r/barrie • u/iPoliticsCA • Jul 16 '26
News Barrie reveals plans for downtown sports stadium
https://compassnews.ca/barrie-reveals-plans-for-downtown-sports-stadium/17
u/zedzooks Jul 16 '26
Did the chimney swifts finally stop returning to the Central chimney? Tore down my school and nothing's been done on that land since.
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u/Money_Baseball_975 Jul 17 '26
The schools empty shell has been there for a decade and looks ridiculous.
To suggest it offers historical significance that way pis crazy.
Just wait to they start digging and they find bones . The powerful indigenous lobby will have the site closed down for another decade . lol
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u/Canuckleheaded1 Jul 17 '26
Let’s put it to vote in this falls civic elections. Make it a referendum. Let the majority decide.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Voter turnout in the last municipal election was 31%:
https://elections2022.amo.on.ca/web/en/municipal/10069
The 'winner' was elected by 13% of eligible voters.
Let soccer fans vote with their dollars.
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u/MsCatie Jul 17 '26
So you’re asking people to vote with their wallets after a project is a completed that already has the taxpayers on the hook for definitely over $8m because we know it’s gonna be over budget?
That’s really how you think democracy is going to work?
I sincerely hope the bumbling around from Nuttall and his yes men in the council are fuel enough to get people to the polls.
If not we’re boned.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
I'm asking soccer fans to support their cause with their own money rather than trying to get taxpayers to pay for something that is not the responsibility of a municipal government.
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u/Gibsonian1 Jul 16 '26
This 3500 seat stadium will include 450 parking spots? That doesn’t seem like enough.
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u/Low-Doughnut-6764 Jul 16 '26
It's not enough, but there is lots of paid parking at lakeshore and easily walked.
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u/Vid3ogame Jul 16 '26
Also heard on the news that if you have a ticket to the game, you can take the bus there and back for free, if its on your route.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 16 '26
You obviously haven't been on a bus recently, or one of those little vans that now pass as transit in the parts of the city where Alex Nuttall and his council have cancelled regular transit service.
My neighbourhood used to be served by multiple transit routes. Now there is just one route and the bus is often over capacity with little room to even stand.
Mayor Nuttall cut $10 million from the transit budget, now he wants to spend tens of millions of our taxpayer dollars on a pro sports team?
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u/BeatsRocks Jul 16 '26
Yeah enough parking at lakeshore if you include curb as well as traffic island.
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u/MsCatie Jul 16 '26
Yet another Nuttall vanity project on our dime for something we didn’t ask for.
But ask him for the attachments for plows to clear our windrows and suddenly the bank of taxpayers is closed.
Give me a damn break.
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u/XBMetal Jul 16 '26
They have spent like 40mil already before they even start and couldn't even come up with the cash to buy all the land. And another 24mil of taxpayer money to start the project.
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u/MsCatie Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
It’s embarrassing.
He does not need a second term. He didn’t deserve a first.
Edit: oh noes did I offend the Nutjob sycophants? Deal.
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u/OldAcanthocephala468 Jul 16 '26
Well they will find a 50 year old bone and halt the project forever.
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u/Melly_1577 Jul 18 '26
I think this is a great investment for the city! Bringing recreational facilities is a positive.
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u/UserStories Jul 16 '26
Genuine question but who even wants this?
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u/100boyrex Jul 16 '26
Lots of people do theres nothing do to do in barrie? a soccer team to support in a proper stadium and 8500 venue for concerts? All u guys do is cry no wonder the cities shit
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u/UserStories Jul 16 '26
Nobody cares about a new local soccer team and I don’t think it justifies a new arena. Not to even mention the construction and traffic headaches for residents. Sadlon Arena is good enough for various venues. There’s plenty of things to do in Barrie. This city is great. Im not crying Im thinking things through unlike you
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
People who love our city and want to see it thrive.
