Downtown Barrie is ready for its closeup as city officials look to art, in part, to help end a dark time for the downtown while brightening up the future.
Barrie’s downtown was hit hard in recent years as not only the pandemic forced the closure of many establishments, but the Dunlop Street construction deterred many shoppers from heading downtown.
With restrictions and streets wide open, Downtown Barrie BIA board chair Sarah Jensen told BarrieToday everyone is excited about the rest of the year — and the future.
“I’m excited, I think everyone on the BIA is as well. This has been a difficult couple of years for everyone and our business owners are no different,” said Jensen. “I think we’re really seeing a rebirth here and I hope everyone is as excited as we are.”
A new art installation is underway at 54 Maple Ave., the plaza that is home to Stitch Haus, courtesy of Bareket, a Toronto artist that Jensen met after taking some online workshops.
“I had the opportunity to get to know Bareket after signing up for a couple online workshops and panels on murals through Mural Routes and the city of Barrie where Bareket was featured as a speaker. I had a look at their work and totally fell in love with their bright, positive, community-focused style,” said Jensen.
The piece, titled Our Dear Strawberries, is something Bareket created as a proposal for Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
While the design wasn't selected, it was a work inspired by her own Askenazi Jewish heritage.
Jensen said the design, using small hearts to create the bigger picture, really spoke to her.
“I really loved the way it looks like cross stitch from further away, too, and thought it would be a nice connection with Stitch Haus, and work as a metaphor for connecting or stitching together the neighbourhood,” said Jensen.
“With the farmers' market moving to where the bus terminal currently is on Maple Avenue, I thought it would also be a way of planting a seed, so to speak, to celebrate how the market will really bring vibrancy to the west end of downtown and create a connection with it," she explained.
Jensen said the BIA was able to get a few grants recently to help with the downtown revitalization but has also teamed with Pratt Homes on a project called Art Builds Communities and this work will be the first of a few projects downtown.
Jensen said Ward 2 Coun. Keenan Aylwin is also contributing to the cause from his community fund.
“These art initiatives help people create a connection with the space around them, it creates shared landmarks,” said Jensen. “It makes people take accountability of their area and want to contribute and take care of it. Sure it helps make the space prettier, but it also makes it safer as it draws more eyes to the street, draws crowds to spots that previously hadn’t seen crowds.”
Work on the 54 Maple Ave. mural is beginning today and it is expected to be finished by July 21.
