People are fighting to stop demolition of Ontario diner around for over 60 years
The Midway Diner in Barrie, Ontario, has been an iconic landmark for generations, but this retro landmark, which has served breakfast staples since the 1960s, is now facing the threat of demolition.
A change.org petition posted by local resident Arnie Ivsins is calling for a stop to the impending demolition planned by the City, citing the diner as a vital piece of Barrie's rich history and identity.
"The Midway not only serves as a reminder of Barrie's early days, but also offers a sense of continuity and belonging in our rapidly changing city," the petition reads.
Interior of the Midway Diner. Photo: change.org
The campaign calls on Barrie's City Council, as well as heritage conservation authorities and community leaders, to take action to stop the demolition.
According to the City of Barrie, the site is required for an infrastructure project related to the city's water treatment plant. The diner will have to be demolished so the space can be used for the Wastewater Innovation Centre, with no set completion date currently released.
The City describes the new centre as a "New mixed-use facility consisting of administrative, operational, maintenance, and related spaces to support growth and demand to treat wastewater in Barrie."
The diner is a tangible link to Barrie's historic past: it's the oldest operating restaurant in the city, and the building itself has welcomed visitors in some form or another since 1895.
Before the restaurant, it housed McGowan's General Store and was later reopened by different owners as a diner in 1962. Owner Matthew Jones took over the property in 2004 after it had been mostly abandoned and left to decay.
Today, the diner is a local favourite serving pancakes, soups, sandwiches and other diner specialties, named for its location midway between south and north Barrie.
Jones admits he had a feeling the demolition could happen soon, though he didn't think it would come so suddenly.
"They had sort of told me it could be years down the line," he said. "But I thought I would have enough time to retire here."
Before the diner, the building was used as a grocery store. Photo by Barrie Historical Archives/Instagram.
However, for Jones, the diner is more than just a place to serve his loyal customers. He also calls the building home, living above the diner and at risk of losing his both his homestead and a restaurant he has run for 20 years.
According to Jones, previous owners of the space have also resided above the business. "Even before me, I know the owners lived upstairs," he said.
In addition to being a place to grab a bite, the diner has long offered a sense of community for residents in Barrie. Jones said that he has current customers who began visiting the diner decades before he owned it.
"People have been coming here forever," he said. "Everyone knows everyone."
View of the Midway Diner. Photo by Matthew Jones
As of Friday, the petition is just shy of 2,000 signatures, but Jones says he can't plan his next steps around that alone.
"The ultimate goal would be to have the petition to work and for the City to change its mind," he said. "But I honestly can't count on that."
When and if the diner meets its demise, Jones said he'll have to relocate the diner elsewhere, bringing all his equipment, chairs and tables with him.
"I knew I wasn't going to be here forever," he said. "The wrecking ball's coming, so I better not be here when it does."
Midway Diner
