Merger of the past and the future of the Allandale Train Station is finally here

Friday I was invited to meet with City staff at the Allandale Train Station. Myself and a few local Realtors were given a tour of the three conjoined buildings that make up this under restoration historic Barrie landmark. We were invited to share our thoughts on what, from a Realtor's perspective would be some of the better and more likely uses for these facilities.

I had previously toured part of the north most brick building with Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman in January of last year on a similarly cold day. At that time the task of restoring the integrity of the foundation was well underway and virtually all of the exterior was hiden from street view by scaffolding and tarpaulins.

Over the course of the past year the exteriors of the three buildings have been given a complete ground up face-lift including the restoring of original exterior colours and the installation of a Terracotta roof to replace the tired green asphalt shingle roof that had adorned it for the past half century. Most if not all living Barrie residents would be too young to have had the opportunity to view the Station in its former glory until now.

Between the south and central building is the covered station platform that I see as being a seasonal patio onto itself or perhaps as a feature of the center building. The centre building sports 20ft plus ceilings that round seamlessly onto the walls. The exterior windows on ether side light up the interior and standing at the centre of this great hall one can envision a 5 star dining experience people would travel from afar to partake in. You must stand in this space to appreciate this in the full sense.

The north most Brick building would in my estimation be ideally suited for the offices of a company who wants their name to be synonymous with Barrie. Without doubt there isn't another building in Barrie that has as many eyes deliberately gazing upon it over the course of a day.

Grand marble front steps have been added to the north building entranceway to enhance the character of the interiors which have fireplaces (originally as the only heating source) at each corner of the main and upper levels and ceilings rising up over ten feet in each of the rooms on both levels.

The south end building consists of a main area and a smaller area that finishes in a windowed half circle where a century ago people would have kept a watch out for the giant steam plumes of the arriving trains. The tower which has been replaced to its original specifications serves as a giant skylight from within the interior. I can see how a cafe/coffeehouse in conjunction with a news and book stand such as one can find at an international airport would do a thriving business from this location serving the GO commuters, tourists, the local population and visitors to the south side of our bay. This could become an informal meeting place where I would be proud to meet with clients on their arrival to Barrie.