Connecting transit, heritage & growth

NRU
June 20, 2018
Rachael Williams

Barrie’s historic Allandale waterfront GO station is set to become a multi-modal mobility hub that will connect local transit, GO rail and bus service and inter-city coach operators for enhanced regional travel.

City councillors unanimously endorsed a functional design plan for what will soon become the Allandale mobility hub at the June 18 council meeting. This new design, coupled with changes to transit service and scheduling, will enable greater connectivity throughout the GTA, Simcoe County, Muskoka and other cities along Georgian Bay.
“This project is being driven by us looking to the future,” said Barrie mayor Jeff Lehman in reference to population growth projections and expanded service on the Barrie GO line.

The approved design was one of three concept plans put forward by WSP as part of the Allandale Mobility Hub feasibility study. It calls for the construction of 13 bus bays, a centralized landscaped island and a multi-use path to encourage active transportation.
The historic Allandale Train Station will remain untouched, and a new two-storey station services building designed by Atelier 1 Incorporated will be constructed in an expanded public plaza fronting onto Essa Road.

The project is slated to cost $9-million. City staff is expected to apply for capital funding under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund program.

With the proposed changes, Allandale will become the city’s main transit terminal, which has historically been located downtown. The reason for the switch is partially because there are no rail lines that directly connect to the downtown station. Municipal transit routes and inter-city bus operators including GO, Greyhound and Ontario Northland converge downtown at the Maple Street terminal, but passengers who need to connect from the bus to the GO train have to travel an extra two kilometres to make the connection at the Allandale station.

“With Allandale GO being the terminus point for GO trains and the plan of increased GO regional express rail, there are definite synergies by having kind of a one-stop shop where all of our inter-city and our main municipal hub are located so our residents can transfer not only locally but to regional service whether it’s going north or south,” said Barrie’s transit and parking strategy director Brent Forsyth.

The Barrie line currently provides weekday rush-hour train service between Barrie and Toronto, with trains running south in the morning and north in the afternoon. Through its Regional Express Rail project, Metrolinx plans to provide two-way, all-day train service seven days a week.
Expanding the rail network and bringing more two-way all-day service is expected to increase the number of weekly trips on the Barrie line from 1,500 to nearly 6,000 by 2025.

Transforming Allandale into a mobility hub is also expected to generate redevelopment opportunities on the surrounding lands. The province has identified Allandale as an urban growth centre and major transit station area. Any future development in close proximity to the Allandale station, therefore, must be at higher densities to accommodate population and employment growth, according to the Growth Plan.

The southern portion of the Allandale area, along the Lake Simcoe shoreline, is considered a historic development node with century homes, heritage properties and mature trees. However, lands to the west and north of the GO station are prime for redevelopment.

Lehman told NRU there are some legacy industrial lots, vacant properties and run-down buildings in the area that present significant opportunities for infill development, redevelopment and lot consolidation.

Moving the city’s main transit terminal to Allandale will enable the city to move forward with plans to create a public market in the downtown transit terminal. Council has endorsed in principle the idea of transforming the transit terminal into a year-round public market that could house between 30 and 40 vendors.

Council directed staff to reduce the $14-million budget by at least $2-million before the project receives final approval.

The Downtown Barrie Business Association is supportive of the plan and envisions a 7,500-square-foot building for a farmer’s market as well as an 8,000 square-foot food hall with vendor stalls, craft beer, patio space and communal seating.