City Council approved the Waterfront Strategic Plan on October 4, 2023 through motion 23-G-152. The plan includes the phased planning and implementation of future waterfront park revitalization projects for consideration within the annual business plan process.
Did you know? The City of Barrie was recognized at the 2024 Communities in Bloom National & International Awards Ceremonies. Barrie won gold in the International Challenge Large category, and earned a special mention for the Waterfront Strategic Plan, which was praised for its significant role in preserving and enhancing public spaces along Barrie’s shoreline.
Barrie’s waterfront encompasses approximately 10 kilometres of shoreline along Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe connecting diverse parkland spaces to diverse neighbourhoods. The Waterfront Strategic Plan addresses the entire length of Barrie’s waterfront, starting from Johnson’s Beach and the easterly limits of the North Shore Trail at Penetanguishene Road, including the westerly, southerly and easterly surroundings of Kempenfelt Bay and the City of Barrie marina, all the way to Wilkins Park near the city’s easterly boundary with the Town of Innisfil.
The demand for use of the waterfront is expected to increase significantly over the next 10–20 years. It will need to be managed carefully to ensure the existing high-quality experience is maintained and that its natural functions are protected in consideration of its other functions as a recreational resource to the local and regional community, managed economic development opportunities and tourist attraction, and its cultural functions as the host of numerous events and festivals.
The 2023 Waterfront Strategic Plan identifies a new framework to guide the future planning and development of Barrie’s waterfront that will result in a balanced community, economy and environment. Barrie’s waterfront will impact experiences within parks and open spaces, and have a domino effect on the experiences of new residents and visitor to the downtown, as an oasis for locals and tourists to enjoy the beauty of Kempenfelt Bay within the intensification areas. Building off the increased use of waterfront spaces during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Waterfront Strategic Plan aims to continue to enhance Barrie’s waterfront to reach its full potential as the heart and source of vitality for the city.
The 2023 plan replaces the former 2015 Waterfront and Marina Strategic Plan and excludes an update to the Marina Strategic Plan. The Marina Strategic Plan was formerly an appendix to the 2015 Waterfront and Marina Strategic Plan and is now considered a stand-alone document.