back to freedom smoother and more supportive to leading a productive life.

The Outreach van has been available to fill the "food" gap to some degree when the local Out of the Cold program shuts down during the summer months, and often makes forays into small wood-land areas where groups of the homeless are camping out for the summer months.

Through networking with the local agencies and health services, their workers have been able to attend the Centre to offer specialized assistance. These include mental health workers, legal aid personnel, nurse practitioners, a chaplain, Habitat workers and more. The Centre has made use of the opportunity to offer information regarding AIDS and provide services of a nurse on staff.

Many of the participants suffer from various mental disorders. The Board of Directors make aggressive attempts to "connect' as many of these participants as they can, to Social Services as they are often the most likely to fall through the gaps that exist.

The Centre honours each and everyone's dignity and  are often rewarded by the response. It would be difficult to find work that came much closer than this to "doing God's work", and staff and volunteers alike, feel privileged to be employed.

Currently the David Busby Street Centre is in the process of searching for a larger facility.

A scene from a day in the centre