Spring street sweeping is underway
The City’s annual spring street sweeping program is now in progress. Due to the number of trees in the north that were damaged by the ice storm, the spring sweeping schedule has been adjusted to accommodate the ongoing cleanup. While spring sweeping typically starts in the Source Water Protection Area, staff are focusing on sweeping the south end of the city first.
Spring street sweeping removes sand and debris left from winter road maintenance, improves water quality by reducing runoff pollutants, and enhances the appearance of city streets and parking lots.
To check your zone or get updates, visit barrie.ca/StreetSweeping.
Celebrate Drinking Water Week: May 4-10
Join the City of Barrie in celebrating Drinking Water Week from May 4 to 10! This week
highlights the essential role of tap water in daily life, the infrastructure that delivers it to homes and businesses, and the critical work of water professionals who ensure its safety and reliability.
To mark the occasion, Water Operations is offering free public tours of the Surface Water
Treatment Plant on May 7. Tours will be held at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at 20 Royal Parkside Drive. Learn about the process and what it takes to provide safe, reliable drinking water. Additionally, visit the Barrie Public Library Downtown Branch on May 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to discover how you can help protect our water at the source. Whether you are a home or business owner, find simple steps you can take to protect drinking water. For more details on both events, visit barrie.ca/Events.
To learn more about Barrie’s Drinking Water, visit barrie.ca/WaterTreatment.
Participate in Textile Collection Week: May 5-9
Help keep reusable items out of the landfill by participating in Textile Collection Week from May 5 to 9. Curbside textile collection is available to all Barrie residents, with no limit to the number of bags you can donate. Simply place your items in a labelled bag that says “textiles” (preferably clear and waterproof) and set them at the curb by 7 a.m. on your designated textile collection day (note: this is not the same as your regular waste collection day).
Donations support Cornerstone to Recovery, a charitable agency supporting individuals and
families affected by addiction.
To find your textile collection day, review acceptable items, or learn more, visit
recyclingrewards.com/barrie or call 1-866-927-3873.
Outdoor tennis & pickleball courts open
All outdoor tennis and pickleball courts across Barrie are now open for the season, with the exception of the Ferndale Park Tennis Courts, which remain closed due to fence and tree damage. Outdoor courts began opening in late April and are available for public use in parks throughout the city.
To view a full list of court locations and statuses, visit barrie.ca/SportsCourts.
Construction Job Fair – May 7, 2025
Looking for work in the construction industry? The 2025 Construction Job Fair is taking place on Wednesday, May 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Allandale Recreation Centre (190 Bayview Drive).
Hosted by Invest Barrie in partnership with the Barrie Construction Association, this free, drop-in event is your chance to connect with employers from across the construction sector – no registration required.
Job seekers can explore a wide range of opportunities, including general and skilled labourers, project coordinators, electricians, drivers, inspectors, carpenters, machine operators, and more.
For more information, visit investbarrie.ca.
Last call: City of Barrie seeks local artists for award trophy and statuette designs
The City is calling on local artists who specialize in digital art or sculpture to submit designs for two prestigious upcoming award events: the 7th annual Mayor’s Innovation Awards and the Barrie Arts Awards.
Digital artists or graphic designers are invited to design a trophy for the Mayor’s Innovation Awards, with the winning design fabricated by Georgian College Makerspace. Sculptors or artist teams can submit proposals to create unique statuettes for the Barrie Arts Awards. Selected artists will receive a monetary award.
The deadline to submit is 5 p.m. on May 12, 2025.
For details, visit investbarrie.ca/InnovationAwards and barrie.ca/ArtsPrograms.
Extended Saturday hours at landfill to support ice storm cleanup
To assist with ongoing storm cleanup efforts, the City of Barrie has extended Saturday hours at the landfill until Saturday, May 31. The landfill, located at 272 Ferndale Drive North, remains open Tuesday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with extended hours on Saturdays until 6:30 p.m.
In addition, residential brush tipping fees continue to be waived to support those clearing storm debris until Saturday, May 31.
For details, visit barrie.ca/landfill.
Ice storm cleanup continues across Barrie
Cleanup efforts continue following the late March ice storm, with support from other Ontario municipalities. Crews are working daily to clear remaining sidewalks, parks, and other public spaces. Ice storm cleanup crews continue to collect any brush piled at the curb. Crews will be making multiple passes throughout Barrie in the coming months.
Please note: The City’s yard waste collection program is also underway, but it operates
separately from the ice storm cleanup.
For ongoing updates, visit barrie.ca/IceStorm.
Presented by The City of Barrie
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of The City of Barrie and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of iPolitics.
