April 29, 2008
Have A Drink On Barney
Those who frequent the strip of downtown parkettes stretching from Dundonald to Charles Streets have been wondering what happened to the mysterious monument to "Barney." In autumn, the memorial stone went missing after having been damaged, but has now been reinstated onto its concrete base just off Gloucester Street in the Norman Jewison Parkette. But what's the story behind this odd little commemoration?
It's actually a drinking fountain for dogs—not a grave marker—and was named for the beloved yellow lab of legendary local film director (and former cab driver) Norman Jewison (Moonstruck, In The Heat Of The Night). The offices of Jewison's Yorktown Productions overlook the "pocket park," and Barney often frequented the green space now named for his owner. The dog died in 2001, not long before the park was dedicated.
When plans to honour the famous filmmaker were announced, Jewison asked that the fountain be installed so that other dog lovers could press the foot pedal and give their pets some relief with a nod to Barney. Sadly, the drinking basin is sometimes vandalized and doesn't always work, but it's good to see the charming peculiarity repaired in time for warm weather.
Photo by Marc Lostracco.
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I live in the building overlooking the parks and walk my dog past this fountain multiple times a day, so it's great to know the story behind Barney's fountain!
I just wish I could get my dog to drink from it. Maybe when the weather gets a bit warmer.
My dog won't drink from the spout (the little hole to the left of the push-button) but licks the wet concrete instead. I've seen a few dog owners put their finger over the spout to make it spray and their dogs will drink from the spray.
A lot of people actually think this is a gravesite, and one for a human, at that!
I've always wondered if it was also the gravesite for the dog, and if Barney was in fact Norman Jewison's dog, so thanks for the info!
Why is the park named after a living person?
Usually there is a 30-year waiting time for all the skeletons--if any--to come out of the closet.
I distinctly remember in the '70s that a number of buildings, libraries and schools were re-named away from Richard Nixon. Imagine if North York had waited 'til 30 years after the death of Lastman to name the park in North York after him.
The Attorney General's building at 720 Bay was once named after Clara Brett Martin. A Toronto Life article delved into her history and found out she was a man-hating lesbian. The building had the name taken down soon after the article appeared.