Barrie replaces waterfront field project with ambitious downtown revitalization plan

After months of controversy, protests, and petitions, Barrie city councillors scrapped plans for a multipurpose field along the waterfront in favour of a new plan to revitalize the downtown.

"I've said to some people privately, I thought that multipurpose field wouldn't get built," said Ward 8 councillor Jim Harris following Wednesday evening's general committee meeting.

Councillors have given initial approval to a majority of the ideas found in a report released over the summer by long-time Barrie volunteer and lawyer Marshall Green. Mayor Alex Nuttall called on Green to develop recommendations on the best way to move forward.

"We lived in Barrie for over 50 years. Now, we've raised three kids here. I think I owe the city an awful lot. And I was happy to give back a few weeks of my time and 44 pages of writing," Green said.

Sports Fields

General committee passed a motion with several amendments Wednesday giving staff new areas to focus on. Work on the previously approved multipurpose field adjacent to the General John Hayter Southshore Centre has now officially come to an end.

Instead, staff will begin planning for a much smaller drill square near the centre for the Sea Cadets to use for their parading and other outdoor activities. The cadets have been trying to move from their current home near the marina for the better part of two decades, mainly due to safety concerns with increasing traffic on the water.

"I really do think that the work that was done was done very well, and I'm very thankful to Marshall for putting the time and effort in and volunteering his time on this, you know, free of charge for the City of Barrie," Nuttall said to CTV News.

Staff have also been directed to launch the initial process of building a soccer stadium by the downtown Barrie Fire Hall on the property that used to host Barrie Central Collegiate. According to Green's report, this would be the new home for the Simcoe County Rovers soccer team, which is reportedly finalizing a deal with a large global sports and entertainment enterprise.

The soccer field would be open for other community sports teams when not used by the Rovers.

"I always hoped there would be a better option for the sports community; that field that would be on the lakeshore would have been a compromised version," Councillor Harris said during Wednesday's meeting. "What's happened with opportunities presented now is it won't be a compromised version of a multipurpose turf field. It'll be a really great version that will stand the test of time."

While supportive of the proposed plan, Nuttall said during Wednesday's meeting that these substantial changes in location won't come free of charge.

"There's no question there's going to be a cost," Nuttall said. "But as I sit here, I think that that cost will actually be worth it. And so, yes, there is a cost to this; and, yes, there's benefits to it; and yes, there's value to it."

Greenspace

The multipurpose field was initially meant to serve as parading grounds for the Sea Cadets, who have needed a new location for decades. Most of that area will now be preserved as a naturalized area, a decision made as part of Wednesday night's initial vote.

Councillors have tasked staff with preparing a design concept for a passive park east of the Allandale Train Station, ensuring that pathways are clearly defined and accessible.

While most of the area will be a natural greenspace, it will occasionally be used for overflow for events like Kempenfest.

"If we all work together and if we all listen to each other, I think we can accomplish a great deal," said Ward 1 Councillor Clare Riepma in response to Wednesday's amendments. "We've really, I think, come a long way that way."

Performing Arts Centre

Councillors also took a step forward Wednesday in advancing a long-planned Performing Arts Centre (PAC). With the Sea Cadets moving their base to the General John Hayter Southshore Centre, staff will begin working on a report outlining a plan for putting the PAC where the cadets are now by the marina.

Barrie's arts community has been waiting for years for movement on a new PAC. The most recent plans had it at the location of the former Barrie Central Collegiate. However, with that site now being planned for a new sports field, Green's report suggested the waterfront as an ideal location for a new PAC.

"I think we'll see a good amount of fundraising come to the table for things like the Performing Arts Centre," Nuttall said.

The previous proposal was estimated to cost more than $100 million. However, staff will now be working on a slimmed-down waterfront version featuring a large 600-seat venue and a smaller 250-seat theatre. The new budget is $65 million.

"When you look at the budget that is before us now for the theater, I think this actually really does now paint a path forward that the theater could actually become a reality," said Ward 7 Councillor Gary Harvey, who also chairs the City's Finance and Responsible Governance Committee. "When we were hearing numbers that were north of $100 million, I just couldn't fathom where we would ever be able to accomplish that unless we had some significant funding coming our way."

Barrie Baycats

One idea that did not advance on Wednesday night alongside the others was Green's call to relocate the Barrie Baycats to the downtown. While the team currently plays in Midurst at the Barrie Community Sports Complex, Green suggested moving the Baycats to Queen's Park could be a major economic boost.

During his address ahead of the vote, the mayor said that discussions on potentially relocating the Baycats are promising but ongoing.

"I think there's a there's a lot of support for these things to happen," Nuttall said about Green's report. "It'll be a beautiful thing if they all land. But you know what they say: if you don't shoot, you don't score."

With files from CTV's Kim Phillips.