Whether you have some city-related business to take care of or you're just dropping by for a relaxing winter skate, if you call Barrie home, you'll no doubt be familiar with City Hall located at 70 Collier Street. What you might not know is that City Hall has undergone some pretty drastic changes over the decades and even a slight relocation!
Originally called Market Square, the area where Collier and Mulcaster Street meet was once used by the Simcoe Agricultural Society in the 1840's to hold their annual fair. In 1854 the square was entrusted to the Barrie Town Council.
By 1856, council was being held in a brand-new building in Market Square designed by Toronto architect Joseph Sheard and built by local contractor Alexander Graham. Originally a two story building, the first floor was used by the Barrie Farmer's Market, while the second was used by Town Council.
A fire in 1875 led to the building being remodeled in 1877. During the remodel, they added a third floor, some decorative metalwork and a taller tower. The image below is Town Hall after the remodel.
In the 1940s, City Hall received another makeover that drastically altered its appearance. The newly renovated Town Hall was officially opened in 1946 by Mayor Grant. Three years later, Town Hall became City Hall when Barrie incorporated as a City.
It wasn't until 1985 that City Hall was demolished and moved to it's current location. A reminder of its history can always be seen by the arch you drive under on your way up Mulcaster Street. This monument, commonly known as Archer's Arch, is an outline of the original 1870s building and forever marks the location of Barrie's old City Hall.
If you want to learn more about City Hall and all of Barrie’s history, head over to the Barrie Historical Archives, Barrie’s online museum. It’s full of pictures, videos, audio, and documents spanning nearly 200 years and it’s completely free!
Be sure to check back soon for more in our Barrie Through the Ages series or head to our interactive map so you can explore Barrie’s history yourself!
RELATED: Best places to explore in Downtown Barrie for arts, culture and history ...