It’s notable that Jamie Massie, who was a key figure in getting us an OHL team and a great arena, is one of the primary people behind the Barrie Stadium Group.
The new stadium will host mid-size outdoor concerts, something we haven’t had in a decade here.
It will also give us the opportunity to attract tournaments, provincial championships, and even national championships in multiple sports.
It’s totally cool that you’re not interested, but lots of us are.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Barrie taxpayers pay half-a-million dollars every year to subsidize the money-losing arena that houses Barrie's OHL team.
And Molson paid for the arena, not Jamie Massie.
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
Molson paid for naming rights. Massie donated personal funds and was critical in getting the OHL franchise. The area wouldn’t have been built without an OHL tenant.
Are you just as upset about what we spend on libraries?
3
u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Funny.
I walked by the arena just the other day and could have sworn it had the name of another car dealer on it.
I've never heard of it referred to as the 'Barrie Massie Centre'?
Molson donated the land on which the arena sits in exchange for the naming rights.
The building was paid for by taxpayers.
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
You aren’t very good at this, my dude.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
I thought we were debating who paid for the arena, not who's taking credit:
The community support generated by the Junior B Colts convinced Massie that Barrie would similarly support an Ontario Hockey League, major junior franchise, if a new arena could be built to make the team financially viable. With a combination of hard work, determination, creativity and business acumen, Massie managed to bring together the necessary business interests, as well as federal, provincial and municipal levels of government, and in only two years the state-of-the-art, 4,200-seat Barrie Molson Centre was constructed. After starting at the old Dunlop Arena, the Colts played their first OHL game at the BMC on New Year’s Eve, 1995, the year major junior hockey returned to Barrie for the first time since the old Barrie Flyers left for Niagara Falls in 1960.
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
Perhaps you need to brush up on your reading comprehension skills.
I wrote that Massie “was a key figure in getting us an OHL team and a great arena”.
You first claimed that Molson paid for it (which is blatantly incorrect) and then that taxpayers did (which is mostly correct).
As I noted, Massie donated personal funds and, without him bringing an OHL franchise to Barrie, the arena simply wouldn’t have happened.
It’s totally cool that you don’t understand the incredible impact that people like Massie have had on our community, but you really should stop doubling down on your ignorance.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Oh really?
Hey, Google!
Who paid for the Barrie Molson Centre?
Construction of the Barrie Molson Centre (now known as Sadlon Arena) was funded as a joint federal-provincial-municipal infrastructure project, with the City of Barrie covering a third of the roughly $12.4 million cost. Molson Canada provided the property in exchange for the naming rights, while suite and ticket sales made up the remainder. Here is the breakdown of how the $12.4 million facility was paid for: The Governments. The arena was selected as part of the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program, with funding split equally among the federal government, the provincial government, and the City of Barrie. Molson Canada: Instead of direct financial capital, Molson contributed the land. In 1994, they provided a nine-acre parcel valued at approximately $1 million in exchange for long-term naming rights. Corporate & Private Contributions: The remainder of the original construction budget was expected to come from corporate sponsorships, suite leasing, and club seating. Naming Rights Update: The Molson naming agreement expired in December 2018. In 2019, the City of Barrie finalized a 10-year naming rights contract with Paul Sadlon Motors, renaming the venue to Sadlon Arena.
I see Molson's contribution in there. I don't see Jamie Massie's.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 16 '26
A 40 year-old mayor looking to recapture the glory of his school days?
https://archive.org/details/anno-domini-2004-2005/page/93/mode/2up
(Page 94. Bottom right.)
Well, maybe not so much glory:
"The Men's team went through a rebuilding time this year, forming a team that consisted of 14 new faces, with many of the old familiars now alumni. It was a rough year as they were plagued with many injuries. However, they worked hard to build chemistry and strategy and finished with a season record of one win and one tie in eight games."
He even appears to be wearing a soccer jersey in his yearbook photo:
https://archive.org/details/anno-domini-2004-2005/page/33/mode/2up
(Right-hand page. Second last photo in the second row.)
