The J.C. Massie Field is a multi-use artificial turf field located in Barrie, Ontario on the Georgian College Campus. A large brick and mortar archway bears the name of one of Barrie’s most passionate fans. Mr. Massie’s son, the Hon. Col. Jamie Massie and his daughter Marilyn Booth dedicated the arch opening onto the playing field.
“What an honour it is for the Massie family to honour our father at the opening of the J.C. Field at Georgian College,” said Booth, who is a member of the college’s board of directors. “We would like you to know he would be so, so proud to be here, surrounded by the very parts of life he valued most; family, education, youth, sport and hard work – and always giving all the time, more than he got.”
The field played host to its first football game on September 22, 2017, between Barrie North Collegiate and Eastview Secondary School. It currently serves as the home to Georgian College athletics, the Simcoe County Rovers FC, and high school football and soccer.
The Massie family provided support in the development and completion of the field to include a digital scoreboard and full lighting to allow for evening games. Support was provided in the form of a $500,000 donation in the late J.C. Massie’s name.
The field continues to grow in popularity and in 2021 became the home pitch of the Simcoe County Rovers FC. The soccer club competes in the semi-professional, League1 Ontario, in both the men’s and women’s divisions, with the men’s team reaching the league semi-finals in their first season.