NEWS RELEASE
TOURISM BARRIE
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For its vision and years of work to expand Memorial Square, Downtown Barrie won Tourism Barrie’s most prestigious award in the 2017 Toast to Tourism Awards, presented Oct. 25.
The President’s Award highlights vision and partnership – two key elements in the $5-million Memorial Square expansion and redevelopment project, which will link downtown with the city’s waterfront. Also linking the past, present and future, the Downtown Barrie BIA initiative has the private and public sectors working together.
“Downtown Barrie BIA championed the redevelopment of this public space and worked to include the private sector and the community in financially supporting the park envisioned a decade ago as the heart of downtown,” said Tourism Barrie executive director Kathleen Trainor.
“With locals and visitors alike enjoying the patios in the warmer months, with the festivals year-round that celebrate holidays and seasons, this re-energized public space will be the place to be for an array of special events or to simply enjoy the view of the lake. We can’t wait to see what Downtown Barrie has planned in terms of new great events that will be held in the Square.”
Trainor said the awards honour the people who work to bring over forty five million dollars into Barrie’s economy each year, as they do their work with not just warm hospitality, but also with long-term economic impact and environmentally sustainability.
Other award winners were:
- Go Tours Canada’s Devon Cole and Teresa Zimmerman, who won the Service Excellence Award, which recognizes Barrie tourism industry partner that has shown an ongoing dedication to service excellence and a belief that small acts can make a great difference.
- Brad Ariss of Barnstormer Brewing and Distilling Co., who won the Tourism Champion Award, which recognizes a tourism industry individual who goes above and beyond to enhance tourist experiences while building a positive destination image of the Barrie area.
- The Barrie Olive Oil Company, which won the Tourism Promotion Award, which recognizes a tourism industry business/organization that has made outstanding efforts to promote and/or market tourism.
- Pheasant Run Golf Course, which won the Environmental Sustainability Award, which recognizes a tourism industry business/organization that has reduced their environmental impact by adopting greening practices and promoting sustainable tourism.
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