Allandale Train Station

A series of three buildings following the curve of the original Kempenfelt Bay shoreline, the Allandale train station was constructed circa 1905 by the Grand Trunk Railway. The tower has been removed as well as the beautiful clay tiles to be replaced with shingles. Currently abandoned, this site is awaiting redevelopment or possible renovation into a public-use building.

---

Brief Time Line (almost accurate)
1853 - Ontario, Simcoe & Huron Union Railway (OS&HUR) builds first station
1894 GTR builds refreshment building/third station. GTR builds refreshment building, which is partially used as waiting room, ticket office and, as space becomes shorter, additional administrative offices. A separate one-storey building provided.
1903 - 1930 - Various improvements.
1974 - Canadian National Railway becomes passenger service operator.
1978 - VIA Rail becomes passenger service operator.
1980 - Station closed but still offers passenger pick-up.
1982 - Passenger rail service terminated.
1990 - Passenger rail service restarted.
1993 - Passenger rail service terminated again due to insufficient ridership.
1996 - CNR lifts rails between Allandale and Longford.
1999 - Allandale Community Development Corporation (ACDC !), a corporation of the the City of Barrie purchases Station and lands from CN Railway.
2000 - CHUM purchases Station and property for new broadcast station.
2004 - CHUM conducts environmental site assessment, historical / archealogical assessment, and some restoration
2006 - The City of Barrie purchases the Station and lands.

---

THEN & NOW

Since at least 2006, local municipal, provincial and federal politicians have been pushing to have the passenger service restored. Yesterday (September 11th), Mayor Dave Aspden announced at Council that the agreements between the City, Government of Canada, Province of Ontario and GO Transit was finalised for the resumption of passenger rail service to Barrie.

A new Station, to be named Barrie South, is currently under construction at St. Paul's (Yonge Street and Mapleview Drive East) as well as a GO car layover site, located just east of the old Allandale Station.

It is estimated that in 2004, more than 30,000 people made the daily trip south, mostly along the congested Highway 400 to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). With rising gas prices, it is believed that more commuters would be willing to take the GO Train.

One of the issues why this mode was so unpopular in 1993 was that only one departure and return was offered. Commuters had to board at Allandale around 5:45 AM and did not return until almost 6:55 PM which made for one helluva long day and a short marriage.

The schedule is tentatively set for Barrie departures of 5:45 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 6:45 a.m., and 7:15 a.m., with arrivals in Toronto ending at 8:45 a.m. Trains would leave Toronto at 4:10 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 5:17 p.m., and 6 p.m. arriving in Barrie at 5:45 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 6:55 p.m. and 7:35 p.m.

---

This brings us back to what is to become of the Allandale Train Station.

EDIT -
I have been requested by David Bell, representing Forecast Inc. and developer Mark Porter to remove negative opinions / comments that were posted here . . . my apologies - I was not in a proper state of mind when I initially posted here and most likely under the influence. My criticism of the redevelopment was inappropriate and hurtful to those companies, organisations and to municipal council. Again my apologies, I will attempt to be more open-minded in the future.