City council approved, in principle, an initial site analysis report of the Barrie market precinct Monday night and instructed staff to report back in 2021 with a permanent market business plan.
This concerns transforming the Barrie Transit Terminal on Maple Avenue into a permanent market, and the evolution of the broader study area into a market precinct.
The market precinct is an area bounded to the north by properties along the north side of Dunlop Street, to the east of Bayfield Street, to the south of Simcoe Street and to the west by Bradford Street.
It could be a hub for creative, cultural and community enterprises.
This project has involved renovating the existing Barrie Transit Terminal, located at 24 Maple Ave., to a permanent market building, then constructing a new farmers’ market pavilion building.
The Barrie Farmers’ Market has operated since 1846, but without a permanent facility. It operates now at Barrie City Hall — outside in warm weather and inside in the Rotunda when it's colder — on Saturday mornings.
The public market is to be a gathering place to bring together farmers, chefs, entrepreneurs and the community.
In 2018, council approved $2.9 million in design and construction funding, then an additional $3.9 million the next year for construction. Then that $6.8 million in funding was cancelled and removed from the capital budget plan, so there are no approved dollars — and no funding requested in the 2021 capital plan for the new development of a downtown market.
Any funding for this project would be considered at annual budget time, which is in January for the 2021 operating and capital budget; it sets property tax rates and service levels in Barrie.
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