Historic building becoming Barrie's newest museum

Posted By Staff

Updated 22 days ago

Barrie's original armoury will become its newest museum.

Located at 36 Mulcaster St., it will be unveiled as the Grey & Simcoe Foresters Regimental Museum and the Barrie Heritage Centre Museum .

(The unveiling scheduled for Friday has been postponed).

"Barrie is so rich with history and now we have an opportunity for its story to be told," said downtown Coun. Jeff Lehman.

He said the partnership will allow citizens and students to explore Barrie's past with a hand-on experience.

The Grey & Simcoe Foresters will operate a Regimental Museum there, while the Barrie Historical Association will open a Heritage Centre Museum for students, residents and visitors.

This heritage building, constructed in 1888-89, was built as a military drill hall, company armoury, orderly room, quartermaster's stores and band room by both Barrie and Simcoe County.

It served as headquarters for the 35th Battalion Simcoe Foresters until 1914, when it became an auxiliary to the Queen's Park Armoury.

It then served as a farmers' market for several years. It was most recently the constituency office for former Barrie-area MPP Joe Tascona.

This building has received a heritage designation under the Ontario Heritage Act for its architectural and historical significance.

The new museum will be unveiled Friday morning at 9 a.m.