The YMCA is still weighing its options on its new community hub in downtown Barrie.
Those options are being part of HIP Developments’ largely residential project on the former Barrie Central Collegiate site, or buying the H-Block property from the city and building on the Worsley Street property, near Barrie Public Library.
“The Y is very appreciative of the city’s offer to work with us on the H-Block property. We also continue to work with HIP Developments and remain confident that we will land on the best possible site for our new community hub in the downtown core,” said Jill Tettmann, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka.
“We have not yet finalized our plans,” she said.
In late June, Barrie city council gave its legal staff authority to negotiate an agreement of purchase and sale with the YMCA for 50 Worsley St., long called the H-Block, which is a little less than two acres. A sale price and closing date were still to be worked out.
But the new Y facility has long been part of HIP’s plans at 34-50 Bradford St. and a portion of 125 Dunlop St. W., for a project that also includes two 20-storey towers, one 10-storey residential building, a semi-public urban parkette containing the heritage facade of the former Prince of Wales school and a five-storey parking structure. There would be 600 residential units on its nearly seven acres.
The project’s final site plan still requires city council’s approval, however, and that site plan could be changing with the possible location of a supervised consumption site (SCS) right around the corner from the HIP site, at 11 Innisfil St.
Scott Higgins, HIP president, has said there is a need to rework that site plan because of the potential location of the SCS - which still requires Health Canada and Ontario health ministry approval, and funding.
“I suspect this process will take another two months to pin down,” Higgins said. “Nothing further to report at this stage. Still in a state of flux.”
An SCS provides a safe space and sterile equipment for individuals to use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of health care staff; consumption means taking opioids and other drugs by injection, smoking, snorting or orally.
But Higgins expressed reservations about the SCS after council endorsed its location. He said that wasn’t the correct location for the SCS, that HIP had not been consulted by the city or the proponents, which are the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and the Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County Branch.
And Higgins has said HIP was not prepared to invest further until satisfactory solutions are found.
Coun. Keenan Aylwin, who represents the downtown, said the Y’s community hub will be very good for the area regardless of its location.
“The H-Block has many advantages including being located right beside the Barrie Public Library, which provides for great cross-programming opportunities,” he said. “This location is in the heart of the downtown and would breathe new life into this area.
“This project is so important to our community and I’m glad that city council has stepped up to the plate to help get this much-needed community facility built,” Aylwin said. “The new YMCA will be a great benefit to the community no matter where it is built.”
At 77,000 square feet, the new YMCA facility is to include licensed child-care spaces, a youth centre with transitional housing and outreach support, a rehabilitation space for cardiac and cancer post care patients, and recreation areas for fitness programs.
Tettmann said the Y is still working on updated pricing for its new facility
Funding for the Y facility will come from a variety of sources.
Late last month, the province announced $29.9-million in funding for the new YMCA facility. Prior to the pandemic, in the fall of 2019, the Y launched its ‘100 Reasons Y’ fundraising campaign. There will also be funding from the County of Simcoe.
And proceeds from selling the Y’s former Grove Street property are to go toward the new downtown facility, Tettmann said.
“The Y announced last August that it was not financially viable to reopen the Grove Street facility, given the age of the facility and the impact of the Y as a charity, as a result of the pandemic,” she said.
The latest plans for 10-24 Grove St. W. show an Official Plan amendment and rezoning approved by council in October of 2017 and the bylaw approved by council the following March 26.
What’s proposed is the development of three buildings ranging from 22–24 storeys, along with two-, four- and eight-storey buildings, and a total of 924 residential rental units with associated parking.
