A mountain of outdoor opportunities rises in Barrie, ON

Mountain Equipment Co-op's new store will serve the Simcoe County area

TORONTO, Nov. 17 /CNW/ - Barrie residents woke up this morning to a mountain of self-propelled outdoor recreation possibilities as Mountain Equipment Co-op™ (MEC), Canada's largest co-operative and leading outdoor retailer, opened its fourteenth store. The new store is located at 61 Bryne Drive, just west of Highway 400 at Essa Road.

"MEC exists to provide our members with quality clothing and equipment to support a broad range of self-propelled outdoor activities," said David Labistour, CEO, MEC. "The new Barrie store is uniquely positioned to serve the members of Simcoe County, who have nature's playground in their own backyard, as well as Ontarians who frequent the area to pursue their outdoor recreation interests."

The MEC Barrie store will serve more than 390,000 residents living in Simcoe County - an area known for its natural beauty and frequented by those seeking to participate in self-propelled outdoor recreational pursuits. Simcoe County and the nearby Niagara Escarpment boast world-class rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, biking and hiking along the Bruce Trail. In the winter months, it is a premier destination for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The new store will have a special focus on cycling, including a full-service bike shop to support members' needs for repairs or the installation of parts and accessories. With hundreds of nearby trails and rural roads, MEC members can participate in challenging scenic rides or family friendly bike trips. 

The new store will employ approximately 50 people, ranging from management to frontline staff. Staffing will increase during holiday and seasonal peaks to meet member demand. The total floor space of the store is 20,000 sq.-ft., with 13,000 sq.-ft dedicated to retail shopping.

"We look forward to providing our Barrie and Simcoe County members with expert knowledge and products that they can use to explore their own backyards," said Melanie Sander, store manager, MEC Barrie. "The Barrie store will serve our outstanding outdoor recreation area, ideally located at the gateway to Northern Ontario and cottage country."

Environmental sustainability has been at the core of MEC's business operations since the beginning, and the Barrie store development was no exception. Among other green building features, the store includes a rooftop photovoltaic array for onsite power generation, ground-source heat pumps for heating and cooling and an innovative saw-tooth roof with extensive glazing to flood the retail floor with natural light. The objective was to make the store 70 per cent more efficient than the average retail building.

The store will also respect the native landscape by featuring both native and naturalized trees and a variety of grasses, perennials and ground cover. Flowering and food bearing species have been selected to enhance the local bird and insect habitat. Mixed meadow grass plantings will be used in place of traditional lawn plantings.

The MEC Barrie store is the outdoor retailer's fourth location in Ontario, after Toronto, Ottawa and Burlington. As part of its multi-channel retail offering, MEC now operates 14 stores across Canada as well as www.mec.ca.

About Mountain Equipment Co-op

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) is Canada's leading retailer of outdoor clothing, gear and services for self-propelled activities like hiking, cycling and snow sports. Established in 1971, MEC currently operates 14 destination stores in central locations across Canada. MEC has more than 3 million members throughout Canada and around the world. Widely recognized for its commitment to sustainability, MEC is a member of 1% for the Planet and supports various community-based outdoor and environmental initiatives through its community grants program. Anyone can join MEC and become part-owner in the Co-op, by purchasing a $5 lifetime individual membership. Members are entitled to buy gear and to vote on how MEC is governed. More information about MEC is available at www.mec.ca.

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