Opposition isn’t much lower to a highrise project near Barrie’s waterfront almost two months after its approval.
In January, city council rezoned and redesignated property between Lakeshore Drive and Bradford Street, so towers of 41, 38, 35 and 25 storeys high could be built by SmartCentres with a total of about 1,700 residential units, hotel rooms and commercial space.
Rod Burns, who lives at nearby Grand Harbour, 6 Toronto St., says area residents haven’t warmed to the project in the meantime.
“Oh, God no. They got thrown under the bus (by the decision to allow it),” he said. “No, I don’t think anyone’s changed their mind. Everyone I think still thinks it’s too big, too large a project for the space there.
“The 25, 26 (storeys)… everyone’s comfortable with that. If you ask anyone around town they think 41 storeys is way too high,” Burns said. “I think people will be royally upset once they see this (built).”
Greg Main, who lives at 2 Toronto St. in Grand Harbour, right beside the SmartCentres project, says there are two sides to the development.
“I believe the consensus remains the same — residents are not happy about the height of the three towers and, to a lesser degree, the hotel,” he said. “Notwithstanding the height, I think all residents welcome some development on this site.”
But Ken Baxter, who lives in Grand Harbour at 6 Toronto St., says he doesn’t think people have changed their minds about the project, and he hasn’t, either.
“The mayor and city council were told by expert planners and others that buildings higher than what’s already on the waterfront were not suitable, and would block the sun from the marina,” he said. “Highrises away from the waterfront are acceptable, as they will not interfere with residents, as on Dunlop Street or on Bayfield Street.
“There are many other highrises either in the building or planning stages in the downtown area,” Baxter said. “They do not need the SmartCentres with 25 or 41, 39, 38 storeys on the lakefront. Buildings at 16 storeys would be acceptable to fit in with present buildings.”
Jersene Bellavance, a retired landscape architect who lives in the area, said she has not changed her position on the development, either.
“To me, it is very unfortunate that the City of Barrie years ago approved the rezoning of this property,” she said. “As our city grows, open space and undeveloped land in a prime waterfront location should be preserved for recreational uses. However, since the zoning allows multi-unit development, we should strive to have its impact minimized, not maximized.
“The proposed scale and mass of the structure(s) proposed is still overwhelming to our waterfront character and potential use.”
Cathy Colebatch doesn’t live near the SmartCentres project, but rather in Allandale, and hasn’t noticed any shift in support for the development.
“I don’t believe Barrie residents have changed their minds at all,” she said. “With all of the anticipated growth in our city our lakefront is sacred — ecopark, waterfront, vistas and open space for residents and visitors to relax and breathe. I don’t believe the benefits (of this project) outweigh the negatives. All of the new building in and around the downtown is supposed to bring business to the downtown.
“Yet, where do all the current folks shop and will their habits change? Certainly since COVID lots of folks shop online. Will that change?” Colebatch asked. “People shop at big box stores because it’s one-stop shopping for families. Obviously, the development charges, and ongoing taxes (from the SmartCentres project) will make a difference in our city coffers.
“But why do we continue to provide developers breaks on charges? Do we even need 145 more hotel rooms in Barrie? If we do, don’t we also need a convention centre?”
The height of these four towers has fed much of the controversy surrounding this project, as Barrie’s largest towers are 16 storeys.
SmartCentres did reduce the permitted gross floor area on the site in relation to a height reduction, and reduced the maximum podium height adjacent to 2 Toronto St., to 26 metres, with the addition of a stepping provision reduced from 50 metres, at 51-75 Bradford St. and 20 Checkley St.
This project also includes a parking garage, open space and environmental protection land. This means public corridors linking it to existing natural features such as the Bunker’s Creek Ecopark and Kempenfelt Bay.
A rezoning and Official Plan amendment were both required for this project to go ahead.
SmartCentres, on behalf of Barrie Lakeshore Developments (Greenwin Barrie and a numbered Ontario company), submitted applications to develop a mixed-use project on this 8.6-acre property between Lakeshore Drive and Bradford Street.
A site-plan control application has been submitted for Phase 1 of the development concept, which includes a 25-storey building fronting Lakeshore Drive for 145 hotel rooms and 230 residential units.
Gary Bell, a local consulting planner, said he agrees with the proposal for a hotel in Phase 1, but not much more.
“My long view of the overall proposal remains the same,” he said. “The proposed height, now at 41, 38, 36 and 25 floors, and the massing on extensive podiums of seven floors, is out of scale with the area and the community. This development is over intensification of the site.”
Bell then got specific about his concerns.
“The city's vision for the City Centre and the related zoning for gross floor area of buildings is 600 per cent of the site,” he said. “The proposed development is almost 750 per cent of the site. This is 25 per cent greater than what is now permitted in the City Centre on Dunlop Street.
“This is not the City Centre,” Bell said. “It is an area of commercial and residential transition overlooking our beautiful waterfront, (Barrie) Marina and Centennial Park along Lakeshore Drive. It is disappointing that the Barrie skyline and waterfront, and the local residents, did not get a more sensitive compatible development.”
SmartCentres was asked this week by BarrieToday for a progress report on the project and about activity on the site, visible from both Lakeshore Drive and Bradford Street. There’s a trailer, flatbed truck, Caterpillar equipment, barrels, fill of some sort and a drilling rig, plus workers there.
“We are currently working with (city) staff through the site plan for phase one,” Paula Bustard, SmartCentres’ executive vice-president of development, wrote in an e-mail. “The activity on the site is some preliminary testing.”
Asked what kind of testing, SmartCentres did not respond.
Council decided the site plan should be bumped up — approved by council, not just delegated to city staff, as is the usual procedure. There’s to be an overall site plan for the entire property, plus one for each development stage. All will come to council individually and require its approval.
