Barrie residents can take a survey or attend a drop-in event, or both, about the future of the city's waterfront and downtown.
Marshall Green’s Aug. 14 report, titled The Southshore, Barrie Sports and a Revitalized Downtown, gathered information about a proposed multi-use sports field and parade ground on city-owned land east of Military Heritage Park.
The synthetic-turf youth sports field was to be for soccer, football, lacrosse and rugby, the parade ground for Barrie Sea Cadets/Navy League.
Green, a retired lawyer specializing in municipal law and land-use planning, recommended the sports field not be built there, and that the young sailors do their marching west of the Southshore Centre.
The day after Green’s report was made public, Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall directed city staff to pause further work on council’s decision to go ahead with the sports field and parade ground, to allow for public consultation to take place and be presented to council later this fall.
Nuttall took this action using a strong mayor powers directive, from Ontario’s Municipal Act.
Residents can participate in this consultation by taking a survey, which closes Sept. 25, or attending drop-in consultation Sept. 24, from 4-8 p.m., at General John Hayter Southshore Centre.
For more information and to take the survey, click here.
