Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal opens strengthening regional connectivity
For more information, please contact:
Andrea Chin, Communications Director
Email: [email protected]
Walton Chan, Senior Associate
Email: [email protected]
The City of Barrie has opened the new Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal, replacing the former Maple Avenue terminal and establishing a major transit hub for one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities.
Located in the historic Allandale neighbourhood adjacent to the existing GO Station, the terminal strengthens both local and regional transit connectivity and supports Barrie’s rapid population growth.
The design establishes a civic presence at a human scale, offering modern amenities while honouring the area’s historic context. Inspired by traditional train stations, the architecture features brick cladding, varied rooflines, and an interplay of horizontal and vertical forms. As part of a heritage interpretation program, the terminal’s brickwork incorporates 25 custom-engraved blocks depicting native animals and their names in Anishinaabemowin, English, and French.
Inside, a double-height concourse accommodates ticketing, waiting, and café spaces beneath a curved gable roof supported by glue-laminated timber trusses and nail-laminated timber roof panels. Expansive glazing floods the interior with daylight and creates visual connections to the bus platforms.
In front of the station, a plaza with planters, playful concrete benches, and an art installation enhances the public realm. A multi-use path links the plaza with the GO Train platform and the nearby Waterfront Trail. A wrap-around glass canopy and glass-enclosed shelters provide comfort for passengers. The bus platforms are arranged around a central island planted with trees and flowering shrubs, and a Victorian-inspired garden provides a respite amidst the hectic activities of a transit terminal.
The terminal incorporates sustainable strategies, including platform canopies comprised of solar photovoltaic panels, which will generate renewable energy and provide shade and weather protection for passengers. Once operational, the building is designed to be Net Zero Energy.
The Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal gives passengers a safe, convenient, and comfortable transit experience amidst high-quality architecture and landscape, and serves as a catalyst in the redevelopment of the area.