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GOing the distance for train travel
by Chris Simon

With rail service between Barrie and Bradford expected to resume in January, where's Innisfil's train station?

During a recent town budget meeting, council heard about construction, maintenance and renovation projects that will be taking place throughout the municipality over the next five years. Included on that list is a plan to build a GO Transit commuter station, so local residents will be able to board trains headed to the Greater Toronto Area via Bradford.

It's a project that needs to be approved as soon as possible.

The goal of the new passenger service is to take the burden off over stressed commuter routes leading to Toronto, most notably highways 400 and 404.

The new service is expected to transport between 300 and 400 passengers per day, on board four morning and four evening trains. It's supposed to be an easy and affordable option, providing a viable alternative for Toronto-bound commuters.

But the service is limited, as GO tests its marketplace. A new train station in Innisfil would give town residents a convenient, inexpensive and fast alternative to highway driving. It might spur more interest in the service, and push GO into expanding the number of trains it has in the area, making boarding times more convenient for passengers looking to travel not just to Toronto, but also into Barrie.

It could be a marketing gem for the local economy, offering easily accessible shopping and job opportunities in Barrie to Innisfil residents. It may also help encourage residential growth in the town, with public transportation acting as an easy sales pitch for working families who are looking to move to the area. More development charges and property taxes lead to larger municipal coffers and, at least in theory, better social services and a higher quality of life.

Many major European cities like Paris, Berlin and Munich have similar rail networks set up, allowing cheap access between smaller suburban towns and the main city core. It works two ways, with workers headed to the city for jobs, and tourists coming from the urban core.

Right now, it's not that appealing for town residents to drive 20 to 30 minutes into either Barrie or Bradford, park their cars and board a train. They might as well just drive the extra distance to Toronto.

The lack of train service may also cause safety issues. While GO launched a public safety and awareness campaign specifically targeting the South Simcoe region, will people in Innisfil pay attention and heed warnings?

Unless something directly affects a person, they generally don't care. And train service has been gone from this area for so long, that older residents have probably stopped slowing down at tracks/road intersections. Young drivers have grown up in an era where they really don't need to pay attention before crossing local tracks. And GO service, at this point, is probably seen as something mostly Barrie residents will enjoy. Any material being distributed by GO throughout the town may be mostly disregarded and seen as a Barrie issue.

A town train station could be a necessary and valuable resource as this town continues to grow.