Downtown Waterfront Park Redevelopments

Help Shape the Future of Our Downtown Waterfront Parks!

The City is redeveloping two downtown waterfront parks and we’re inviting the community to help shape the preferred design concepts for each park. Feedback collected will help ensure the project reflects community needs, priorities, and aspirations.

Heritage Park (Phase 1) and Sam Cancilla Park will both be redeveloped in alignment with the 2023 Waterfront Strategic Plan Update, which sets out a 10-year roadmap for improving the waterfront along Kempenfelt Bay.

Get involved!

Review the proposed concepts as part of the project information package.
Take the survey available at the bottom of this webpage (Open until Sunday, May 24)
Attend one of the pop-up engagement events (free, drop-in):
- East Bayfield Community Centre (80 Livingstone St. E)
  Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  Time: 4pm – 8pm
- Barrie Public Library - Downtown Branch (60 Worsley St,)
  Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
  Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm
- Barrie Farmers’ Market (City Hall, 70 Collier St.)
  Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
  Time: 9am – 1pm
Follow the project by clicking "Follow" in the top banner to receive project updates by email

About the Heritage Park (Phase 1) Redevelopment

Heritage Park is a 7.3-acre community and waterfront park located at 5 Simcoe Street, along Kempenfelt Bay, south of Simcoe Street, between Bayfield Street and Mulcaster Street.

Heritage Park is the primary park directly connecting the historic downtown core to Barrie’s waterfront and plays a key role in connecting the North Shore Trail to the national Trans Canada Trail and the remainder of the Waterfront Heritage Trail.

Heritage Park has an approved Master Plan (2022) which also had a comprehensive public consultation campaign. Heritage Park's redevelopment is listed as one of the highest short-term priorities in the plan, identified as having significant potential to transform the waterfront into a major destination and drive downtown investment.

Heritage Park Redevelopment (Phase 1) Features:

The Heritage Park (Phase 1) work is focused on the reconstruction of the water play feature and immediate area. Features under consideration for this redevelopment include:

A new interactive water play/feature and flexible plaza space
Accessible pathway connections
Native plantings
Site furnishings

About the Sam Cancilla Park Redevelopment

Sam Cancilla Park, (formerly known as Bayview Park in 2015), is a 1.1-acre waterfront park located along the North Shore Trail, Dunlop Street East, between Mulcaster Street and Poyntz Street. It is one of Barrie's oldest parks.

Sam Cancilla Park has been identified as a Focus Area priority in the Waterfront Strategic Plan. It was identified through community and stakeholder engagement as both requiring revitalization and for its ability to positively impact the waterfront.

Sam Cancilla Park Redevelopment Features:

The scope for the Sam Cancilla Park redevelopment encompasses the full extent of the park including the adjacent portion of the North Shore Trail and is being coordinated with the Sam Cancilla Park Reservoir Decommissioning & Removal project: prior to the Sam Cancilla Park redevelopment, the existing underground reservoir in the park will be decommissioned and the associated booster pumping station will be completely removed. Features under consideration for this redevelopment include: