Residents encouraged to enjoy Barrie’s waterfront, parks, and downtown events this summer

(Barrie, ON) Residents are invited to enjoy the City of Barrie’s waterfront, park areas, and downtown this summer. Here are some helpful reminders to prepare for a safe and fun season ahead:

Beaches

Residents and visitors are asked to remember the following when enjoying the City’s beaches:

  • Lifeguards are on duty from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily at Centennial Beach and Johnson’s Beach. Signs are posted at the beaches behind each lifeguard chair to communicate when lifeguards are on duty. Minet’s Point Beach and Tyndale Beach do not have lifeguards. 
  • Parents/guardians are reminded that children require direct supervision at the beach; always practice water safety and be diligent.  
  • The City offers the personal flotation device (PFD) loaner program at both Centennial Beach and Johnson’s Beach. Beach visitors can borrow a PFD from the lifeguard office at no charge when lifeguards are on duty. 
  • To ensure the beaches are safe for swimming, weekly water samples are analyzed by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. Warnings will be posted at designated swimming beaches when bacterial levels exceed provincial guidelines.
  • Please be respectful and clean up your litter. If garbage cans are full, please take your garbage with you. 
  • Tents or sunshades are not permitted at waterfront beaches or parks unless they are supported by no more than one pole and have no more than one wall or side.
  • Dogs are not permitted on City beaches.
  • Beaches are smoke and vape free.

Parks & Trails

Visit barrie.ca/parks to view the full list of Barrie’s parks and their amenities, including splash pads, playgrounds, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and pickleball courts. Some trails through forested areas are currently posted as closed until they have been inspected and cleared of hazardous trees from the ice storm. Waterfront trails, trails through open space parks, and trails away from ice damaged trees are open for use. 

Dogs must be leashed at all times in City parks and on trails, aside from Dog Off-Leash Recreation Areas (DOLRAs). 

Waterfront Parking 

A digital waterfront parking permit is required to park for free at specific waterfront areas. Digital permits are valid until December 31, 2026. If residents don’t have a digital waterfront parking permit, they can visit barrie.ca/WaterfrontParking for detailed instructions on how to apply.

From June 15 to September 15, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 'No Parking Except by Permit' applies to parking within spillover waterfront parking areas, which are areas within walking distance (approximately 500 metres) of specific waterfront locations. Only the digital waterfront parking permit is accepted in these areas during this time:

  • on-street parking near Centennial Beach (65 Lakeshore Drive)
  • nearby on-street parking & parking lot at Dock Road Park (200, 204, 210 Dock Road)
  • parking lot at The Gables Park (250 Tollendal Mill Road)
  • on-street parking near Johnson's Beach (2 Johnson Street)
  • on-street parking near Minet's Point Park (10 Brennan Avenue), including White Oaks Road
  • on-street parking near Tyndale Park (45 Tyndale Road) 
  • on-street parking near Wilkins Park (121 Crimson Ridge Road)

Signage reflecting the parking restrictions are installed to identify areas where the restrictions are in place. For a full list or map of waterfront parking areas, visit barrie.ca/parking.

Additionally, Transit & Parking staff will be holding several pop-up events in downtown and waterfront parking lots throughout the summer to help answer any resident or visitor parking questions and help educate about Barrie Transit options. 

Downtown events

For information on Canada Day events across the city and Barrie’s Canada Day fireworks show, happening tomorrow, visit barrie.ca/CanadaDay. 

The following events are being held this summer in downtown Barrie, led by the BIA: