Lakehead University’s Barrie STEM Hub to open this fall

Lakehead University's STEM hub coming to downtown Barrie is on track to open later this year.

The downtown landscape is changing as the former Barrie Transit Terminal continues to see an interior overhaul and the city prepares the welcome Lakehead University’s STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Hub.

Lakehead University’s Interim Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, David Barnett, along with Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall received a tour showing the progress of the build on Thursday.

“To really see the transformation (and) we’re going to have four really state of the art labs here to for our learners, in a variety of programs,” said Barnett.

The Barrie STEM Hub will feature four undergraduate programs and graduate programs at two locations, 24 Maple Street and 5 Ross Street.

“We’ll have electrical engineering, mechatronics engineering and software engineering and computer science,” said Barnett.

“And then we’ll also have some graduate students here in, electrical and computer science areas doing research, at the master’s level and the PhD,” Barnett added.

He said the new programs will target the industries in Barrie and the surrounding region.

“When you think about the offerings here and the students and what they’re going to learn and the certifications they’re going to get, these are lifetime careers and it’s really attached to the industry and the manufacturing base that we have in this city,” said Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall

Between the two new campuses, hundreds of students are expected.

“We’re probably looking at a capacity of 700 to 800 students in this facility combined with the 5 Ross Street facility, when we’re fully up and running,” said Barnett.

Slowly, classrooms and labs are also coming together.

“Seeing the machinery come in, the classrooms take shape and the beautiful space the students are going to have,” said Nuttall. “Across the street from Lake Simcoe and in our old transit terminal.”

This project, along with Georgian College campuses around the city turning Barrie into an educational hub, Nuttal says.

“We’re seeing in the City of Barrie is a place where you can raise a family, where your children can get educated and they can get those career jobs are looking for,” said Nuttall. “Once they’ve received their education, and then they can go and raise their own family.”

School officials said the final touches on the building will be completed in late August and welcome students in September for the fall semester.