Downtown Barrie BIA Managing Director Craig Stevens has been waiting for three years for today, the day the work starts to expand and reinvigorate Memorial Square.
But some creative visionaries have been waiting more than 30 years to see Fred Grant Street permanently close to make way for landscaped pedestrian venues that will stretch from Dunlop Street to Simcoe Street.
“In the downtown master plan from 1985, there was a proposal for a square. This was always a spot that had that potential. We’re able to make it happen now,” said Stevens, who has been working to raise funds for the $3.8-million project.
The area in the heart of the city will be regraded.
Memorial Square will rise up to be level with Dunlop Street and the new Meridian Place, which feature a space that can be linked with Heritage Park during special events and performances, is being made level with Simcoe Street. In between, there will be a historical feature and a canopied stage that faces Kempenfelt Bay.
“Thousands of people can take in a performance of music or theatre. The opportunities to program the space are amazing,” said Stevens, with the possibilities including Canada Day entertainment to Santa’s arrival to stores reaching into the community with special workshops.
“It’s an opportunity for community groups, performers and production companies to perform outside in the summer months. It’ll be looked as 12 months of the year programming. It will allow us to build up some of our current events and open up new ones,” the BIA director said, adding the space will help draw people from the lakeshore, especially boaters who stop at the transient dock being constructed at the foot of Bayfield Street, into downtown.
Events can be larger with the new Meridian Square area flowing seamlessly, when the Simcoe Street is closed for events, into Heritage Park.
“There’s no reason why we can’t bring in Blue Rodeo to perform,” said Stevens. “Heritage Park can hold thousands of people. That’s a great opportunity.”
The closure of the Fred Grant Street space also will open up the space to the east and west, Stevens said, as adjacent building owners will have the space to add patios that will look onto the landscaped pedestrian avenues that link Dunlop and Simcoe streets along either side of the new space.
Not taking a back seat, however, is Memorial Square.
Due to the grading and the moving of the cenotaph to line up with Owen Street, the cenotaph will be more prominent and there will be more space for ceremonies.
Between Memorial Square and Meridian Place, there will steps as a part of a feature referencing the Nine Mile Portage.
“It’s like a portage. Think of a portage when you’re travelling from lake to lake, this has the same presentation.”
The designs also call for a turning circle and a link to Simcoe Street from Chase McEachern Way.
Along Chase McEachern Way and in Simcoe Street parking lot, some parking spots will be lost during construction to give the contractor space for equipment and supplies.
During construction, the work will be contained with fences, but Stevens has ideas to make it look less industrial and more fun.
“Once the fence goes up, we’ll look to add coverings and make it nice with artwork. We want to enjoy the process.”
The work will be recorded to create a time-lapse video to be shown at the new space’s official unveiling. Construction is expected to be complete in the spring of 2018.
“To have it really happen, meaning shovels and equipment and transforming it, is fantastic. It can’t happen fast enough,” Stevens added.
