Osmington Developments appealed to Barrie council this week to have the city deliver promises about infrastructure, before the company’s deal to buy The Event Centre closes.

“Our due diligence is soon expiring on The Event Centre and other additional lands. Anybody who’s driven up or down Highway 400 can’t help but see the prominence of the site. It’s the gateway to your city. It’s an entrance to your downtown,” Lawrence Zucker told council.

“It’s certainly, in our view, should be treated quite specially.”

Last week, councillors rejected a staff recommendation the city write a letter giving certain assurances to Osmington, including expediting the site plan, completing road improvements by next spring before construction of the new retail centre is to start, and front-ending costs associated with highway interchange improvements. Instead, councillors opted to make Osmington and two other companies with developments adjacent to Highway 400 pay upfront for the costs.

Zucker argued that his company deserves special treatment; Park Place, the developer of the old Molson Park, required a rezoning, as did Mady, the developer of a north-end site that will feature a Home Depot.

Osmington has assembled four parcels: The Event Centre, a strip plaza on Essa Road, a 22-acre parcel on Wood Street once occupied by DeVilbiss, and a Tiffin Street property to provide an auxiliary access.

The company plans to construct a pedestrian-friendly retail village, with a streetscape and architectural features that honour the site’s history as a raceway and fairgrounds. Preliminary drawing shows high, sloped roofs with spires, arched gateways, and sculptures.

Based on the raceway theme, store entrances will be recessed to allow shoppers to walk under a canopy to shield them from the elements. “The whole idea is to bring a theme, as opposed to an atypical retail development,” Zucker said of the 425,000-square-foot development that will be constructed in a U-shape and feature three larger, anchor stores, as well as a variety of small retail, banks and restaurants.

Zucker said for the development to occur, Barrie needs to make a commitment to do its part to upgrade the area.

“Treating everybody equally doesn’t mean you’re treating everybody fairly. We’re buying a zoned for retail site. It’s been zoned for 25 years for just this type of development. The expectation is that all infrastructure is in place,” he said.

“We’re buying retail land and we’re paying a fortune for it.

The reports have been sent back to city staff for more work, on the issue of assurances and on the city’s 10-year capital plan. Barrie, however, stressed it cannot afford to front-end Highway 400 interchange costs, should all three developments proceed together.