threnody
Active Member
Your idea is genius. GO should be seizing on ideas like this if it wants to be seen as more than a commuter railway.
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Your idea is genius. GO should be seizing on ideas like this if it wants to be seen as more than a commuter railway.
299 bloor call control.
Senior Member
I think it's a great idea as well. GO is looking at expanding tourist markets, and they will probably look at Barrie if the Niagara project goes well.
nfitz
Superstar
It might work well on weekends, but typical rental car peak usage is weekday. So you'd have to have a lot of weekday use, or else it would either be expensive, or not profitable.
Might make sense for Zipcar and/or Autoshare to put a few cars in locations like that for Toronto members who can take the train to the end of the line, and then jump in the car. Heck, it would help me on business trips to places like KW, Hamilton, Georgetown, etc. ... train is great, until you get to the station, and want to get to an industrial park or something.
waterloowarrior
Senior Member
Second GO station for Barrie
AUTHOR: LAURIE WATT, STAFF
http://www.barrieadvance.com/barrieadvance/article/132591
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A second GO station for Barrie is expected to be announced Friday at 12:15 p.m.
Barrie MP Patrick Brown and MPP Aileen Carroll issued a media advisory about an announcement tomorrow; their statement says they will make an announcement on behalf of federal Transport Minister John Baird and provincial Transportation Minister Jim Bradley.
City Hall sources confirmed the announcement pertains to the second GO station at Allandale.
It’s a project the city has been lobbying for; earlier this year, the city endorsed a business case for a second station.
GO ridership returned to the city in December 2007 – and has exceeded GO’s expectations, so much so that the transit authority quickly installed a full-service trailer and then constructed a new station just north of Mapleview Drive.
GO had initially projected 280 riders per day, with an increase to 408 riders by 2021; ridership last fall reached 660 riders each day.
A second station would provide a gateway in the provincial urban growth centre – downtown Barrie – as defined by Ontario’s Places to Grow planning directive.
Both Brown and Carroll have been lobbying for the project, which Barrie council considers a key priority for this year, as it would help the city’s revitalize the Allandale and city core areas, as well as position the city at the forefront of environmental issues.
The project was discussed in February in Ottawa, when city officials, including infrastructure and development general manager Richard Forward, met with several federal cabinet ministers
AUTHOR: LAURIE WATT, STAFF
http://www.barrieadvance.com/barrieadvance/article/132591
E-mail Story
Text Size
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A second GO station for Barrie is expected to be announced Friday at 12:15 p.m.
Barrie MP Patrick Brown and MPP Aileen Carroll issued a media advisory about an announcement tomorrow; their statement says they will make an announcement on behalf of federal Transport Minister John Baird and provincial Transportation Minister Jim Bradley.
City Hall sources confirmed the announcement pertains to the second GO station at Allandale.
It’s a project the city has been lobbying for; earlier this year, the city endorsed a business case for a second station.
GO ridership returned to the city in December 2007 – and has exceeded GO’s expectations, so much so that the transit authority quickly installed a full-service trailer and then constructed a new station just north of Mapleview Drive.
GO had initially projected 280 riders per day, with an increase to 408 riders by 2021; ridership last fall reached 660 riders each day.
A second station would provide a gateway in the provincial urban growth centre – downtown Barrie – as defined by Ontario’s Places to Grow planning directive.
Both Brown and Carroll have been lobbying for the project, which Barrie council considers a key priority for this year, as it would help the city’s revitalize the Allandale and city core areas, as well as position the city at the forefront of environmental issues.
The project was discussed in February in Ottawa, when city officials, including infrastructure and development general manager Richard Forward, met with several federal cabinet ministers
299 bloor call control.
Senior Member
Considering that the project will cost only ~$5-million, with a very marginal increase in operating cost, there's no reason why it shouldn't happen. Good news nevertheless!
