Barrie Bash returns to city with big economic boost
Air quality concerns won't affect the status of a major ball tournament this weekend in Barrie.
The Barrie Bash is a huge event; with it going forward, it's good news for the players and local businesses.
"From what I'm told, it's one of the biggest tournaments in Ontario," said Sean Hayward, Barrie and District Girls Softball Association's president.
The Barrie Bash, which got underway Friday and ends Sunday, is a big part of a busy weekend in the city.
"This weekend in Barrie is huge. You've got Open Air Dunlop kicking off. You've got the air show where we expect tens of thousands of visitors here to watch," said Stephannie Schlichter, Barrie's economic and creative development director.
Planning for the tournament, which uses a lot of volunteers and 13 ball diamonds for five age groups, began all the way back in November.
"We've got 60 teams here this weekend from all across the province. There's a team here from Phoenix. There are teams from Windsor, LaSalle, Palmerston, London and all over the GTA," Hayward said.
The weekend influx of young families into the area provides a significant economic boost for the community.
"They dine, spend money, shop, and really get a sense of what the flavour of the community is," Schlichter said.
"Every hotel pretty much in Barrie is booked up. Carriage Ridge and Horseshoe Resort's all booked up. We've got one team staying in Midland, so it impacts a lot of Simcoe County," Hayward said.
The City is currently developing a new sports tourism strategy to maximize its amenities.
"We have some incredible sports organizations who are really driving regional, national, provincial recognition, so for us, we're looking at how we bring more of that into the community," Schlichter said.
This weekend's tournament is just one of the recent financial boosts sports tourism has provided for Barrie and surrounding municipalities.
The City estimates that the Ontario Minor Hockey Championships at the beginning of April brought in around $600,000.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.