Barrie, Ontario!!

[TashaRVT]

Hey everyone!
My family and I (DH, DD12 and DS10) are moving to Barrie this summer, and just wondered if there were any fellow DISers in the Barrie area?
We're still in the process of trying to find the perfect location for our family, and wondered if anyone our there had any thoughts! Our needs aren't very many, but a bit specific: we need to be within walknig distance of a public elementary school, and either on or near a bus route to get to either secondary school.

We've been looking at houses in the south end, but right now, we're open to anything!

 

[Celidh]

I can't help you as far as good locations to live go since I have never lived there and moved to Nova Scotia 15 years ago.

I am from Owen Sound, which is a little over an hour from there and my friend went to Georgian College in Barrie so I made quite a few trips there. It seemed like a nice place to live. At the time it was a bigger centre but not too big and only an hour or so from Toronto that that was nice too.

Where are you moving from?

Good luck on the move.

 

[TashaRVT]

Thanks for the kind words

We're moving from Ajax (about 1/2 hr east of Toronto), and I'm more than a little bit stressed! I've never really moved (except during school), but we've been in this house since we got married 16yrs ago and the kids have lived here all their lives.

Eeeeeek!

 

[keaster]

Hi Tasha, I live in Barrie, you can send me a PM if you want and i can give you some information

 

[scboyd]

Hi Tash,
We live in Ajax but I grew up in Barrie, and I grew up in the St. Vincent Street and Grove Street (Rosenfeld Dr to be exact) area of Barrie. Its close to Eastview HS and numerous elementary schools. Its on the north east (If i have my directions correct) of Barrie. I would recommend it its quiet and away from Bayfield St which is the main business street in Barrie. Think Hwy 2 in Ajax....

if you have any specific questions please feel to DM.

 

[PandaBear & Boo]

Hi Tasha,

My family and I have lived in Barrie for 13 years We live in the South East end near Yonge St. There is an Elementary School, Mapleview Heights, which is in walking distance. A new library in walking distance. Grocery store and shopping plaza also in walking distance. We are near the new Go Station as well as Bus Routes. My children are bussed to Innisdale Secondary. The area is close to the 400 hwy and the new park place shopping area. It's a very quiet family oriented area. Hope this helps!

 

[racerangel]

Just catching up on my reading and found your post.

I am from Barrie in the south end as well. We just moved up there from Mississauga 2 years ago and love it!! We are on the other side of Yonge St off off Big Bay Point Road and close to the new library, grocery store and everything mentioned before Daughter (12) goes to Willow Way PS and son (15) goes to Innisdale Secondary like the previous poster. He unfortunately has to walk though as we are just short of the required distance for a bus (less then .2 km..grrr...lol )

Feel free to send me an email as well if you need any further help.

 

[plutopuppy]

We live in the East end of Barrie. Walking distance to 2 public schools ( we can see one from our porch) it is the older area of Barrie and also 2 high schools within 20 min walks. 15 min walk to hospital, very close to bus routes, college, police and fire stations. A very quick exit off the 400. Minutes from the country where you have garden centres and produce stands. Lots of trees and quieter streets. In our neighbourhood no houses stay on the market too long but I have noticed a few new ones lately popping up! It is a great place to raise a family!

 

[TashaRVT]

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!

We were up last wknd looking at some houses in the Allandale and Ardagh Bluffs areas and they were very nice. The prices took me a little bit off guard (more than I was expecting, I guess??), and the lots were smaller than what I'm used to down here in South Ajax (our lots are around 50X100ft), but the homes were so much nicer than what we live in now

We're going up again tomorrow to look at a home on Leacock Dr, south of the Letitia Heights area Haha, I've just heard some slightly sketchy things about that area, but have also heard that it's cleaned up quite a bit. What do you guys that live up there have to say about it?

 

[Disneylvr4]

We don't live in Barrie, but have a number of friends and family who do...no one has complaints! Some are old time residents and others have moved there within the last couple of years.

No doubt Barrie is growing every day and offers a wide variety of amenities over a wide area!

GL with you move and I'm sure Barrie will be a wonderful place to transition to!

 

[keaster]

Letitia heights wouldn't be my first pick some parts are okay but it doesn't have the best reputation! I do marketing for a real estate agent in barrie if you need some help send me a pm

 

[bdoyledimou]

Letitia heights wouldn't be my first pick some parts are okay but it doesn't have the best reputation! I do marketing for a real estate agent in barrie if you need some help send me a pm

I grew up in Leticia Heights Our house was one of the first built on Kipling Place way back in 1977. It was so nice back then, such a shame to hear it's now so bad..
(I think it started to go downhill once they put in that Plaza)

 

[Bertie9396]

Another Barrie Dis-er here!

I grew up in Letitia Heights (Browning Trail) but now live in the Southend. Mapleview/Essa area.

Letitia Heights is not the best area. My Mom and inlaws still live there so I'm there all the time. While some areas are OK, generally speaking, I wouldn't move there myself.

I love the area we are in now. Close to everything we need...except the mall! I hate that all the malls are only in one end of town. But all the other stores you could want are nearby. My area is within walking distance of two elementary schools (one Catholic, one Public) and a highschool. Lots of parks close by.

Good luck with your house search!

 

[TashaRVT]

Thank you all so much for your thoughts - it actually did help to steer us to area where we should be looking; it's hard to know where's a "good" area when you don't know anything about a town!

We purchased a home in south Allandale earlier this week and all of a sudden things are seeming very REAL, do you know what I mean? While I'm really excited about the new house and the move and all, I can't help my feel some anxiety about the whole thing. I don't know anyone up there and my kids don't know anyone up there; the kids, of course, have the advantage of gonig to school and making friends that way!