Residents will soon be able to use the new inter-regional Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal, as the project nears completion and is expected to be operational by September.
Barrie’s corporate facilities department recently informed Mayor Alex Nuttall and council members that the transit terminal, located at Essa Road and Gowan Street, is on track for an early fall opening.
The terminal will serve as a main hub linking bus and rail services across Simcoe County, Muskoka and the Greater Toronto Area. It is situated next to the existing Allandale Waterfront GO Station, making transit connections easier for commuters.
Meanwhile, construction continues on the city’s smaller Downtown Mini Hub — the current Barrie Transit Terminal location — on Maple Avenue. The hub will feature waiting areas and bus stops to maintain downtown service levels and provide direct routes across the city.
Nuttall said he is thrilled to see the project nearing completion.
“It’s excellent news, and I’m looking forward to seeing it open for residents,” he said.
“There are so many positives. The Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal is geographically at the centre of the city, it will be more efficient, provide easy access for residents, and aligns well with the Allandale Waterfront GO Station. Overall, this will be a great improvement to our transit system.”
Coun. Sergio Morales, chair of the city’s active transportation and sustainability committee, said the terminal will demonstrate how buildings can be designed to be both environmentally sustainable and visually in sync with a neighbourhood’s heritage.
“Some people want sustainable buildings; others want new buildings to reflect, even just a little, the heritage aesthetic of the neighbourhood,” he said.
“The Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal will soon be a testament to how we can achieve both, while also reducing the operating cost burden on the municipal tax base.”
Morales said the timing for the project is ideal, as the terminal will have a positive impact on active transportation — something the city needs.
“Being intersected by Highway 400, with a road network that wraps around the bay, has created inefficient vehicle traffic flow and put bus and cycling transportation at a significant disadvantage,” he said.
“This terminal is a major step towards overcoming that disadvantage by making non-vehicle modes of transportation safe and efficient alternatives — which benefits everyone, including those who still choose to drive.”
Construction on the Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal and Downtown Mini Hub began in early 2024. The terminal project cost is $29.6 million, funded by all three levels of government — federal, provincial and municipal.
