The new YMCA slated for construction in Barrie’s south end is $5 million closer to being built.
Shovels for the new YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka — set to be built at 535 Bayview Dr., next to Sadlon Arena — are expected to hit the dirt within the next two months, marketing and communications director Catherine Francis said.
An official groundbreaking for the project — which, to date, has completed 40 per cent of the construction design stage and has received site-plan approval from the City of Barrie — is scheduled to take place in March, said Karen Pulla, vice-president of health, wellness and community impact and acting chief executive officer of the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka.
With construction beginning this spring, the majority of the facility is expected to be complete by the end of March 2027, she added.
The $70-million, 77,000-square-foot facility will include health and fitness facilities, an aquatic centre, youth outreach programs, community meeting spaces, rehabilitation programs, and an indoor accessible playground, as well as transitional housing for youth and a multicultural space.
“The YMCA is a charity dedicated to addressing the most pressing needs in our communities, from housing and unemployment to poverty, inequity, and beyond. Whether it’s youth getting a fresh start through transitional housing or families receiving financial assistance to stay active and healthy, the Y helps individuals from all backgrounds overcome barriers and reach their full potential,” Pulla said.
“The importance of this project is highlighted by our valued partners — the City of Barrie, County of Simcoe and RVH (Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre) — who are helping make this vision a reality," she added. "We’re proud to be building a new centre of community in Barrie, a place where everyone belongs and thrives.”
The county officially announced its $5-million commitment toward the capital side of the project on Monday, Feb. 3, funds that were initially approved by the joint council and committee of the whole at its Nov. 26, 2024 meeting.
The funding is part of the county’s 2025 budget, along with some “incremental payments along the way,” according to county officials.
Council had tentatively approved a smaller amount initially, however received a request for the increased funding last year, confirmed Collin Matanowitsch, the county’s public relations manager.
The county funding is dedicated to the creation of transitional housing for youth and a multicultural space in partnership with the Simcoe County Local Immigration Partnership, Warden Basil Clarke said in a news release.
“County council is committed to building up homes, lives and hope across the region through targeted and fiscally responsible investments in our community,” Clarke said. “That is why, when the Y came to us with a plan to provide much-needed and critical transitional housing for youth, combined with a multicultural space where the community can celebrate our region’s diversity for years to come, council knew this was an investment that our residents would be proud to support.”