Townhouses For Sale in Allandale, Barrie

A railway town by the bay

Allandale was once part of Innisfil Township and was annexed by Barrie in 1896. It grew around the Grand Trunk rail yard, and the historic station is still a local landmark. Today Allandale Waterfront GO, opened in 2012, is the end of the Barrie line.

More than half of the homes were built before 1960. Detached houses, duplexes and low-rise apartments dominate, and older census data showed almost no row housing. Any townhouse here is likely a recent infill project or a small condo complex.

The neighbourhood has a heritage walking tour, and many of its older homes and commercial buildings date from the railway era. That history is part of the appeal but also means older lots, narrow driveways and limited room for new construction.

The GO commuter's townhouse

Allandale's appeal for a townhouse buyer is location. You can walk to the train, to the south-shore waterfront path and to the shops on Essa Road and Tiffin Street. For a GTA buyer who wants to drop to one car, this is one of the few Barrie areas where it is realistic.

Remember the line runs at peak times on weekdays, with buses to Aurora at other hours, and a few trains each way on weekends.

Allandale or a south-end subdivision?

Buyers moving from Toronto often like Allandale because it feels like an older city neighbourhood: you can walk to the train, the water and a diner. The trade-offs are real, though.

• Choice. Few townhouses come up here, so you may wait. The south end has far more.
• Space. Infill townhouses often have smaller footprints and more stairs than suburban rows.
• Parking. Expect a single space in many infill projects, and remember the city's winter overnight street parking restrictions.
• Transit. Allandale Waterfront GO is close, and Barrie Transit's Allandale terminal links to the rest of the city.

For a single person or couple who commutes by train and does not need much storage, Allandale can work very well. Families with two cars usually find the south end easier.

Questions to ask on an Allandale townhouse

• Is it new or converted? Infill and conversions have very different construction histories. Ask for permits and, for new builds, Tarion details.
• Condo or freehold? Small infill projects are often condos with modest reserve funds.
• Rail noise. Units near the tracks and the yard may hear trains. Visit at different times.
• Parking. Some infill units have a single space or tandem parking.

Also look up any active planning applications near the address on the City of Barrie's website. In an older area close to the station and the waterfront, a vacant lot or an older commercial building next door can turn into a construction site, and it is better to know before you firm up.

Parks and the waterfront

The parkland along the bay includes a walking and cycling path, and Allandale has a recreation centre and a couple of local parks. The Southshore Community Centre, in a former railway building, sits on the water.

For daily life, the waterfront is the reason to be here. You can walk or cycle along the bay toward downtown, and the path continues along the south shore. In summer, that makes a small townhouse with little outdoor space easier to live with, since the bay effectively becomes your yard.