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Groundbreaking ceremony held for 58-unit development in city's south end

'Barrie is a growing city. It is becoming a place where everyone wants to live,' says Sunrise Homes CEO

The official groundbreaking for a new development in Barrie's south end took place Friday with hopes of an August 2022 move-in date.

The back-to-back townhouses are located at 521, 527 and 531 Big Bay Point Rd., east of Yonge Street.

Sunrise Homes CEO Sajjad Hussain said he was excited to be building in Barrie for the first time.

“Barrie is a growing city. It is becoming a place where everyone wants to live,” Hussain told BarrieToday. “We build all over the GTA, but we can’t wait to get started here with the 58-unit development.”

The 1.24-acre property will see construction begin in April, to allow for the ground to thaw. Hussain said that it usually takes 15 months after work begins to see people move in.

Land uses in the area include residential to the north, east and west with primarily single-family homes, as well as commercial to the south and farther west.

In March 2018, city staff reported to council that the development was considered appropriate and conformed to relevant provincial policy, the city’s Official Plan and complies with the policy planning framework established for intensification.

The initial concept plan was amended slightly following neighbourhood and public meetings. The amended plan reduced the number of townhouses from 60 to 58, and also increased the building setbacks/spatial separation distances of the proposed units to the adjacent residential properties to the east and west.

Hussain said he has been pleased with the amount of co-operation around the project.

“We’re coming from municipalities where there are two tiers of government. Here, we deal with the city only and I believe the councillors really want people to come in, live and work here," he said. 

Coun. Mike McCann, whose ward includes this part of the city, said he was happy with what the people at Sunrise Homes brought to the project.

“We’ve got great builders, great energy and they love Barrie and want to embrace it and see Barrie grow,” McCann told BarrieToday. “I’m really excited to partner up with them and they have another project in town that I’m looking forward to helping them with.”

McCann added that all 58 units are already sold.

"Everyone wants to live in Barrie," he said.