Parks and Trails

Welcome to the City of Barrie's Parks and Trails information front page. Please select either Parks or Trails from the left side menu to continue.

2010 Map  - PARKS, TRAILS AND BICYCLE ROUTES MAP 

All City of Barrie owned green space is divided into two zoning categories: Open Space and Environmental Protection. Open space is shown as light green and Environmental Protection lands are shown as dark green on the Parks, Trails and Bicycle Routes Map. Please find definitions for OS and EP zoning below, all definitions from the City of Barrie Official Plan June 2009 - Draft Modification january 25, 2010, Section 4.6 Open Space and 4.7 Environmental Protection Areas.

Open Space

Open Space shall mean those lands within the City intended to be used for passive or active recreational uses and shall include city parks with public community centres which are developed and maintained for the purposes of active recreational uses such as, playing fields, ball diamonds, bicycle paths, and those lands which are preserved in thier natural state for the passive recreation use. Open Space is idenitfied on Schedule A - Land Use within the Official Plan.

Environmental Protection

 Lands designated as Environmental Protection Areas include, but are not limited to:

(a) Provincially or locally significant features or functions such as those areas containing the following:

i.     acquifer recharges, headwaters;

ii.    wetlands;

iii.   rare species including unique plants;

iv.   important ecological function;

v.    significant habitat of threatened and endangered species;

vi.   areas of natural and scientific interest life science and earth science;

vii.  significant woodlands;

viii.  significant valleylands;

ix.   significant wildlife habitat

x.    surface water features, valley and stream corridors; and

xi. fish habitats

(b)  The City currently contains within its boundaries portions of three Provincially Signficiant Wetlands. These are the Little Lake Wetland, the Lovers Creek Wetland and the Bear Creek Wetland identified on Schedule H in the Official Plan. The area known as the Allandale Lake Algonquin Bluffs Area of Natural and Scientific Interest located in the southern portion of the Ardagh Planning Area is of Provincial significance and is also to be protected from uses that would detract from its environmental value.

(c)  Natural hazard lands and sites including areas of flood plain, erosion, steep slopes and unstable soils.

(d)   Abandoned waste disposal sites are also designated Environmental Protection Area and an area around them has been identified as a Waste Disposal Assessment Area on Schedule A to indicate that such areas may have effects on future uses and on adjacent lands.

 View of Centennial Park facing North over Kempenfelt Bay towards Downtown Barrie.