Business

After a slow start to the year, Barrie is booming with ICI projects. In April, the Barrie Construction Association had more plans come in than they had room to put them, which was a first, says executive director Barbara Rousseau.

New Construction

ICI projects leading the way as plans flow fast

After a slow start to the year, Barrie is booming with ICI projects. In April, the Barrie Construction Association had more plans come in than they had room to put them, which was a first, says executive director Barbara Rousseau.

She said January and February were slow, but now general contractors are juggling seven or eight jobs.

The trades have been less busy but Rousseau predicts as the projects get under way, they’ll be swamped with work this month.

Currently, the City of Barrie is seeking pre-qualification applications from general contractors, mechanical contractors and electrical contractors for the construction of the Holly Community Centre. Pre-qualification closes Aug. 11. Tendering is scheduled for September or October.

The 151,000-square-foot facility will have an aquatic centre, gymnasium, twin pad ice arena with spectator seating, change rooms, a youth centre and a fitness centre.

A park will be built next to the centre that will include soccer fields, tennis courts and basketball courts.

The project is valued at $28 million, which includes $4.8 million for mechanical and $2 million for electrical. The architectural team is Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners Inc. with Stafford Haensli Architects.

The city is also redeveloping the Collier Street surface parking lot in its downtown. It will become a multi-level parking garage, with two levels below ground and five above. A three-storey, 30,000-square-foot commercial office tower will adjoin it.

The architect is Sweeny Sterling Finlayson & Co. from Toronto.

The project is going to prequalification in the winter, said project manager Graeme King. He added that the city is waiting for costing to establish a total value.

Barrie entered into partnership with Parallax Investment Group to finance the project. The city is contributing $6.8 million toward construction of the parking garage.

Another upcoming project is a $65-million surface water treatment plant, which is in the design phase. King said prequalification will start in early winter, with two tenders going out in late winter. The plant will have a capacity of 60 megalitres per day. Also, over the next year a number of large projects are expected at CFB Borden, Rousseau said.

Recent projects include a Rona Cashway in the south end of the city. Bird Construction won the contract. The Independent Order Of Odd Fellows is expanding its seniors’ residence. PCL is the contractor for a Bank of Montreal data centre now under construction. And tendering is completed for a Harley Davidson office and sales room, with a main floor of over 16,000 square feet.