Doors Open: Step Inside Barrie’s Hidden Spaces This Saturday

Barrie residents and visitors will have access to rarely seen spaces during Doors Open Barrie 2025, taking place Saturday, September 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Credit: Tourism Barrie

This year’s program features 20 locations across the city, highlighting architecture, heritage, arts, and community institutions. For the first time, the event will be held in conjunction with Culture Days, offering free, hands-on arts activities alongside site tours.

Stops on this year’s list range from historic to modern. The Barrie Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters on Dunlop Street West will showcase its museum and training spaces, while the Barrie Simcoe Emergency Services Campus, which opened in 2020, will invite guests to meet officers and staff.

History buffs can step inside Collier Street United Church, whose sanctuary was built in 1864, or the Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regimental Museum, originally constructed as an armoury in 1888–89. J’adore Fine Cheese, Chocolate and Wine occupies a rebuilt 1876 storefront, while McFinn’s Traditional Irish Pub is housed in a structure dating back to 1856. The Barrie Visitor Information Centre, one of the last remnants of Allandale’s old downtown, has stood since 1914.

Two guided walks are also part of the program. Barrie’s Hidden Past explores the waterfront’s landmarks and stories, while East Side Story reveals the secrets beneath downtown’s 1870s-era shops.

Visitors can also drop by the Barrie Public Library to participate in a mural project or attend its Repair Café.

Trip Planning – Doors Open Barrie

Locations:

The Arts House – 250 Innisfil Street, Unit 3 – Creative centre offering arts lessons, performances, master classes, and charity concerts.
Barrie Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters – 155 Dunlop Street West – Modern hub with administrative offices, training spaces, operational units, and public safety museum.
Barrie Mosque (Noor Ul Islam) – 155 Ferris Lane – Only mosque in Barrie since 1988, offering tours, community connection, and refreshments.
Barrie Public Library – 60 Worsley Street – Provides lifelong learning, with Repair Café and mural project during Culture Days.
Barrie Simcoe Emergency Services Campus – 110 Fairview Road – Facility opened 2020 housing police, paramedics, and backup fire communications.
Barrie Sports Hall of Fame – 190 Bayview Drive – Established 1985, honours athletes and preserves Barrie’s rich sports history.
Barrie Visitor Information Centre – 4 Essa Road – Built 1914, offers event details inside a historic Allandale structure.
Barrie-South Simcoe Métis Council – 64 Cedar Pointe Drive, Unit 1401 – Shares Métis history, programs, and services through provincial offices.
Canadian Musicians Co-operative – 80 Bradford Street, Unit 601 – Supports artists with studios, programming, and food rescue initiative.
Collier Street United Church – 112 Collier Street – Sanctuary built 1864, houses stained-glass windows, pipe organ, and historic architecture.
Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regimental Museum – 36 Mulcaster Street – Former armoury (1888–89) turned regimental museum highlighting military heritage.
Heritage Walking Tour: Barrie’s Hidden Past – 4 Essa Road (Visitor Centre) – Guided walk exploring waterfront landmarks, shipwreck stories, and local legends.
J’adore Fine Cheese, Chocolate and Wine – 123 Dunlop Street East – Rebuilt 1876, now shop offering 150+ cheeses and handmade chocolates.
Just Some Noise – 521 Dunlop Street West – Opened 2020, rehearsal and performance hub for Barrie’s musicians and podcasters.
MacLaren Art Centre – 37 Mulcaster Street – Combines 1917 Carnegie library with 2001 addition; hosts contemporary Canadian art.
Mariposa School of Skating – 190 Bayview Avenue – Founded 1973 by Douglas Leigh, internationally recognized training centre for skaters.
McFinn’s Traditional Irish Pub – 31 Bayfield Street – Built 1856/1877, historic pub serving Irish-inspired dishes in downtown landmark.
Military Heritage Park – 225 Lakeshore Drive – Restored 1903 station site with cenotaph, Vimy Oaks, and RCAF memorial.
Spare Room – 12 Lakeshore Mews – Inclusive studio hosting workshops, exhibits, and Risograph printing for local artists.
Walking Tour: East Side Story – 30 Simcoe Street (Meridian Place) – Explores 1870s Dunlop Street East shops, stories, and hidden spaces.