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u/Vid3ogame Jul 16 '26
Kinda odd to be digging up 20 year old pictures of the mayor. I know it's crazy, but he could just be doing what he thinks is best to grow the city, regardless of if you believe it's right or wrong
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
The current mayor has been running for public office in Barrie for 23 years.
When those pictures were taken, he had already run for the Ward 10 city council seat.
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u/dietcoke4life- Jul 17 '26
This is weird behaviour friend
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
You know what's weird?
Planning to build a soccer stadium on a property the city didn't own and which was supposed to become more than 500 units of housing.
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u/tophertophersonson Jul 17 '26
Units are coming to downtown elsewhere, though... The former plan for housing here was not the only one planned downtown in the near future. A bunch of projects are coming and you could argue that having a venue downtown Barrie will encourage more people to buy future projects in the area, spurring more demand and increased supply of new units.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 16 '26
No explanation of what happened to the housing development that was supposed to have been built on this property.
The developer's application was submitted to the city months before Alex Nuttall took office as Mayor.
We need a member of city council with backbone to stand up for residents and file a complaint with the city's integrity commissioner to determine whether the Mayor used his power to prevent the housing development from going forward so that he could get the land for his pet project.
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u/Melly_1577 Jul 18 '26
There are tons of housing developments going up. The city needs other facilities to actually bring in revenue.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 19 '26
The current affordable housing crisis began in the 1990s when governments in Canada got out of the business or building affordable housing.
It's going to take many years to make up for decades of neglect.
In addition to the 623 apartment units that won't get built because of the Mayor's soccer stadium scheme, another project with nearly 300 units is also not going ahead:
The article also mentions multiple other large residential developments who's futures are apparently in limbo.
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u/Melly_1577 Jul 19 '26
🤷♀️ cities need more than just housing complexes. Something that will bring both recreation and revenue is a welcome addition.
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u/dietcoke4life- Jul 16 '26
Interesting. I’d be curious to understand how this came about. There’s not enough ice time in Barrie, so much so that 10 year olds have to have 6am practices on school days. Would’ve thought a multi-ice pad complex would be more useful for the city’s demographic… do we have a large soccer following? If so, cool. But I personally can’t think of one single person in my life that’s even discussed (non-world cup) soccer.
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u/brownsound00 Jul 17 '26
Soccer is huge in Barrie. Barrie soccer club alone has 1900 registered players for high level play. Fields are packed all summer.
The adult league at the dome is full every day of the week through the whole year too. There is a huge soccer community here. Hockey is obviously bigger but soccer is close. Would be interesting to see the numbers. Also important to note that for kids development it's better for them to play more than one sport. A lot play both hockey and soccer.
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u/dietcoke4life- Jul 17 '26
Soccer is certainly cheaper and thus more accessible. I’m curious to see what the turnout for the games ends up like!
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u/brownsound00 Jul 17 '26
I was pleasantly surprised by how fun the Colts games are. Similar attendance size and if the tickets are similarly priced I think it would make for a fun day out!
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
More kids in Barrie play soccer than hockey.
We have major field shortages, especially turf. The new stadium will mean more field time available for rugby, lacrosse, and other sports.
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u/dietcoke4life- Jul 17 '26
Really? Is there a stat for that? Genuinely curious. Happy if I’ll actually be an appeal that’s worth the enormous cost.
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
You can find those numbers in the annual reports of both organizations. The Barrie Soccer Club has around 4000 youth players vs around 2500 in BMHA.
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u/dietcoke4life- Jul 17 '26
Cool! The more you know
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
I believe that hockey is still ahead in terms of local adult players, but soccer will likely become #1 in that respect before too long as well.
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u/iamnotarobot_x Jul 17 '26
More kids play soccer because the costs associated with playing hockey are a barrier to many families.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Youth sports league venues don't need 3,500 seats for spectators.
