Barrie Police say unsanctioned truck rallies are becoming an unwelcome event, as over 500 people and 150 trucks gathered in the Georgian Mall Parking Lot over the weekend.
Police say this was the second event within the last two months, causing noise disruption, damage to private property, and dangerous driving.
The event happened on Saturday night on the north side of the Georgian Mall parking lot near the former Sears store.
“Communities across southern and central Ontario have expressed a desire to these enthusiasts that they’re not welcome in their communities,” said Peter Leon, Barrie police corporate communication coordinator.
“We’ve seen that in the Brampton area, where Mayor Patrick Brown made it very clear that they weren’t welcome, as well as residents in that area, and they’ve taken their show on the road. Regrettably, they’ve decided to come to Barrie now on two occasions.”
He said police believe this is the result of gatherings like this being pushed out of the communities further south, with people coming from as far away as Muskoka, Durham Region, and parts of the Greater Toronto Area.
“What started as a gathering of truck enthusiasts shortly after 6:00 p.m. quickly evolved into a chaotic scene of disrespect and total disregard for private property as a number of trucks, some of which were trailered to the parking lot area, began to do what is referred to brake stands, burnouts and peel outs,” police said in a statement.
Police say this activity created large plumes of smoke as burning rubber quickly filled the air and left visible marks on the parking lot surface, with the gathering not wrapping up until around midnight.
“These are unsanctioned activities, and these individuals are gathering and gathering unlawfully. They do not have the express permission of the property owner to be there, and they are trespassing first and foremost,” Leon said.
Officers from the Barrie police service traffic unit monitored the event at the scene, but Leon noted it can be hard to deal with gatherings of this size, especially when much of the driving happens on private property.
As some vehicles left, police could stop them on Bayfield Street, where provincial infractions were laid, including unnecessary noise and not having a muffler on a motor vehicle, police say.
During the night, curious on-lookers were seen climbing onto nearby construction equipment and the roof of the Mall, police said.
“The biggest challenge is the peer pressure that seems to come along with these events and the activities of individuals. It’s becoming very dangerous when you have a crowd of people in an area, and vehicles are doing what they’re doing, and there is the potential for a serious occurrence to take place,” Leon said.
Police say the unauthorized event concluded shortly after midnight with trucks, attendees and curious on-lookers leaving the area.
“Although no one was injured, the careless actions of many involved could have resulted in serious injuries as police observed not only the dangerous activity of the pickup truck drivers but there were also several dirt bikes being operated by people without helmets,” police said in a statement.
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