Barrie councillors advance major Fairgrounds development as curling club fights to maintain its footprint
City councillors have placed the immediate future of the old Barrie Fairgrounds into the hands of the province.
On Wednesday night, councillors gave final approval to submit a Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator (CIHA) to the province for a major new development proposed for a property along Essa Road that has remained dormant for the better part of 20 years.
"It's so needed and for the housing," said Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson. "I truly believe the developer wants to build something that will stand out and be proud and not stand out in the sense of an eyesore."
- Download the CTV News app free to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The CIHA is a new tool employed by the provincial government as it works towards building 1.5 million homes by 2031, expediting the approval process for certain developments that will help the province achieve its goal.
The Proposed Plan
The proposal from Greenworld Development has multiple high-rise towers and several townhomes, collectively bringing more than 4,000 units to Barrie. It also has about six acres set aside for a new school. However, with multiple school boards interested and nearby traffic implications, Thomson says the CIHA will help get multiple ministries on board.
"There's the housing minister, the education minister, and the transportation minister, so we're trying to get them all in the same room," Thomson says.
However, sitting as general committee late last month, Councillor Clare Riepma raised concerns that another CIHA application submitted last year for a proposed long-term care development has yet to see any action.
"I have confidence, know their goal is to build well over one million houses, so I think they'll understand the importance of moving this forward, and that's why I think the majority of council supported going forward, knowing that it's hard sometimes to get answers from three different ministries."
Curling Club's Footprint
While the property has remained largely vacant for roughly two decades, the Barrie Curling Club (BCC) remains the only existing tenant, with a lease extending well into the next century.
On Wednesday, the club's director deputated to council, asking that the CIHA application be delayed until outstanding issues between the BCC and developer can be resolved.
As it stands, there are concerns that the current plans will encroach on the club's footprint.
To alleviate those concerns, councillors submitted the CIHA with an amendment that it is not transferrable, meaning whatever zoning decisions are made through the application will not stand if the ownership of the property ever changes to a new developer.
"We're a little skeptical or have some reservations around that CIHA process but we've had assurances from city council that they understand the value that the BCC brings to the community and they want to see us remain financially viable and operational," said BCC Manager Melanie Hughes.
The BCC has been vocal about how the development could impact the facility for months. However, BCC leadership is far from opposed to the development moving ahead.
"The idea of bringing a bunch of new residents to the City of Barrie, essentially to our backyard, is great," said Hughes. It will be great for the Curling Club, and anything that's great for curling in general is great for the Barrie Curling Club."
BCC Director Norman Speake, who has led the negotiations and presented at council numerous times, says there are more issues outstanding. He left optimistic Wednesday night that its footprint will eventually be protected but says other capital costs will be put on the club if the development moves ahead.
"There's a very, significant, economic impact on the Barrie Curling Club solely as a consequence of this development going forward and while it is largely a landlord and tenant matter those issues are inextricably entwined with the determination of the future of the Barrie Curling Club."
Speake says the BCC cannot take on fees related to changes to the parking lot, snow removal, and landscaping.
"We can only hope that the City can find a way to involve itself in those matters going forward because they are as important as any other matter that we're talking about today."
Rail Proposal
Councillors have also voted to have staff investigate the possibility of using existing train tracks as a new transportation option for the development. With existing rail spurs already in use, staff will spend the coming months investigating the feasibility of using them to connect the Fairgrounds development to the Allandale Transit Terminal, which is currently under construction.
"The rail tracks don't end here at Allandale Train Station, and so the potential shouldn't end either," said Councillor Sergio Morales, who first brought the idea forward. "If we leverage the rail tracks that continue past the highway and westward, we can actually have a better developed Fairgrounds that doesn't contribute the same amount of cars that one would expect it to but where we can leverage it for commuter traffic and other residents of the City of Barrie."
Morales expects the study to take some time.
City staff are unclear on how long the CIHA application will stay with the province before it is returned.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
Protesters clash at UCLA after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstrators from Columbia University
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police carrying riot shields burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.