Barrie in Simcoe County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Railway Watercraft
| | Waterfront Heritage Trail | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 5, 2024
1. Railway Watercraft Marker
1940s
This view of Barrie's shoreline from the Government Dock at the foot of Bayfield Street shows the view across Kempenfelt Bay to the countryside beyond old Allandale. The Allandale Train Station is visible to the left above the end of the dock. The railway encircles the bay, from the north shore to the south shore Rail Yards. The Tannery's tall smokestack dominates the skyline mid-photo.
First Bathing Beach
The first beach downtown was opened in 1943 at the foot of Toronto and Mary streets. In 1945, the beach had to be fenced off from the railway as "the more reckless boys and girls used to stand on the tracks in front of the approaching trains until the last possible minute".
[background photo caption]
Barrie dock area in the 1940s.
Erected by Barrie Waterfront Heritage Trail.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1943.
Location. 44° 23.301′ N, 79° 41.215′ W. Marker is in Barrie, Ontario, in Simcoe County. It is at the intersection of Simcoe Street and Lakeshore Mews, on the right when traveling east on Simcoe Street. The marker is at Waterfront Heritage
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Central Ontario Cottage Country and specifically in Georgian Bay Country. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Wharfs & Boatworks (here, next to this marker); Five Points (here, next to this marker); Lost Buildings (here, next to this marker); Birth of Barrie (here, next to this marker); County Town (here, next to this marker); Nine Mile Portage (here, next to this marker); Memorial Square (here, next to this marker); Market Hall (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Barrie.
Also see . . . Allandale Waterfront GO Station (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Train and bus station serving as the northern terminus of GO Transit's Barrie line. The station was built just south of Allandale Station, a historic train station that occupies a large property on the southern shore of Kempenfelt Bay (Lake Simcoe) in the waterfront area of Barrie, Ontario, Canada.(Submitted on May 21, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
The Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union Railway (OS&HUR) first built a station here in 1853. Four historic stations, the last of which still stands on the site near the present station, was built in 1904 and opened by then-operator Grand Trunk Railway on 19 June 1905. The station was usedby Grand Trunk and later Canadian National Railway (both of which had trains branching northwards from here to serve either North Bay or Meaford), Ontario Northland, and Via Rail until closing in 1980. However, Ontario Northlands's Northlander and Via's Canadian continued to stop at the closed station's platform until 1992 and 1996 respectively.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 5, 20242. Railway Watercraft MarkerLooking south through Heritage Park. The Waterfront Heritage Trail crosses in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 80 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 21, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
