64-acre conservation area will open nearly a year later than planned in Mississauga

The opening of a new conservation area in Mississauga that’s being billed as an environmental “gem” has been delayed by 10 months.

Initially expected to open to the public this July, the 64-acre Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area being developed along Mississauga’s waterfront is now scheduled to open in May 2026, project leaders say.

“This adjustment will provide us with the additional time needed to complete vital public realm installations, ensuring that the site is fully prepared to offer a safe, accessible and enriching experience for all visitors,” Terri LeRoux, Credit Valley Conservation director of parks, lands and community engagement, told INsauga.com in an email on Wednesday. “These public realm elements are crucial to enhancing the visitor experience while maintaining the integrity of this important conservation area, which will support both ecological restoration and public enjoyment.”

The result of a partnership between Credit Valley Conservation, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Region of Peel, the new $59-million conservation area will feature an accessible network of trails, boardwalks, lookouts and scenic gathering spaces, those involved in the project say.

Project is “unique” within Great Lakes region

The cities of Mississauga and Toronto have also contributed to the massive undertaking officials have said will bring an environmental “gem” to Canada’s seventh-largest city.

“The scale and impact of this project is unique within the Great Lakes region; it is the only project of its kind happening in this area,” CVC officials said in a project update in December. “It will be a major greenspace asset to the city of Mississauga and Peel, supporting healthy communities by connecting over nine kilometres of waterfront trail.”

Those who attended an open house in early December were brought up to date on progress being made in developing the area.

Mississauga Ward 1 Coun. Stephen Dasko, in a post to social media, described the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area as “an incredible collaborative initiative that will be 64 acres along Mississauga’s shoreline.”

Construction of the new trails and other park infrastructure began in fall 2023.

Scenic connections to the lake

Project leaders have said their more recent focus has been on “creating a unique space for the public to enjoy” once the conservation area opens.

“Through consultation with our Indigenous partners, community advisory members and partner organizations, we‘re planning to build an accessible network of trails, boardwalks, lookouts and gathering spaces,” CVC said in an earlier project update. “These new amenities will provide scenic connections to the lake, wetlands, grasslands and forest environments at the conservation area, showcasing the diverse cultural and ecological history of the site.”

Aerial view of the site. (Photo: Credit Valley Conservation)

Once completed, one of the main features of the area will be a 3.77-kilometre network of new trails. Included in that is the Waterfront Trail, a 5.5-metre-wide multi-use lane to span the conservation area from Marie Curtis Park in the east to the future Lakeview Village community in the west.

Another new feature officials are eagerly anticipating is a promontory that will be situated 14 metres above lake level at the highest point in the conservation area.

They say it will “boast a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding greenspace, city skyline and Lake Ontario. This feature will be visible across (the conservation area) and will offer unique views along the shoreline.”

Other new features include:

• a teaching amphitheatre
• a 170-metre wooden boardwalk and viewing platform
• public access to a historic 123-year-old barge

Work on the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area has not gone unnoticed in industry circles.

The ongoing project was the winner of one of 2022’s Brownie Awards, which each year recognize and celebrate organizations, people and projects across Canada that are dedicated to rehabilitating brownfield sites that were once contaminated, under-utilized and underdeveloped.

The Jim Tovey conservation project won the “Reach Out” award for excellence in communications, marketing and public engagement.

Preliminary layout of the new conservation area.

Beyond the project partners, the cities of Mississauga and Toronto in addition to other organizations that include Lakeview Community Partners, builders of the nearby massive Lakeview Village community, also support the project that will create a new conservation area along the Lake Ontario shoreline in east Mississauga.

Built on a previously degraded section of shoreline and named for the late Mississauga councillor who worked to bring the project to fruition, the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area reuses construction rubble and fill as a sustainable resource to create a greenspace that will connect the community back to Lake Ontario, project leaders say.

The new waterfront park/conservation area will provide 64 acres of greenspace featuring large coastal wetlands, meadows, beachfront and forested habitats as well as an enhanced shoreline for residents and wildlife, including migratory species and fish, project officials say.

Connect with nature

“Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with nature as they observe and explore key wildlife habitat through a new and expanded network of pathways, bike lanes, trails and pedestrian bridges,” CVC officials say in an online project description.

LeRoux said the delayed opening will be worth the wait.

“We are excited about the continued development of this unique space and appreciate the public’s understanding and patience as we work to deliver a world-class natural destination. The conservation area will provide new opportunities for environmental education, outdoor recreation and connection to nature once completed.”

Lakeview Village and the Jim Tovey conservation area are being developed on the site that was once home to the Lakeview Generating Station. It was shut down in 2005 complete with the controlled demolition of the iconic smokestacks known for decades as “The Four Sisters.”