Thought On Barrie Ontario

[Crazyhook]

How is BArrie to raise a family, fishing and overall?

 

thanks

[irishfield]

Jamie, if you are looking at a career move to Barrie the fishing is as abundant as the Valley for sure. Choices of species within a few miles in each direction. Lots of close outskirts villages/towns where housing is cheaper for a short commute into work and some big enough to have their own public schools and some even with high schools to keep your kids out of the big city schooling issues.

[SlowPoke]

I'd move there in a heartbeat if I had the right opportunity. I would prefer the Innisfil area (south, small townish) but it's been expanding rapidly. It's becoming somewhat of a bedroom community.

I'm the wrong guy to ask about the fishing there... Simcoe has my number. I keep hearing rumours of 6lb smallies, 9lb lakers etc. but all I ever get is small pike! If you're into ice fishing , it's okay, I guess.

There seems to be some odd politics going on regarding fishing in the area but from a distance it looks as if locals are less impacted by it. Innisfil Beach for instance... over $20 to launch and park but free for locals.

-Brian

[Rizzo]

Lots of close outskirts villages/towns where housing is cheaper

 

We're actually finding the opposite. I've lived in Barrie for close to 3 years and we are trying to find a home that is outside Barrie by around 5 - 10 minutes. Prices are sky-high just outside the city. Maybe Wayne means a little further away but places like Midhurst, Shanty Bay, Utopia, Oro, Edgar etc which are nearby are pretty pricey (at least by local standards). Withing the city you can get a pretty nice place for around 250,000 which is great considering Toronto is 45 minutes away, but better yet, Muskokas or some of the Kawarthas are also 45-60 minutes away! Funny thing is, Simcoe doesn't interest me. Other than the yearly ice tourney on Kempenfelt Bay I probably won't fish it much. Apparently I'm missing out on a lot. Maybe someday (if Brian takes me out!!) I'll learn a bit about the lake. Yesterday's front page news had to do with some lost cat...you tell me if that's a good place top raise a family! We are very happy here. Even the whomping of snow we regularly get is bearable.

[SBCregal]

i lived there in 2001 for about a yr, it was great. i lived right off of dunlop...steps to the lake. lots of opportunity within a hr or so as well. the only problem i found was traffic. it seemed to take forever to get across town at any time of the day. i guess the city is just growing way faster than the roads/infrastructure can handle. other than that, it was great.

[holdfast]

I lived in Wasaga Beach for a year before moving out West only because I was posted to Borden. Angus way too expensive. Barrie way too much like a city attracting its city garbage as its getting bigger by the minute. Wasaga Beach is beautiful in the winter but is little Toronto in the summer. Within a three hour drive radius its hard to find a lake that someone doesnt own a piece of shoreline (Cottage Country). For me Simcoe is too Big, and Georgion bay is also the same. But I did find a brookie stream that I never seen anybody venture too as few people know how to read a Topo Map and dont want to walk to far from the Car. But if I had to Pick between TO and Barrie. Barrie by far, but look who Im comparing it too.

[lew]

Hey, what happened to your Peterboro plans ??

 

Sheesh, I've already got your name tag fastened to the co-pilot seat in my boat

[misfish]

Barrie was a nice small populated 55,000 when I moved here,now it,s around 140,000.

Mostly a retail city and getting very conjested for it,s size.

If I could,I would move north of here.

[Fisherman]

How is BArrie to raise a family, fishing and overall?

 

thanks

Just like any other expanding city, everythig expands with it, traffic jams, potholes, crime, except the fish, they don't get any bigger. Like a couple others said, Innisfil, Thornton, just on the outskirts, but close enough.

[motv8tr]

For lower housing prices check out Innisfil to the south, Dalston, and oro to the N/E? anywhere north of Hillsdale is also good...do a check on MLS for prices in Tiny and Tay townships, that'll give you a good idea.

 

Maureen

[JerseyDog]

If you are planning on working in TO and living in Barrie, you might want to do a few practice commutes. The drive can take a lot out of you.

 

Today would be a good day to try to get a feel for it. I'm sure the news already says 500 accidents and counting.

[Beans]

The Go Train begins running between Toronto and Barrie tomorrow...haven't heard of any stops yet between Barrie and Bradford but would be very suprised if there won't be one near Innisfil Beach Road and one near Gilford...

 

Between the two cities I would pick Peterboro like Lew sez...I s'pose it all depends on employment opportunities...

 

Good luck !

[Rizzo]

Today would be a good day to try to get a feel for it. I'm sure the news already says 500 accidents and counting

 

good call! I moved to Barrie because I got a job here. Commute to Toronto would never be an option. When I worked in Toronto I lived in Toronto. I'd rather have a $300,000 mortgage and live near work. Bad on the pocketbook but good on the sanity. And guess what, when you sell that place, turns out it wasn't so bad on the pocketbook after all :D

[JerseyDog]

Agreed - in fact if you add up all the gas and repairs and other commuting costs (including a huge amount of time) one might conclude Toronto real estate isn't that expensive after all.

