Park Place

Park Place is a large-format outdoor shopping centre in the south end of Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Its present identity emerged from the redevelopment of a site with several distinct phases of industrial, entertainment, and commercial use. The property began as a brewery site in the late 1960s, later became known as Molson Park, hosted major outdoor concerts and festivals, and was ultimately converted into a retail power centre. The land was originally a 597-acre tract of farmland annexed from the Township of Innisfil by the City of Barrie for industrial development. Formosa Spring Brewery, whose existing plant in Formosa, Ontario, had reached its bottling capacity, established a new brewery on the site in 1967. Molson acquired the brewery and surrounding land in 1974. During the Molson era, the property included recreational amenities such as parkland and a baseball diamond, as well as a drive-through beer store serving motorists travelling along Highway 400 toward cottage country. The site gained a second identity in the live-music business. Beginning in 1987, it served as the principal Barrie-area destination for large outdoor festivals that attracted audiences from Toronto and elsewhere in southern Ontario. The venue, still generally called Molson Park, hosted Edgefest, Lollapalooza, the CFNY Canada Day Festival, Summersault, the Vans Warped Tour, and other events. Performers associated with the venue included the Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Aretha Franklin, Radiohead, Creed, 3 Doors Down, Pearl Jam, Neil Young, NOFX, and Oasis. A 1993 Canada Day concert featuring Van Halen, Kim Mitchell, and Vince Neil reportedly drew more than 50,000 people. The venue's final major period included the Barrie Live 8 concert on July 2, 2005. The brewery closed after changes to interprovincial alcohol-production regulations. The plant was abandoned in September 2000 after Molson ended operations; workers had occupied the facility in late 1999 in an unsuccessful effort to preserve their jobs. The former industrial buildings subsequently became the centre of a major criminal investigation. In January 2004, police discovered an illegal cannabis-growing operation estimated at approximately 30,000 plants. The investigation identified the former brewery as the main site of an operation that had allegedly been active for about two years and involved other properties in Ontario. The case led to arrests, criminal convictions, forfeiture litigation, and extensive public attention, although the cultivation operation was unrelated to the later retail identity of Park Place. After the property was sold to a commercial developer, it was renamed Park Place. Early plans announced around 2002 envisioned a more pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use commercial destination with hotels, an IMAX cinema, extensive landscaping, and reduced reliance on automobiles. North American Acquisition Inc., a subsidiary of North American Development Group, obtained approval for a revised rezoning proposal after winning an Ontario Municipal Board appeal on October 31, 2006. The project ultimately shifted toward a conventional power-centre format. The developer attributed the change in part to the economic conditions surrounding the 2008 downturn and the weakening of demand for fashion-oriented retail. The current Park Place complex is a vehicle-oriented retail destination with large-format stores and service businesses. Retailers identified with the centre include Best Buy, Marshalls, Cabela's, and LA Fitness. Its significance is therefore broader than that of a conventional shopping centre: Park Place occupies a site remembered as a brewery, a major Canadian concert venue, the location of a historically significant illicit cannabis operation, and a large-scale commercial redevelopment in Barrie.

Park Place occupies a site whose history began with industrial expansion in Barrie. In 1967, Formosa Spring Brewery sought additional production capacity after its original Formosa, Ontario, bottling operation had reached its limits. A 597-acre parcel of farmland was annexed from Innisfil by Barrie and selected for a new brewery. The facility initially operated under the Formosa name. Molson purchased the brewery and land in 1974. During the following decades, the property combined industrial activity with public-facing amenities. Molson established parkland and a baseball diamond and operated a drive-through beer store that was particularly convenient for motorists travelling north on Highway 400 toward Ontario's cottage regions. The property became nationally and regionally prominent as an outdoor music venue. In 1987, the Toronto-based Edgefest organizers were searching for a location capable of accommodating major open-air events. Although Molson Park was roughly 90 kilometres from Toronto, its scale and accessibility made it suitable. The first Edgefest at the site drew approximately 25,000 people and established Molson Park as a major festival venue. Organizers used unusually low ticket pricing to encourage audiences to make the trip to Barrie. From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, the venue hosted recurring festivals and touring events. Edgefest used the site from 1987 to 2003, while Lollapalooza appeared there between 1992 and 1996. Other events included the CFNY Canada Day Festival, the Great Canadian Party, Summersault, and the Vans Warped Tour. The site also hosted concerts by internationally known performers, including Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Oasis, Neil Young, Aretha Franklin, the Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Creed, 3 Doors Down, and NOFX. A 1993 Canada Day event featuring Van Halen, Kim Mitchell, and Vince Neil reportedly attracted more than 50,000 people. Changes in interprovincial alcohol-production rules contributed to the brewery's closure. Molson ended operations in September 2000, after employees had occupied the plant in late 1999 as a last attempt to save their jobs. The abandoned property then entered a troubled transitional period. In January 2004, authorities found an extensive illegal cannabis cultivation operation in the former plant. Investigators estimated that roughly 30,000 plants were being grown, with an alleged street value of approximately 30 million Canadian dollars. The investigation also connected the operation to properties in Oro-Medonte Township and St. Catharines. Criminal prosecutions followed, including the eventual conviction of Robert DeRosa, who received a seven-year prison sentence. The case also produced asset-seizure litigation concerning proceeds from the sale of the property. After the brewery land was sold to a commercial developer, the site was renamed Park Place. Plans released in 2002 envisioned a highly landscaped, pedestrian-focused destination incorporating hotels and an IMAX cinema. The scheme was later altered. North American Acquisition Inc., a subsidiary of North American Development Group, appealed Barrie's refusal to rezone the property and won before the Ontario Municipal Board on October 31, 2006. The approved framework enabled business-park and commercial development. The final project moved away from the original lifestyle-centre concept and toward a vehicle-oriented power centre dominated by large-format retailers. The developer attributed this change to the 2008 economic downturn and deteriorating prospects for fashion retail. The concert era ended as commercial construction proceeded, although the site continued to be associated with major events for a time; the Barrie Live 8 concert was held there on July 2, 2005. Park Place now functions as a retail centre serving Barrie and nearby communities, with tenants and offerings including Best Buy, Marshalls, Cabela's, and LA Fitness.

