The numbers don’t lie.
A public survey on whether the city should approve a synthetic turf, multi-purpose youth sports field and parade grounds along Lakeshore Drive, on a portion of Allandale Station Park, shows a resounding "no."
And the same survey, asking if the city should develop the current wooded area and meadow there, to the southern shore of Kempenfelt Bay, as a passive park gets a resounding "yes" answer.
“It’s clear from the survey that Allandale Station Park, (on the) south shore, needs to be protected for generations to come. Results show that the residents of Barrie do not want a development of any kind in this naturalized area,” said Kelly Patterson McGrath, a founding partner of Pollinate Barrie.
“It’s critical that this space is properly protected through an appropriate zoning designation that will allow for environmental conservation and restoration,” she added.
Arnie Ivsins, who has organized rallies in Barrie City Hall’s courtyard against the sports field’s location, as well as silent protests in the Council Chamber, said the survey message is clear and reflects the Sept. 24 in-person public consultation event held at the General John Hayter Southshore Community Centre, which was attended by more than 200 people.
And it also reflects the recommendation of a report authored by Marshall Green, a retired lawyer with a specialty in municipal law and land-use planning, who says in The Southshore, Barrie Sports and a Revitalized Downtown document that this is the wrong place for the sports field.
“The (survey) info mirrors what I saw at the public consultation after about an hour of being there — people totally supporting his (Green’s) recommendation,” Ivsins said.
“I’m curious now as to what the next steps are with this council, and what they will recommend," he added. “(It would) be hard for this council to ignore the residents’ overwhelming wishes not to build a (multi-use sports field) there.”
City council, sitting as general committee on Wednesday, will consider receiving, as information, what’s called the waterfront public consultation feedback.
The online poll on portions of Green’s report between Aug. 22 and Sept. 24 resulted in 3,101 completed surveys.
A total of 98.9 per cent of survey participants agreed with not proceeding with the proposed multi-use sports park on a portion of Allandale Station Park.
Also, 99.4 per cent of survey participants agreed the city should develop the current wooded area and meadow to the southern shore as a passive park that protects existing wildlife and with trail systems that are accessible. The park would also include an educational component.
The land designated for this part of the park would be zoned environmental protection.
“There are many active groups in our city that are ready and willing to help create a sustainable eco-park that everyone can use,” said Patterson McGrath. “We also need to work with the First Nations people of this area collaboratively to create an accessible, effective ecosystem from the lens of stewarding the land.”
On May 15, council approved a motion to build a synthetic turf, multi-purpose youth sports field and Sea Cadets parade grounds, close to Lakeshore Drive, on a portion of Allandale Station Park.
Also approved was a 600-square-metre addition to Southshore Centre for the Sea Cadets’ new home. Long located near the Spirit Catcher on Lakeshore Drive, the young sailors need another location for water safety and facility space reasons.
City staff refined the location of the sports field and parade ground in June, to reduce the impact on existing trees in the area, making the field smaller and closer to Lakeshore Drive, to ensure the paved walking path is not impacted and to consider the use of natural barriers instead of fencing.
And on Aug. 15, the day after Green presented his report, Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall used his ‘strong mayor’ powers to pause action on the May 15 motion and allow for public consultation on Green’s report.
The city offered five weeks of public consultation on Green’s report, from Aug. 22 until Sept. 25, hearing from approximately 3,307 residents. That number combines the online survey (3,101) and in-person (206) consultation.
Aside from the sports field and parade grounds, along with the passive park on the southern shore, surveyed residents offered feedback on moving the Sea Cadets to Southshore Centre (72.8 per cent positive), that if the Sea Cadets relocated, their site and required surrounding city land becomes the location of Barrie’s new performing arts centre (60.7 per cent positive), have Barrie Baycats play at Queen’s Park (74.7 per cent positive) and should school sports fields be available for community use when not being used by schools (92.9 per cent positive).
The staff report, survey and consultation results are available on the Oct. 9, general committee agenda, on barrie.ca.