ShonTron
Moderator
Glad that Barrie has been pushing for this as well. This announcement tomorrow should be quite something. Though why a Friday to make it? - Fridays are for announcing bad news more often than good.
299 bloor call control.
Senior Member
John Baird is going to be there - so maybe to dampen any possibility of his 'sneaking' into Pearson Airport making bigger news.
ShonTron
Moderator
Ah, John Baird - the man who sunk the Ottawa LRT (with the help of "transit advocates"). Awesome.
waterloowarrior
Senior Member
Allandale site to see GO train service
http://www.barrieadvance.com/barrieadvance/article/132649
April 03, 2009
The end of the line for the Barrie GO train service is moving further north.
Barrie MP Patrick Brown and MPP Aileen Carroll announced $3 million in joint funding to put a second GO platform along Lakeshore Drive, near the old Allandale train station.
“This second station in Barrie is important for the community,†said Brown Friday. “We’ve looked at how to increase ridership levels, and we believe a downtown station in Allandale is that missing link.â€
Brown said the federal government is focusing on the environment, and getting cars off the road and reducing emissions will help.
When asked if the GO train would add more daily stops in Barrie, Brown said the company wants to see increased ridership first. “This opens the door to that.â€
Carroll said if residents want to see more frequent service here, they should “vote with their ridership.â€
She remembers taking the “maiden voyage†from the south Barrie GO station to Bradford 16 months ago, and said this new plan is “important to the revitalization of downtown.â€
Design work on the new platform will start later this year, with construction likely starting in 2010. The design at this point is just for covered platforms and ticket machines, although there’s potential to expand to a station in the future.
Another design idea is an underground tunnel connecting to the YMCA lands, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet, said Barrie Mayor David Aspden.
He hopes with the new Allandale station that more riders will hop on Barrie Transit.
Unfortunately that choice means waking up even earlier to catch the train.
The GO train leaves the south-end station now at 5:43 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 6:45 a.m., and 7:15 a.m. The train’s departure from the new GO terminal would be even sooner.
“It’s still a lot faster, economical and eco-friendly than driving from the north end to the south end, and leaving your vehicle parked in the lot all day,†said Aspden.
He referred to the new location as the north-end station, because this is as far as the train tracks go.
“The land past there has been dug up and they are laying major storm sewers now. (Putting a station any furthr north) wouldn’t happen anymore.â€
http://www.barrieadvance.com/barrieadvance/article/132649
April 03, 2009
The end of the line for the Barrie GO train service is moving further north.
Barrie MP Patrick Brown and MPP Aileen Carroll announced $3 million in joint funding to put a second GO platform along Lakeshore Drive, near the old Allandale train station.
“This second station in Barrie is important for the community,†said Brown Friday. “We’ve looked at how to increase ridership levels, and we believe a downtown station in Allandale is that missing link.â€
Brown said the federal government is focusing on the environment, and getting cars off the road and reducing emissions will help.
When asked if the GO train would add more daily stops in Barrie, Brown said the company wants to see increased ridership first. “This opens the door to that.â€
Carroll said if residents want to see more frequent service here, they should “vote with their ridership.â€
She remembers taking the “maiden voyage†from the south Barrie GO station to Bradford 16 months ago, and said this new plan is “important to the revitalization of downtown.â€
Design work on the new platform will start later this year, with construction likely starting in 2010. The design at this point is just for covered platforms and ticket machines, although there’s potential to expand to a station in the future.
Another design idea is an underground tunnel connecting to the YMCA lands, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet, said Barrie Mayor David Aspden.
He hopes with the new Allandale station that more riders will hop on Barrie Transit.
Unfortunately that choice means waking up even earlier to catch the train.
The GO train leaves the south-end station now at 5:43 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 6:45 a.m., and 7:15 a.m. The train’s departure from the new GO terminal would be even sooner.
“It’s still a lot faster, economical and eco-friendly than driving from the north end to the south end, and leaving your vehicle parked in the lot all day,†said Aspden.
