A new police station is now open in Mississauga

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Published August 24, 2020 at 7:10 pm

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After a months-long delay brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, a highly-anticipated police station has opened its doors in Mississauga. 

“Delightful Day! Malton’s COMMUNITY POLICE STATION has it’s doors open today! Repainted, restaffed, open for business,” Ward 5 Councillor Carolyn Parrish wrote on social media.

Late last year, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Parrish called for the reopening of a then-defunct police station in Malton after a high-profile, gang-related shooting rocked the neighbourhood and killed an innocent bystander.

The calls did not go unheard and on Nov. 13, 2019, Parrish took to Twitter to announce that Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan (Nish) Duraiappah promised to re-open the station.

On Feb. 4, 2020, Parrish took to Twitter to announce that a lease has been signed for Malton’s police station in Westwood Square. Parrish thanked local advocate, Ann Barclay, and her team for getting more than 3,000 signatures on the petition that was presented to the Peel Police Services Board and Duraiappah.

“Renovations are almost completed. The Village of Malton is looking forward to a grand celebration after almost 2 years with no onsite presence. Thanks to 3000+ petition,” Parrish wrote on Twitter. 

The station was anticipated to open in early March 2020, but the opening was delayed by the novel coronavirus and associated lockdown. 

The September 2019 shooting that ignited calls to reopen the station took place near an ice cream truck on Darcel Ave. The shooting claimed the life of 17-year-old Jonathan Davis. 

Five other victims, including a 13-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, two 17-year-old boys, and a 50-year-old woman, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

In early 2018, the Malton Community Station closed its doors in response to a 2017 review that was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the community stations that support the operational divisions throughout the region. At the time, it was determined that the Malton Community Station was no longer being used to its potential. The closure prompted some residents to express worry that crime would increase in the area as a result.

In a tweet, Parrish wrote that the reopening is the beginning of a planned expansion of the Westwood Police Substation.

The station officially reopened on Aug. 24. 

Cover photo courtesy of Peel Regional Police’s official Facebook page

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