City hosts Game On! After Dark evening gaming event
Bu Office of City of Barrie, Aug 18, 2025
(Barrie, ON) – Game On! After Dark is the City’s gaming event, where you can experience all things gaming—from a video game tournament to a thrilling escape room, epic board game battles, and much more. The 19+ event takes place Saturday, September 20, 2025, and will once again be hosted by Canadian hip-hop artist, three-time Juno Award winner, and video game voice actor, Infinite, of the “The Infinite and Louise Show”, along with Louise Jackson, a dedicated leader and inspirational speaker.
“We are excited to be back for another year of Game On! After Dark. This event connected us to the Barrie community in ways we never could have imagined. The energy, the passion, and the people—this experience continues to inspire and uplift,” said Infinite and Louise. “We can’t wait to see who will rise as this year’s champion. Thank you to the City of Barrie for believing in the power of gaming and community. This event is truly changing lives.”
Game On! After Dark goes from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Five Points Theatre, located at 1 Dunlop Street West. The evening will feature Barrie’s Ultimate Gamer Tournament, where competitors will face off for the chance to be named “Barrie’s Ultimate Gamer 2025” and win a prize.
The evening event will also feature a cosplay mix and mingle, an escape room, and gaming and board game lounge areas. Admission is free, and tickets are not required to attend. Pre-registration is recommended to participate in the tournament portion of the event. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Attendees will also have an exciting opportunity to try out the new Nintendo Switch 2 system at the event. Be among the first to experience the next generation of Nintendo gaming with hands-on demos available throughout the evening.
Game On! is one of four City events named to the 2025 Top 100 Festivals list by Festivals and Events Ontario. This year’s event is generously supported by the following media partners: Rock 95, 107.5 Kool FM, Pure Country 106, BOUNCE 104.1 Radio, 93.1 Fresh Radio, 101.1 Big FM, and CFRH.
For more information and to register for the tournament, visit barrie.ca/GameOn
Registration opens August 26 for fall recreation programs
Bu Office of City of Barrie, Aug 19, 2025 –
(Barrie, ON) –The City will open registration for fall recreation programs on Tuesday, August 26, at 8 a.m. Customers can currently browse offerings at play.barrie.ca and save them to their “Wish List” to conveniently find desired programs when registration opens. Starting this fall, City of Barrie residents can register seven days in advance of non-residents. As part of this change, the non-resident fee for recreation programs/memberships will increase to 25%.
“Stay active, connect with your community, and join the fun with our great fall lineup of programs for all ages and interests,” said Kevin Datema, Director of Recreation & Culture Services. “From youth sports, skating and swimming, to adult fitness classes, or a learn-to-play sport–there’s something for the entire family.”
Registration will be available online at play.barrie.ca or by visiting Allandale Recreation Centre (190 Bayview Drive), East Bayfield Community Centre (80 Livingstone Street East), or Peggy Hill Team Community Centre (171 Mapleton Avenue).
In addition to registered programs, the City offers recPASS memberships that include access to all drop-ins, including fitness, skating, open gym, kids programs, and swimming, as well as unlimited access to the City’s fitness centres at East Bayfield Community Centre, Allandale Recreation Centre, and Peggy Hill Team Community Centre.
The City also provides a fee assistance program, called recACCESS, that offers support to low-income families and individuals in Barrie by providing qualifying participants with a recPASS membership and youth credits that can be applied to the registration fee for qualifying programs and activities.
IOOF Seniors Homes 20th Anniversary Young at Heart Motorcycle Ride Benefitting their Long-Term Care Expansion Project
By Elyse Martin, IOOF Seniors Homes Inc
(Barrie, ON – Thu July 24, 2025) – The IOOF Seniors Homes is excited to announce the 20th anniversary event of their Young at Heart Motorcycle Ride taking place this summer on Saturday, August 23, 2025, in partnership with Barrie Harley-Davidson.
This important annual event benefits the IOOF Seniors Homes’-term care residents and seniors in our community by raising funds for the IOOF’s redevelopment campaign to expand the long-term care home.
“We are looking forward to celebrating this important milestone for the IOOF with our riders, residents, volunteers, and sponsors. The Ride began 20 years ago and some of our riders and sponsors have been participating year-over-year ever since. Barrie Harley-Davidson has been one of our long-time partners and we are so thankful to them and our participants for helping us to honour the 20th year anniversary to celebrate over $314,000 raised to date for our long-term care home,” said Garry Hopkins, CEO, IOOF Seniors Homes.
The 2025 Young at Heart Motorcycle Ride will feature a scenic country route, BBQ lunch at the IOOF with residents and their families, entertainment, raffle prizes, games and special performance from local swing big band the Baytowne Big Band!
“We are honoured to be able to partner with the IOOF again this year for their 20th anniversary Ride. Our team at Barrie Harley-Davidson and the Huronia H.O.G. Chapter who help coordinate the route look forward to this event every year. We are so pleased as a family-owned local business to do what we can to support a Barrie charity that helps our community’s seniors,” remarked Kate Insley, Owner & Chief Operating Officer, Barrie Harley-Davidson.
