How Holly Community STARTED

All about the Holly Area in Barrie, Ontario

It's easy to look around at how things are today and assume that places, streets and structures have always been there, and always been that way. But if you do a little bit more digging, you'll quickly find that there are a lot of historical quirks and idiosyncrasies behind the various places that surround people today. Take the Holly area in Barrie, Ontario as an example. On the surface, it has many similarities to other locations throughout Ontario. But when you stop to take a closer look, you'll find characteristics that help this place to stand out.

How the Holly Community Got Started

The history of where this community got its name goes all the way back to the 1870's when a post office was set up in the location and given the name of Holly. It got its name from William Carruthers Little, who at that time was the Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for Simcoe South. Little was actually born in England, and then he did work in Australia before he settled down in Canada in the 1800's. That said; the history of human occupation in the Holly area goes way before then.

Archaeological work in Holly has consistently found evidence of much earlier human presence and habitation. For example, in the late 90's, excavations in the area uncovered Iroquoian houses, agriculture-related artefacts, ceramics, weapons, jewellery and more. Other evidence also points to the possibility that Huron and Algonquian settlers once lived in this area.

The Holly Community Today

This community has continued to grow and it remains one of the most important and interesting areas in the City of Barrie. It contains the Holly Community Centre, which is one of the largest and most comprehensive facilities of its kind in Barrie. The centre has two pools, one for small kids and another for older residents. That larger pool comes with its own water slide, water cannons, diving boards, and other fixtures to make frolicking in the pool that much more fun. The centre also has two arena areas and each one can hold more than three hundred people, making them great for larger sports-related activities. The list of amenities goes on, including an air conditioned gym, several conference rooms, a multipurpose hall, fitness and child care centres, and much more.

Holly also has much to offer people who enjoy being out in the midst of nature. From the Holly Community Centre, you can cross the street and start walking down a hiking trail, which offers 17 kilometres of natural beauty in environmentally protected areas. No vehicles are allowed on these trails, so they offer a great experience for people looking to walk or hike in relative peace and tranquillity.