Bayfield Mall’s reputation as a ‘dead mall’ lingered over Barrie’s north end like a stubborn shadow, but signs of life are starting to emerge amid the thrum of construction and anticipation.
In recent months, Sky Development Group has bet big on revival. At the helm, Teekay Akinyemi, director of property management, points to the 480,000-square-foot site on Bayfield Street—not merely as real estate, but as a piece of local history that deserves more than faded memories and vacant storefronts. The company’s investment marks a sharp departure from the narrative of decline that once defined the space.
What exactly is changing? For a start, Sky Development has orchestrated a roster shakeup. Familiar names like Dollarama prepare to relaunch at the front of the mall, while newcomers—Royal Tea, Power Yoga, and Sansotei Ramen—signal a new kind of energy. Upcoming arrivals are set to fill the second floor and exterior, including family entertainment, food, and even a medical clinic, promising to attract both loyal regulars and a new generation of shoppers.
The transformation reaches beyond tenants. New commercial units, known as pad sites, are planned for the sprawling parking lot, while the mall’s façade receives a modern facelift. Even the 170,000-square-foot roof has been replaced—an unglamorous but essential move toward long-term stability. These visible changes, according to Akinyemi, are part of a wider push to show that the mall is “still a safe place for them to come. It’s not dead.”
Vacancy rates have posed a stubborn challenge, but with a strategy focused on attracting diverse businesses, the company hopes to spark renewed foot traffic and local spending. Akinyemi’s message to the community is clear: “We are not giving up. As an organization, we are always looking for opportunities. We want to bring life to the community and show people that we believe that properties that are dead, can be revitalized.” The stakes are more than financial—they are about restoring a gathering place and bolstering Barrie’s commercial core.
With more openings on the calendar and construction dust settling, Sky Development Group’s gamble on transformation is underway. Barrie, it seems, is being asked to reconsider what a community mall can become.
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Bayfield Mall aims to shed ‘dead mall’ label with major overhaul