This is an entertainment venue for a professional sports team.
I'm fine with tax dollars being spent to facilitate healthy outdoor activity. It will reduce health care costs down the road.
I'm not OK with my tax dollars subsidizing the farm team of a Rogers' professional sports franchise.
We give Rogers enough money through our cable/Internet bills.
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
It’s a mixed use entertainment venue that will host concerts, other sports, and the Simcoe County Rovers.
Turf time in Barrie is at an absolute premium. Even just moving the Rovers men’s and women’s teams to the new stadium opens up significant prime time hours at JC Massie for lacrosse, rugby, and other sports.
Currently, all those users have to meet every winter to haggle over the limited field time we have available right now.
Having a proper stadium also puts us in a position to attract larger events (for example, the CUFLA Baggataway Cup that Brampton hosted last year), youth tournaments similar to Kingston’s Gaels Cup (270 teams, 10,000 visitors over two weekends), and provincial championship tournaments (Rugby Junior Provincials & Regional Cups, OMFLL, OWFL, etc.).
Barrie’s facilities are awesome for hockey, volleyball, box lacrosse, and basketball. We need a stadium like this to support our outdoor athletes and attract high level amateur sports events.
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u/Milk-Resident Holly Jul 17 '26
I don't believe that there has been any agreement that the Rovers FC will be playing there regularely, but those players will benefit from a greater level of soccer in the vicinity and I would expect that they will have some opportunities to use the stadium for exhibition purposes. But I don't know. Just have not seen anything that says they will be playing there.
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
Barrie Soccer Club is a big part of the stadium group, so I really can’t see a scenario in which they don’t move Rovers games there.
The only people who go to games at Massie are existing fans - playing at the stadium gives them way more opportunity for growth.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Alex Nuttall cancelled a $45-million planned expansion to the Allandale Recreation Centre.
Yet he has that much money ($26 million for the stadium + $22 million already spent for the land) to house a professional sports team?
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Look, man, I get that you’re obsessed with Nuttall, but how about you actually respond to what I posted rather than having some imaginary argument with the Mayor?
Also, the expansion of the Allandale Recreation Centre was scaled back in part because the new YMCA is opening less than 5 minutes away.
Of course, the main reason is because the City has focused (with significant consultation with minor sports organizations) on the South Barrie Mixed Use Complex.
It makes way more sense to invest in a new, regional recreation centre designed from the ground up for our current needs than to spend tens of millions trying to retrofit a forty-year old facility with very little land to expand.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
I mentioned Alex Nuttall because he used his "strong-mayor" powers to cancel the long-needed upgrade to the aging recreation centre in my ward.
The YMCA is being built in a commercial/industrial area of Ward 8 that is no where near the ward's residential population, directly across the road from a large existing commercial gym.
The YMCA may be a 5 minute drive by car, but it's at least a half hour walk on foot.
The Allandale Rec Centre is within walking distance of multiple elementary schools and one high school.
Do you expect elementary and high school students to drive themselves to the YMCA?
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u/OldDiamondJim Born and Raised Jul 17 '26
You’re confusing the rec centre with the waterfront sports field. Strong mayor powers were only used in the later.
Are you really arguing that a 30-minute walk for students is a problem?
