A historic building that was the home of a Barrie staple is about to be torn down. The city is working on a project to support the growth of Barrie’s wastewater treatment plant, which involves creating a new facility. To do that, the historical building that was the home of the longstanding Midway Diner, will be demolished. “The City is moving forward with a $41 million investment in critical infrastructure with the development of the new Wastewater Innovation Centre, a key project designed to support the community’s continued growth,” Manager of Facility Planning and Development Paolo Bovolini tells CTV News. Construction work is currently underway including mobilization, setup, fencing, wildlife surveying, tree protection and removals. The property will spread across parts of John Street and Bradford Street. Just the front half of a neighbouring building could be seen from the corner of the intersection on Tuesday evening with bricks and debris scattered around the site. By Wednesday morning, that building was nothing but a pile of fallen bricks. Along with 151 Bradford Street—the former diner’s location—buildings at 157 Bradford Street, 161 Bradford Street, 167 Bradford Street and 35 John Street are also on the chopping block. The expanded facility will consist of administrative spaces, a training and multi-purpose area, maintenance and repair workshops, garage bays, staff facilities and vehicle storage. The majority of construction is taking place Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. with occasional work happening outside of these hours, which is in compliance with Barrie bylaws. The city says excessive noise should not be an issue during construction. The Midway Diner has since relocated and reimagined to 190 Cundles Road East in partnership with Lazy Tulip Café. The construction is expected to be completed in 2028.