Proceeds from the Young at Heart Ride support the IOOF’s redevelopment campaign to expand the long-term care home to a 226-bed facility. This initiative will modernize the long-term care facility at 10 Brooks Street in Barrie with 64 new long-term care beds, 66 upgraded beds, enhanced spaces, updated equipment, private rooms, and increased square footage. The IOOF Seniors Homes expects to complete the project in two phases by early 2028 to meet the growing needs of Ontario’s aging population.
With the incredible support of the community and through events like the Young at Heart Ride, the IOOF has raised over $1.5 million reaching 76% of their $2 million fundraising goal for the redevelopment campaign.
Thank you to our generous 2025 Ride Sponsors: (Location Sponsor) Barrie Harley-Davidson, (Open Road Sponsor) Royal ProResp Inc., (Cruising Sponsors) Caring Hands 4U Staffing Services, LiUNA Local 183, SJ Landscape (Blacktop Sponsors) Currie Truck Centre, Elevator One Inc., Home Care Assistance of Barrie, IBEW Local 353, Leslie Consulting Group, Midhurst Roofing Limited, Plumbtech Plumbing Inc., Surelock Homes Ltd., Versanet Solutions.
To register as a rider or to support visit IOOF.com or reach out to Elyse Martin, Capital Campaign Manager at 705-728-2389 ext. 315 or emartin@ioof.com. Registration fee is $50 to participate, and riders are encouraged to collect pledges. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the IOOF’s redevelopment campaign.
Caring is our reason for being…IOOF Seniors Homes Inc. (IOOF) is a not-for-profit organization, currently operating several facilities located in Barrie, Ontario, and has been serving the needs of Ontario residents for over 100 years. The IOOF provides exemplary accommodation, programs, and health care services to residents through an effective continuum of support that promotes independence and well-being through the latter stages of life.
Community Engagement Shines at Severn Sound Environmental Association’s Open House
Penetanguishene, Ontario – On Friday, August 15, 2025, the Severn Sound Environmental Association (SSEA) welcomed attendees from across the region to its Open House at the Penetanguishene Curling Club, celebrating environmental stewardship and collaboration across the Severn Sound watershed.
The event brought together community members from SSEA’s eight partner municipalities— Townships of Georgian Bay, Oro-Medonte, Severn, Springwater, Tay, and Tiny, and the Towns of Midland and Penetanguishene —for an afternoon of learning, connection, and hands-on education.
Participants engaged with SSEA staff through interactive displays and demonstrations. Highlights of the event included the Climate Camp booth, hosted by SSEA’s Sustainability and Climate Action Coordinator, which offered a warm and relaxed atmosphere for discussing climate change issues and local solutions; an invasive species table featuring specimens collected from around the park; and live demonstrations by SSEA’s water quality monitoring team at the waterfront. The afternoon also featured many meaningful conversations between community members, councillors, and SSEA staff, fostering connection and dialogue around environmental stewardship.
The event showcased the breadth of SSEA’s programs, with displays on inland lake and open water reporting, benthic sampling, source water protection, invasive species management, natural heritage and stewardship, climate change, and water quality monitoring. By SSEA
Tour Stunning Homes, Support Local Youth
Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Simcoe’s signature event The Showcase of Homes Tour is happening on Saturday October 4th from 9:30-4:30 showcasing beautiful homes across North Simcoe.
This annual fundraiser supports Big Brothers Big Sisters or North Simcoe in providing free intentional youth mentoring programs for local youth ages 6-18 years of age. As an agency with no sustainable government funding, we rely on our community and events to support our agency. Each year we serve over 200 youth in a variety of programs including 1:1 Community Match, In School Mentoring, and Group Programming.
This year we are excited to have a home in Elmvale on Showcase of Homes Tour. We have been working hard over the past few years to let residents of Springwater know that we are there to offer support to the local youth. We have matches at both Huronia Centennial Elementary School and Hillsdale Elementary School, and well as youth that attend our Big Bunch program and are on our waitlist for 1:1 Matches.
Tickets are one sale now, and can be purchased at The Tiny Art Shack, Saturday Afternoons, Arbours Flower Shoppe, or the Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Simcoe. Tickets are $45.00 until September 8th and then $50.00, a $10.00 lunch voucher is included with your ticket purchased that can be used at the following restaurants:
– 99 Bottles – Elmvale
– Test Batches – Midland
– Dino’s – Midland
– Dock Luck – Penetanguishene
– Wendy B’s – Lafonataine
For more information on this great community event call 705-526-5051 or visit our website northsimcoe.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca
Local Man Wins Twice in Split the Pot Lottery
By GBGH, Aug 21, 2025
Mike G of Waubaushene is all smiles after winning $1,000 in the Split the Pot Early Bird Draw on July 4, his second cash prize since May. Mike and his wife Nancy are proud supporters of the Georgian Bay General Hospital Foundation through the Split the Pot Lottery, helping fund equipment and technology for patient care close to home.