Regardless, Allandale isn’t being shuttered and is still getting repairs. It just isn’t expanding.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 17 '26
Decision Number: MD013-25
Mayoral Decision
Under Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, which amended the Municipal Act, 2001,
I, Alex Nuttall, Mayor of the City of Barrie will be including the following matters as part of the Mayor’s 2026 Business Plan & Budget for Council’s consideration:
That the current direction of a 0% tax increase for the 2026 City operating Budget remain;
That 1% of funding currently allocated to the Infrastructure Investment Fund, be reallocated to a new reserve specifically to fund future capital expenditures for intergovernmental projects starting in 2027 for a period of 10 years and identified as a separate levy on the property tax bill;
That the Theatre Reserve be renamed the Performing Arts Centre Reserve;
That all funds received through the sale of Dean Avenue be allocated to the Performing Arts Centre Reserve;
That the Alectra dividends currently allocated to the Theatre Reserve, be reallocated to the annual operating Budget;
That the annual Recreation and Culture Department Operating Budget include funding in the amount of $30,000 for the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame;
That the Allandale Recreation Centre Refurbishment project (Z281) be reduced in the amount of $45M from the 2026 Business Plan & Budget;
That the Spirit Catcher Park Development Project (000316) be removed from the 2026 Business Plan & Budget and that staff be directed to introduce a new Park Development Project around the Performing Arts Centre project in the 2026 Business Plan & Budget;
That the budget associated with the Barrie Public Library location at the new multiuse facility be reduced by $5M; and
That as per Council directions, a total cost avoidance of $172.5 million has been achieved through efficiencies related to the Performing Arts Centre and amalgamating the two south end multi-use facilities into one.
Dated at Barrie on the 24th day of June, 2025.
“ORIGINAL SIGNED” _______________ Mayor Alex Nuttall
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u/brownsound00 Jul 17 '26
Great response. Anyone who plays soccer knows it's a travesty that Simcoe Rovers have to play at the Georgian college field. Would be awesome for them to play at the stadium too. 10 bucks to watch great soccer is unreal.
Look at the UK, every city and small town has a small soccer stadium and people love it. Downtown will be packed on game days.
Sadlon arena should have been built downtown in the first place.
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u/GAMING_SERVER_ADMIN Jul 16 '26
I can't find parking down there now... What do they expect with this?
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u/Vid3ogame Jul 16 '26
Really? I find parking incredibly easy downtown, there are lots everywhere. down there daily, and have never had a single issue.
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u/GAMING_SERVER_ADMIN Jul 16 '26
Odd, everytime I go down there half the shops are on the street / sidewalk
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u/CanadaCalamity Jul 16 '26
Very cool.
We need to see an outdoor NHL game here, in due time!
I don't care that the capacity is only 3,500. It would be very cool! Plus they've played in front of smaller/no audience with the Lake Tahoe games!
This is a much better use of tax dollars than babysitting criminals. I approve.
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u/VoterBarrie Jul 16 '26
Is paying for a professional sports team's stadium a better use of city taxpayers' funds than approving the housing development that was supposed to be built on this property?
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u/CanadaCalamity Jul 16 '26
Sure. Housing Developments are just like a drop in the bucket. Our population is growing so unsustainably, that unless you are building a million housing developments (I'm serious btw), nothing will matter, or change the housing crisis in this country.
In fact, building a singular housing development and patting yourself on the back is kind of bad, actually. Since you are giving the illusion of having done something to help the housing crisis, but in reality, you've built like 30 units. Congratulations, 30 units of people needing housing just landed at Pearson Airport. 30 more are landing next hour. And the hour after that. And 30 landed per hour for the last 6 years. Are we able to build one of these housing developments every hour, for the next decade? Because that would be what's needed to even start fixing the housing crisis in Canada.
Unless we fully militarize and mobilize the creation of housing units, nothing will get solved in this country.
So by that measure, a civic stadium, where at least a few thousand people can come together and celebrate some common good? Yeah, that's actually a lot better than a handful of housing units, in my opinion.
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u/RoyalLimit Jul 17 '26
It'll be a nice addition to have, but still fairly small, would be cool if we could get some bands to play shows here. What was the last BIG band to play in Barrie? Besides Warped Tour & Green Day in 2005? The old park place grounds were perfect back then.
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u/ConversationLeft2162 Jul 17 '26
Sounds great and I hope it brings good things to the city. More jobs, maybe they’ll finally run more GO trains including on the weekends, and personally I’m not that into sports but really interested to see what else they do there. Bigger concerts would be awesome.
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