He referred to the new location as the north-end station, because this is as far as the train tracks go.
“The land past there has been dug up and they are laying major storm sewers now. (Putting a station any furthr north) wouldn’t happen anymore.â€
W. K. Lis
Superstar
Will the new station be convenient for bus/transit users and pedestrians, or will there be a parking lot or garage to trek across?
waterloowarrior
Senior Member
Council likes the 'whys' of Allandale restoration
http://www.barrieadvance.com/barrieadvance/article/132172
March 31, 2009
Barrie is poised to move ahead with revitalizing the old Allandale Station and creating a new village hub.
Councillors are to vote next week on final approval on a preliminary development agreement with the YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka and its development partner, the Correct Group of Companies, for a $46-million live, learn, work and play development that restores the 1905 train station and adds not only a Y, but offices, a condo/hotel complex, retail, and public performance spaces.
Work on restoring the old station could begin as early as the fall, pending a restoration plan and the sale of the land to the Y and its partner – and despite opposition from ROAR (Residents for Old Allandale Restoration) who oppose the Y being located on prime waterfront land. The group favours a retail, hotel and marina development proposed by Shutters Restaurant owner Mark Porter and his partner, Forecast Inc.
Councillors chose the Y and Correct Feb. 9, and ordered city staff to negotiate an agreement, which features timelines for the development. Infrastructure and development general manager Richard Forward said the plan will create a very public site that brings together GO Transit, Barrie Transit, cultural and recreational uses, as well as retail and office space.
“The agreement is structured to allow the restoration to occur this year,†said Forward, adding the Y and Correct have hired local architect Michael McKnight, who previously worked on the A Channel’s (then owned by CHUM) plan to convert the old station into a broadcast centre, as well as other national renowned architects who have worked on GO station and heritage sites.
The first priority would be to address the station’s structural issues, while the developers consult the community on a Creative Allandale plan which would gather public input on what arts and cultural uses would be best located in the station and outside it on the site – whether an art gallery, a museum, a music hall, a theatre. Councillors preferred the plan over Porter’s, who suggested a train museum and a private hall that could be rented for receptions as station uses.
The development agreement also includes an expanded roundhouse feature, which would add more hotel/condo units than originally planned. That would boost development charge and tax revenue, Forward noted, above the $3.8 million in DCs and $4.8 million in taxes over 10 years.
By contrast, Porter’s proposal would generate $2.9 million in DCs and $3.8 million in taxes over 10 years.
“Staff did a great job negotiating more money out of the developer – and obviously taxes are going up. DCs are going up. The financial case is only getting better,†said Ward 10 Coun. Alex Nuttall. “I hope you have the same success on future agreements.â€
But Ward 1 Coun. Mike Ramsay urged councillors to change their mind, and favour Porter.
“I still feel the choice made the majority of council on Feb. 9 is wrong. It’s still not to late. Council can still reverse this process.â€
After discussing the issue in public committee meetings in November, January and February and finally choosing the Y Feb. 9, ROAR formed to lobby councillors to switch to Porter’s proposal. The group held its first community meeting March 11 at Shutters Restaurant. It handed a petition of over 1,000 names, backing the Porter plan, to Ramsay, who submitted it.
That did not sway councillors, who voted 8-2 in support of the draft development agreement.
The Y and Correct may need a rezoning, as an old bylaw defines the Y as a private club, rather than a recreation centre; a private club is not allowed on the Allandale site, although a rec centre would be. A rezoning would be appealable to the Ontario Municipal Board and ROAR has said it would challenge the city there.
unimaginative2
Senior Member
Best. Name. Ever.
waterloowarrior
Senior Member
You can't go wrong when you go with the Correct Group of Companies
Komiksulo
Active Member
Is it too late to rebuild and reopen the train line to Orillia? That would be the next logical destination, with maybe another station on the north side of Barrie.
TOareaFan
Superstar
except everyone who works there is in Correct? no?