• 2014

  Proceeds litigation concludes

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  Vince DeRosa won rights to proceeds from the sale of the former plant after litigation connected with the criminal investigation.

• 2006

  Rezoning appeal succeeds

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  North American Acquisition Inc. won approval of its appeal to permit commercial and mixed-employment redevelopment.

• 2005

  Barrie Live 8 concert

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  The former Molson Park site hosted the Barrie Live 8 concert on July 2.

• 2004

  Illegal cannabis operation discovered

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  Authorities found approximately 30,000 cannabis plants in the former brewery, leading to a major criminal investigation.

• 2000

  Brewery operations end

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  Molson closed and abandoned the brewery after regulatory changes affecting interprovincial alcohol production.

• 1993

  Large Canada Day concert

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  A Canada Day concert featuring Van Halen, Kim Mitchell, and Vince Neil reportedly drew more than 50,000 people.

• 1987

  Molson Park becomes a major outdoor concert venue

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  The first Edgefest at Molson Park attracted about 25,000 attendees and established the property as a major festival venue.

• 1974

  Molson acquires the brewery and property

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  Molson purchased the brewery and land, later adding parkland, a baseball diamond, and a drive-through beer store.

• 1967

  Formosa Spring Brewery establishes Barrie-area plant

  [1]Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org

  A new brewery was established on a large tract of farmland annexed by Barrie to support Formosa Spring Brewery's expansion.

A highway-accessible, large-format outdoor power centre serving Barrie and surrounding Central Ontario communities.

• Consumer electronics retail

  Best Buy

  A large-format electronics retailer identified as a current Park Place tenant. Its typical assortment includes consumer technology, appliances, entertainment hardware, computing products, and related services.

• Off-price apparel and home retail

  Marshalls

  An off-price retailer operating at Park Place. The store's assortment generally centres on discounted apparel, footwear, accessories, and home merchandise.

• Outdoor recreation retail

  Cabela's

  An outdoor-oriented large-format retailer identified with the centre. Its product focus includes hunting, fishing, camping, outdoor clothing, and related recreational equipment.

• Fitness services

  LA Fitness

  A fitness and health-club business listed among the current Park Place occupants, offering membership-based exercise facilities and related programming.

• 2004

  Illegal cannabis cultivation at former brewery

  Authorities discovered an estimated 30,000 cannabis plants in the abandoned former Molson brewery. The operation allegedly ran for about two years and resulted in multiple arrests and prosecutions.

  Source

Read more

• 2005Barrie Live 8

  Ontario · Canada

  The former Molson Park site hosted a Barrie Live 8 concert on July 2, 2005.

  Outcome. The event was among the site's last notable large-scale concert activities before commercial redevelopment.

  Source
• 2000Vans Warped Tour at Molson Park

  Ontario · Canada

  The Vans Warped Tour included Molson Park among its Canadian outdoor-event locations.

  Outcome. The venue continued hosting touring youth-music festivals during its final operating period.

  Source
• 1992Lollapalooza at Molson Park

  Ontario · Canada

  Lollapalooza used Molson Park as an outdoor festival location from 1992 through 1996.

  Outcome. The booking reinforced the venue's role in large-scale touring music.

  Source
• 1987Edgefest at Molson Park

  Ontario · Canada

  The inaugural Barrie Edgefest demonstrated that Molson Park could support large Toronto-area audiences despite its distance from the city.

  Outcome. The event established the site as a recurring outdoor-festival destination.

  Source

• 2008

  Shift from lifestyle centre to power centreStrategy

  Background

  The developer stated that the economic downturn and weaker fashion-retail conditions made the earlier concept less practical.

  Action taken

  The project was repositioned around large-format, box-store retail rather than a fashion-oriented pedestrian centre.

  Aftermath

  Park Place developed into an outdoor power centre anchored by major retail and service tenants.

  Source

• 2006

  Rezoning approval for commercial redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  Barrie had opposed rezoning partly because the project would consume industrial land while producing mainly retail employment.

  Action taken

  North American Acquisition Inc. appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board and won approval for business-park, commercial, and mixed-employment uses.

  Aftermath

  The decision enabled construction of the present retail complex.

  Source

• 2002

  Initial pedestrian-focused redevelopment conceptStrategy

  Background

  Early Park Place plans sought to transform the former industrial and entertainment site into a landscaped, pedestrian-oriented commercial destination.

  Action taken

  The concept included hotels, an IMAX cinema, and a less automobile-dominated layout.

  Aftermath

  The original lifestyle-centre concept was later replaced by a power-centre approach.

  Source

1. 1Park Place (Barrie)en.wikipedia.org