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FedEx to build new distribution centre in Barrie

Park Place officials have seen many changes to their plans over the years, but managing partner says they continue to move ahead as times change

A massive worldwide corporation is putting its stamp of approval on land near Park Place in Barrie's south end. 

FedEx has plans to build a new facility at the north end of the site near Big Bay Point Road, near where the old Molson brewery was located.

“The FedEx ground distribution centre at 1 Big Bay Point Rd., in Barrie, is scheduled to open in summer of 2022 and will be approximately 181,000 square feet,” the company said. “The site was chosen because of its ease of access to major highways, proximity to customers' distribution centres and a strong local community workforce for recruiting employees.

"The new facility is part of a network expansion to boost daily package volume capacity and further enhance the speed and service capabilities of the FedEx ground network," the company added. 

Terry Coughlin, managing partner with North American Development Group, which owns and operates the nearby Park Place grounds at Bayview and Mapleview drives, called it "major" news and hopefully something that will bring a lot of jobs to the city. 

Park Place has seen many ups and downs since it broke ground more than 10 years ago, but the south-end Barrie shopping and dining area is turning a corner and it's full steam ahead, Coughlin said.

When Park Place was just a design on paper back in 2002, North American Development Group described it as a car-free, pedestrian-focused outdoor commercial centre. Hotels, a cinema and outdoor park areas for families were also on the plans, but things changed slightly as the years went on.

While many stores now line the roads inside Park Place, Coughlin said it was a dip in the economy that changed the plans from unique shops to what you see today.

“In 2008, we hit a bad spot in the economy and the need for certain shops changed,” Coughlin told BarrieToday. “But what we have is still pretty neat with the centre of Park Place, having the fireplace and seating area. And there is still more to come.”

At Park Place, other businesses are starting to fill up the empty spaces, such as Ashley’s Furniture at the former Target location as well as a Winners store, which just opened just last week.

The Rec Room is also expected to open sometime this year, Coughlin said, though it has been hindered by the pandemic.

“This one will be a 34,000-sq.ft. games centre, kind of like the one down by the CN Tower,” said Coughlin, who didn't have an exact opening date.

Because only a limited number of people can be in the building, construction has been slowed due to the pandemic, he said.

The Rec Room will sit at the corner of Concert Way and Bayview Drive; it is the dining, gaming, technology and live entertainment arm of the Cineplex family.

Deputy Mayor Barry Ward, who was a city councillor in Barrie when Park Place was getting off the ground, remembers the original plans and knows the current site doesn’t reflect that. But he also understands why things changed.

“They adjust to reflect the realities," Ward told BarrieToday. "I wish the original vision could have been achieved, but I’m not overly alarmed by it. I think the people behind Park Place truly intended one thing, but found the market just wasn’t there for some of it.

"For example, it was planned to have a ‘main street’ with stores on the first floor and offices on the second floor," he added. "We got the stores, but not the offices because the demand was just not there. ... There’s not much we can do about that."

While there is very little in the way of office space, changes have been made in other areas.

"The world has changed a lot in the almost 20 years since Park Place was proposed. It’s only natural that things would evolve,” Ward said. "There were no plans for a residential component in the original plan, (but) a few years ago, the city approved the seniors building that is now at the north end of Park Place. I suspect there will be other changes in the future to reflect what is needed in Barrie.”

Coughlin said a lot has happened on the property's north end, which is also North American-owned land, such as the Barrie and Community Family Health Team that has dozens of doctors, as well as The Barrieview retirement community building.

“There’s a fair amount of activity and growth happening in the area and we’re really providing a lot of businesses the space to succeed,” Coughlin said. “We also sold land to the Holiday Inn to build a hotel next to Cabela’s, but they’re delayed because of COVID.”

Although not North American property, there's also progress being made on land across the road from Park Place. 

The Faris Team real estate brokerage firm is building a new headquarters at 447 Bayview Dr.

Development of land in that area is expected to take place over the next two decades, says the deputy-mayor. 

“The phasing plan runs through to 2040, so it’s likely to be some time before development is complete,” Ward said. “It’s just a gut feeling, but I suspect the lands will be built out before that as Barrie continues to grow."

While the Harvie Road-Big Bay Point Road bridge is expected to ease traffic congestion in the city's south end, it doesn’t mean travelling the area will be a breeze, Ward said.

“Traffic is not going to get lighter and there will always be pinch-points around Highway 400, but the Harvie Road-Big Bay Point bridge will make a big difference, especially taking the traffic that is just trying to get across Highway 400 and not onto it, the way Tiffin, St. Vincent and Anne streets do in the rest of the city,” he said.


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Shawn Gibson

About the Author: Shawn Gibson

Shawn Gibson is a staff writer based in Barrie
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