LOCAL FOCUS: Barrie

By NextHome Staff
May 30, 2018
by Gale BeebyPhotos Courtesy The City of Barrie

Known as the 'Gateway to Cottage Country'

HOUSING OPTIONSBarrie has often been considered as a recreational playground and bedroom community of Toronto, which has given rise to the development of numerous subdivisions on the southern end of the city. With the city's long history, there are numerous pockets of historic housing, and the city – as with most large urban centres in Southern Ontario – has also seen a condo boom. But single-family homes are still the norm.Click here to see a list of homes for sale.LEISURE PURSUITS The Centre for the Performing Arts is a modern facility home to many cultural productions, film screenings, plays, concerts, dance recitals and other performances. The Georgian Theatre features a proscenium stage used for theatrical performances as well as conferences and seminars.The MacLaren Art Centre has a growing collection of work, as well as film nights, a speaker series and children's programs. Lakeshore Mews is home to a number of galleries, studios and boutiques, and hosts Arts ce Soir, an all-night celebration of visual, musical theatrical and literary art. Kempenfest is one of the largest arts and crafts celebrations in Ontario.The Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League play home games in the Molson Centre, a 4,195-seat multi-purpose arena.Barrie is also home to a number of festivals, including the Barrie Waterfront Festival, Winterfest, Ecofest, Jazz & Blues Festival, Rhythmfest, the Barrie Film Festival and the New Music Festival.PARKS & RECBarrie is a four-season delight for any outdoor enthusiast. In the summer, there are beaches to visit, including Minet's Point, Johnsons Beach, The Gables, Tyndale Beach and Centennial Beach. Sailing and boating are popular in Kempenfelt Bay and Lake Simcoe, which connects with the Trent Severn Waterway. In the winter there are many activities and facilities and the city also has a number of recreational and sports complexes and over 740 acres of parks.The Ardagh Bluffs Area boasts over 17 kilometres of hiding and walking trails over 518 acres. The Nine Mile Portage Heritage Trail follows the ancient overland route created by the Indigenous people, connecting Memorial Park to the Fort Willow Heritage Site in Springwater Township. The North Shore Trail is a multi-use, wheelchair-accessible, three-kilometre trail running the entire length of Barrie's north shore of Kempenfelt Bay along a former rail corridor.RETAIL THERAPYDowntown Barrie is full of lovely boutiques, one-of-a-kind arts and crafts shops, cafés, restaurants and bistros. Georgian Mall is the largest mall in Barrie with over 190 shops and services, and was recently renovated and expanded. Bayfield Mall has 70 stores and is surrounded by smaller stores and a bowling alley and movie theatre.EASY ACCESSPublic transit is provided by Barrie Transit and there is a GO Transit station with various bus and train routes. Greyhound Canada also has bus routes between Barrie and Yorkdale Bus Terminal. Highway 400 is the main provincial route, with Highway 26 (Bayfield Street), Simcoe County Roads 27, 90, 93, 30 and Highway 11 allowing commuters to move around quickly.BY THE NUMBERSPopulation: 187,000Walk Score: 40Twin Cities: Zweibrücken, Germany; Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, EnglandMotto: The People Are The CityBarrie.ca

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