Frequently Asked Questions

Dogs must be kept on leashes in all parks, and dogs are not allowed on beach areas at waterfront parks. Note the Animal Control By-law requires owners to clean up after their dogs within full City limits.

Charcoal cooking appliances are permitted at inland (not waterfront) parks but are not to be left unattended and the user must have a source of extinguishing available and method to remove coals from the park. Propane appliances are not permitted in any parks.

Barbeques and other cooking appliances are not permitted, whether lighted or not, within waterfront parks unless specifically authorized by the City. The use of designated community-use barbeques erected or installed by the City (in Tyndale Park and Centennial Park) is permitted.  Community BBQ Rules

Unless specifically authorized by the City, tents or sunshades are not permitted within a waterfront park unless such tent or sunshade is solely supported by no more than one pole and having no more than one wall or side.

Lifeguards will be on-duty daily from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (weather-permitting) at Johnson's Beach beginning June 30 until August 21, and at Centennial Beach beginning June 30 until September 2. 

Parents and guardians are always reminded that children require direct supervision at the beach. When lifeguards are on-duty, signs are posted; buoy lines mark the designated swimming areas supervised. As in previous years, there is NO supervision at any other waterfront locations. Always practise water safety.

The Centennial Beach Concession and Scoops & Cones ice cream hut offer seasonal service at waterfront locations: in Centennial Park and near the marina.

Several restaurants and outdoor patios are available in Downtown Barrie, just a short walk from the waterfront. For some great dining options, click here.

The City does not issue permits or reserve parks/pavilions for private functions (weddings, birthday parties, corporate picnics, etc.). Though access is available for private functions, no private event can be officially booked within a city park; therefore there's no guarantee the park won't be in use by another group.

A permit is required to host a public event on municipal property.  If hosting an event open to the public, please contact the Special Events Office for information about the permit process: 705-739-4285 or [email protected]. 

Campfires are not permitted at any parks.

Visit the Discover Barrie Municipal Parking Map for lot locations, hourly/daily rates and Hot Spot Ids.

Waterfront Parking Rates
Where paid parking is acceptable, parking rates of $10/hour or $50/day are applicable for vehicles that do not have a valid permit/pass. The HotSpot Parking App offers many benefits to enhance the parking experience.

Residents: A digital waterfront permit or hangtag waterfront pass is required to park for free at specific waterfront areas. 

Downtown Parking Rates
The following rates are enforced 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday. Downtown parking options are free on evenings, weekends and statutory holidays.

 - $1.50 per hour on-street 
Note: on-street downtown parking is not permitted from 3am–6am December through March for winter maintenance. 

 - $1.25 per hour off-street, $7 daily max
Exception: Collier Street Parkade at $1.50 per hour (no daily maximum)

 - 25¢ minimum payment (1-hour minimum for credit cards)

The City partners with HotSpot to streamline parking within Barrie’s paid parking areas. While we encourage everyone to use this app, all existing parking payment methods (pay stations, meters) remain available.

HotSpot is available to download from Google Play and App Store. The HotSpot parking app is available to use for:

 - Hourly parking in city-owned paid parking areas within the downtown, waterfront, and Gallie Court / Quarry Ridge

 - Downtown parking passes

 - Digital waterfront parking permits 

 - Digital residential parking permits

Benefits
The HotSpot app will enhance your parking experience:

 - There's no need to carry cash or find nearest pay station.
 - You can extend parking sessions remotely from your phone. 
 - Any unused time can be refunded.
 - Contactless payment is safer for everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic.

No, meters and pay stations remain available to pay for parking. The parking app is meant to complement these existing options.

Individuals displaying a valid Accessible Parking Permit or Disabled Person Parking Permit are permitted to park for free in all municipal paid parking locations, but are required to abide by any time limits that may apply to that location.

The City of Barrie maintains the Barrie Marina, the Bayfield Basin Transient Marina, and the Tiffin Boat Launch.

Boats can be launched at the following locations:

Barrie Marina - 55 Lakeshore Drive, Barrie
Boat launch fee (daily) is $17.70 +HST (annual pass available). Please refer to the fee schedule for additional information.

Tiffin Boat Launch - Tiffin / Lakeshore Intersection
Located near Tiffin Street at Lakeshore Drive, the Tiffin Boat Launch offers free use (parking for vehicles with trailers only) to waterfront parking permit holders. There are 31 parking spaces for boat trailer parking. There is a non-resident boat launch fee of $10 +HST.

For more information, click here.

Barrie has all your favourite hotel/motel chains along with unique, independent offerings. Please click the links below:

Hotels and Motels
Vacation Rentals
Campgrounds and RV Parks

Barrie has several fantastic family-friendly events throughout the city all summer. For a list of upcoming events, visit click here.

Barrie offers a wide range of family-friendly indoor attractions to enjoy when visiting the area. Explore our indoor playgrounds, play a round of indoor golf, paint pottery, rock climb, and so much more.

For a complete list of indoor adventures, click here.

Search The Barrie Public Library Community Information Directory to find services available in Barrie and the surrounding area.

The directory has over 2500 entries covering a wide range of topics, and includes information about non-profit agencies, government offices, health services, clubs and special interest organizations, volunteer opportunities, daycare services, support groups and counselling services in the Barrie area.

Visit the Barrie Public Library's Downtown Branch to access their Local History collection, which is available to use at the library but can't be borrowed. This section contains books, microfilms, and other documents covering the history, geography, geology, culture and socio-economic structure of Simcoe County. It specifically focuses on Barrie, Oro-Medonte, Springwater (including Vespra), Innisfil and Essa. 

For more information, click here.