A consultant’s report on Barrie’s planned but controversial sports field along Lakeshore Drive could play a key role in its progress and timing.
Marshall Green, a retired lawyer with a specialty in municipal law and land-use planning, has met with some stakeholder groups and will be summarizing their position in a report to council to help guide its path forward.
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall said Green’s findings will be provided publicly to city council, although no timeline been identified.
“I think I’d like … a solid set of information that’s properly done and researched,” Nuttall said. “If that takes extra weeks, it takes extra weeks in making sure that any decisions we make we get right.”
City councillors are scheduled to meet next Aug. 14, then Sept. 11.
The synthetic turf, multi-purpose youth sports field and parade grounds on city property east of Military Heritage Park was essentially approved by council May 15.
A permit is still required from Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, because its regulated area crosses the sports field’s top portion. An archaeological assessment is also needed.
The field would be for soccer, rugby, football and lacrosse, as well as marching for the Sea Cadets/Navy League, and there could be amenities such as lighting, benches and site furnishings. It’s to measure 120-by-78 metres, an open-air facility, without a dome or stadium, and for community use with a paved asphalt, 35-stall parking area.
Nuttall said he’s unsure when Green’s report will be ready, or when councillors will deal with it.
“I don’t know yet. I would say that I would hope it comes before September, because that’s going to be obviously informing a process that’s already underway, so let’s wait and see,” the mayor said. “But I’m not sure of the date yet.”
The process already underway is identified in the May 8, 2024 general committee staff report. It refers to the project’s tender preparation, the requests for proposal (RFP) from June to July, the RFP bid evaluation and award from August to September, its design from September to December, and construction from October 2024 to July 2025.
The field would be open for sports use in August 2025.
From the date of project approval by council to completion, the proposed sports field/marching grounds require a minimum of 16 months to build, including the winter season.
But this is not cast in stone.
“Since bringing Marshall Green on board, the project schedule might change,” said Michelle Banfield, Barrie’s executive director of development services. “Staff will update the schedule when we have a better understanding of the timing of Mr. Green’s work.”
Nuttall has also referred to a pair of online petitions as a reason why Green’s report is necessary.
The first, from June 2023, is that Navy League Barrie petitions the city for a multi-use facility of Kempenfelt Bay, and has 2,113 signatures of support as of Tuesday evening. It can be found at by clicking here.
The second, from May 2024, asks residents to say ‘no’ to developing a multi-use sport field and parade ground along the city's south shore and Allandale Park. It has 7,096 signatures as of Tuesday evening. It can be found by clicking here.
“Then there’s been emails and phone calls in all different types of direction, so I’ve really provided kind of an update (to Green) from all the things we’ve been hearing back,” Nuttall said. “And obviously any developments that have come along the way that would inform decision making.”
Opposition has centred on the location of the sports field and parade grounds, that it is still too close to the waterfront, despite being moved back closer to Lakeshore Drive, and its size, despite being smaller than the original design.
In an email to BarrieToday, city resident Steve Rae expressed his frustration with the project.
“As a user of the southshore trail, I cannot imagine how this unique wilderness area can accommodate such activity,” said Rae, who describes himself as almost 70 years old and semi-retired. “How anyone with a tape measure could think this unique wilderness area could accommodate nature, foot paths, a sports field, viewing area seating, chain-link fencing, night lights, washrooms, parking, a marching area, etc. … hello?
“This is 2024, destroying nature is not cool,” added Rae, who says he has some education and interest in the environment.
Washrooms/change rooms are not part of the plans, although the May 8 staff report says the cost would be $650,000 to $1 million.
The project is estimated to cost $4.6 million which would come from three city reserves: development charges, tax capital and cash-in-lieu of parkland.
The Sea Cadets, long located near the Spirit Catcher, would move to an addition to the General John Hayter Southshore Community Centre, a northerly extension to the basement of the existing building. It comes with a $4.55-million price tag.
At this point, $300,000 has been committed for the addition’s plan and design. City staff will report back to councillors for future construction funding approval, once costing is refined through the design process.
No funding source for the Southshore’s Sea Cadets addition has been identified by the city.
Whether council will change its mind on the sports field's location, or even re-discuss it, is the question many of the project’s opponents want answered.
A simple majority of council is required to revisit a motion within six months of its approval, or defeat, according to Barrie’s procedural bylaw.
The sports field motion passed by a 9-2 vote May 15. Coun. Amy Courser and Coun. Jim Harris, who represents this part of Barrie, voted against the sports field then.
