Lawsuits over development of Allandale train station dismissed
A decade-long legal saga surrounding Barrie's Allandale train station appears to be over.
On Tuesday, an Ontario Superior Court Justice dismissed claims made against the City of Barrie and individuals presented in a pair of lawsuits.
In 2011, Correct Group Inc. (CGI) filed suit against the City, claiming that it had acted in bad faith in discussions to redevelop the historic station. CGI also alleged that the City withheld information about contamination and the possibility of an Indigenous burial site on the land.
A second suit naming individuals, including Mayor Jeff Lehman, was filed two years later.
"It's a relief," Lehman told CTV News on Wednesday.
"Anytime there's allegations that things weren't done properly and you know they were, you get frustrated. And the court process is such that it takes a long time to prove that."
CGI president Alan Furbacher tells CTV News the company is reviewing the decision and will respond Thursday.
The City is in the process of tabulating its legal bills to send to CGI for payment. Lehman expects the tally to land in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The mayor hopes the decision can shift the focus back to the restoration of the historic site.
"It's been vacant for far too long. And we look forward in the coming months and years to getting those buildings back in public use as we always hoped they would be."
Lehman says the plan is to convert the station to a community hall, similar to the Southshore Community Centre, complete with a kitchen that can function as a cafe.
There is still painstaking archaeological work to do at the site where fragments of human remains have been found.
The study is being done in collaboration with the Huron-Wendat Nation and the Williams Treaty First Nation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.