A multi-use youth sports field and parade ground east of Military Heritage Park, along Barrie’s Lakeshore Drive.
An addition to Southshore Centre for the Sea Cadets’ new home, near the city’s waterfront.
A combined price tag of more than $9 million, if they’re both built.
City councillors, sitting as general committee, will consider both projects, and the possible costs, on Wednesday night.
William Scott, longtime member of the Allandale Neighbourhood Association, says he would have liked a little more notice for plans of this magnitude.
“There has been no publicity over this proposal,” he said. “It would have crept through general committee without public notice and could have then been presented as a fait accompli.”
Scott also has concerns about how Barrie’s waterfront trail system and its natural amenities will be affected by these plans.
“I do not understand why it is necessary to despoil this natural area for a sports facility when Barrie already has a large athletic complex off Nursery Road," he said of the Barrie Community Sports Complex in Midhurst, north of the city.
The sports field/parade grounds would measure 100 by 154 metres in size, while the Southshore addition would be 600 square metres.
There has been notice of similar projects, however, just not since last fall.
On Oct. 4, 2023, city council approved a motion that staff develop a plan, in consultation with the Sea Cadets and the Navy League of Canada, to relocate the navy cadets to a new building east of Military Heritage Park, including a parade ground and multi-use outdoor space and report back.
The proposed multi-use sports field for youths and parade ground for the Seas Cadets would be located east of Military Heritage Park, a field for soccer, rugby, football and lacrosse. There would also be amenities such as lighting, benches and site furnishings.
This property is zoned and designated open space (OS), which permits the development of a multi-use sports field. Accessory uses permitted in OS zoning include bleachers, a clubhouse, a concession stand, a refreshment pavilion or a booth. Parking is also permitted within OS zoning. A paved asphalt, 35-stall parking lot is proposed for the sports field.
The project includes a premium synthetic turf, multi-use sports field concept, and is estimated to cost $4.6 million. Half of the funding would come from the city’s tax capital reserve, half from the cash-in-lieu-of parkland reserve, if approved by council.
From the date of project approval by council, as early as May 15, to project completion, the proposed sports field project requires a minimum of 16 months to get done, including the winter season.
The Sea Cadets, who have long been located near the Spirit Catcher, could move to a 600-sq-m. addition to the Southshore Centre, a northerly addition to the basement of the existing building. It comes with a $4.55-million price tag.
At this point, $300,000 could be committed for the addition’s plan and design.
City staff report would report back to councillors for future construction funding approval, once costing is refined through the design process.
“It’s been a very long haul for us. It’s probably 35 or 40 years at this point (looking for a new faculty),” Navy League branch president Diane Chislett said of the Southshore Centre addition.
The multi-use field is also a big deal to the Sea Cadets.
“Then we could have parades outside by the military park,” she said. “And it would be grand to hold outdoor graduations.”
An addition to the north side of the Southshore building would also result in an expanded upper patio area. This could be a significant benefit to the rental space on the upper floor, as weddings and other events would have the added use of a large patio, with the backdrop of Kempenfelt Bay.
The location for the proposed addition is approximately five metres above the lake elevation. The increased slope to be introduced between the proposed Southshore expansion and Kempenfelt Bay is significant, according to city staff, and the detailed design will need to accommodate lake access and the transportation of boats between the lake and the building.
The Barrie Canoe and Kayak Club and the Barrie Rowing Club each occupy space on the lower level of Southshore Centre with access to Kempenfelt Bay on the north side of the building. The space is primarily utilized as storage for canoes, kayaks and boats. A floating dock is shared between the two groups, which is accessed by an asphalt path.
The Rotary Club of Barrie and the Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia occupy the upper level on the south side of the community centre for their meetings. The space is primarily utilized to host a variety of community events, social functions and organization meetings.
The Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps No. 53 Barrie was founded in 1943. Programs are free for Barrie Navy League Cadets (No. 24 Navy League Chambly) ages nine to 12 and Barrie Sea Cadets (No. 53 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps) ages 12 to 18 to join. The only financial obligation of the cadet’s family is to assist in fundraising.
The Navy League Barrie Branch says enrolment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was approximately 80 to 90 Sea Cadets and 75 Navy League Cadets in their annual program. The branch also manages approximately 50 cadets for each of the two-day weekend sailing programs during 17 weeks of the summer and approximately 200 Navy League Cadets during summer weekdays.