 

Imagine - 3 hours/day commute = 15 hours/week @ 50 weeks/year = 750 hours which at a normal 37.5 hour/work week is an additional 20 WEEKS you could spend working or for leisure as opposed to being in your car.

[Rizzo]

37.5 hour/work week

 

I want your job :D

[JerseyDog]

Ha - I wish.

 

Since I don't commute, I have 20 hours extra every week - and I spend them working.

[steverowbotham]

i lived in barrie for 8 years... LOVED IT!!

 

I know live in Lindsay, but consider Barrie my home. Thank God my girlfriend's parents live in Stroud so I still have ties to Barrie!

and some of the best fishing around. I read some posts about fish not getting any bigger, move around a little bit, and you will find bigger fish.

[architeuthis]

How is BArrie to raise a family, fishing and overall?

 

thanks

 

 

Come live in Keswick. It's not as developed as Barrie and 15min from the top of 404. Plenty of good fishing too and pretty much a beach town in the summer.

 

cheers

[waterwolf]

barrie's great!!! big enough to get whatever you need . growing like crazy . set your sites on your personal agenda ,,opportunity is there to accomidate. so close to fishing\hunting opportunities ,an hours drive and you could easily forget how close you are to a fair -size city.

[OhioFisherman]

Probably great June thru September, then too cold!

[Big Cliff]

If you are looking at Barrie and thinking of driving into TO everyday...... Summer time lots of traffic as you battel with all the cottagers heading up/down the 400. Winter time lake effect snow can make that highway a parking lot/scrap yard several times a winter. I've got nothing bad to say about Barrie but I wouldn't consider it if you intend to drive into TO everyday.

 

Lindsay to TO isn't too bad, the 407 is due to be extended over to the 115/35 in the not too distant future, Go trains are soon going to be coming into Pontypool (10 Minutes drive South of here) and in the short term you could just drive down to Oshawa (30 minutes) and take the GO train into TO.

 

Fishing..... Well you are 35 minutes away from Simco, 30 minutes or less to Scugog, you can fish right in town in the Scugog River and you have all of the Kawarthas right on your door step and you've got a seat in my boat or on my dock anytime you want to use it.

 

Housing prices: well a new upscale detached is in the $200,000.00 - $225,000.00 price range but there are lots of good deals on detached houses in the $150 - $200,000.00 range too and with the way this town is starting to grow any realestate in this area is going to be a good investment.

[lunkerbasshunter]

its way to busy for me. downtown is closed every weekend it seems in the summer and between the 400 and that molson park exit its a nightmare. although where on the outskirts of the big smoke isnt a travel terror?

 

cheers!

[tinbanger]

born in Barrie and moved back about 16 yrs ago.

What I tell people if is you're moving here ( and working in TO) for the cheaper than TO houses only ...forget it .

But if you also want the lifestyle (Simcoe ,ski hills etc ,the near north on your doorstep) then go fo it .

I did the daily commute ( company car ) for about 12 years and survived! My job takes me all over southern ontario , so one day drive to the TO ,next day London ,next day Kingston etc

Now I 'm awork from home 1-2 days a week ...not so bad.

 

As far as fishing goes , of course Simcoe , tons of creeks and streams around ,the Muskokas and Georgian Bay keep us pretty busy year round.

We also fish the valley alot ( grew up north of Kingston , have a hunt camp in the valley) and I miss all those small hidden lakes . but like I said we still get out there 5-6 times a year to fish

 

Overall Have never regretted the move the Barrie , planning to stay .

 

TB

[Rob]

I live in Oro Station. I grew up in the Barrie area (Innisfil) and lived in Barrie for a couple of years. It was nice being close the ammenities of Barrie, but still desired the country living. Been in Oro for 16 years now and love it. I am five minutes from the boat launch, 1/2 hour to muskoka area and 45 mins to work (Newmarket). I would like to work in Barrie-Orilia area but love the place I'm at. Oro is a great area to live as well as the Twshps of Springwater, Essa and Tiny. Barrie is like the others have said, very busy, but living here in Oro, I can go to Orillia as it has pretty much the same stores as Barrie without all the crazy congestion.

 

Rob C

[misfish]

I live in Oro Station. I grew up in the Barrie area (Innisfil) and lived in Barrie for a couple of years. It was nice being close the ammenities of Barrie, but still desired the country living. Been in Oro for 16 years now and love it. I am five minutes from the boat launch, 1/2 hour to muskoka area and 45 mins to work (Newmarket). I would like to work in Barrie-Orilia area but love the place I'm at. Oro is a great area to live as well as the Twshps of Springwater, Essa and Tiny. Barrie is like the others have said, very busy, but living here in Oro, I can go to Orillia as it has pretty much the same stores as Barrie without all the crazy congestion.

 

Rob C

 

Rob C has the best area of all. Nice little community, and like he said,minutes to a boat launch or two.

 

Hey Rob,how ya been bud?