New Santa Claus parade will put Mississauga ‘back on the map’

It’s about time a Santa Claus parade returned to Mississauga’s downtown core, says one city councillor who believes the upcoming event is badly needed to raise people’s spirits.

Set to take place Nov. 22 in unison with Mississauga’s annual Christmas tree lighting event at Celebration Square, the new Santa Claus parade will follow a nighttime route through the downtown core starting at around 6 p.m.

“I think this will be something great, especially at a time when there’s so much negativity in the world,” Ward 1 Coun. Stephen Dasko said Wednesday at Mississauga city council, adding the parade will also be “great for civic pride” and beneficial economically as well.

The councillor noted a city the size of Mississauga must have a signature Santa Claus parade and that the holiday event in a couple of weeks “also puts us back on the map.”

Mayor Carolyn Parrish initiated efforts to bring a Christmas parade back to Mississauga’s downtown area and revealed preliminary plans for the event earlier this year.

Both the mayor and senior City of Mississauga staff said on Wednesday they expect the parade to go forward with minimal disruption to area residents and traffic.

Noting a downtown Mississauga Santa Claus parade years ago led to traffic disruption and “chaos” on and near Burnhamthorpe Road, Parrish said this year’s event has been planned “so it doesn’t block any cross streets for more than a minute or two.”

City staff added they’ve also communicated with condo residents in the downtown core about any traffic/parking impacts related to the parade, which will begin in the parking lot of Cineplex Cinemas next to Square One Shopping Centre.

Ward 4 Coun. John Kovac, who represents the area, suggested on Wednesday that in addition to efforts already made to inform people about impacts of the parade, the city should also distribute flyers in the next couple of weeks with similar information.

“I want it to go smoothly and I want everyone to have a good time,” he said.

In its early years decades ago, the Mississauga Santa Claus parade used various routes along sections of both Burnhamthorpe Road and Hurontario Street, ending at Square One.

The parade will cost around $250,000 this year, officials said, and the mayor noted that amount could be less in the years ahead.

The city expects the parade and tree lighting to “generate significant tourism and economic benefits including increased hotel occupancy, restaurant and retail spending, and enhanced media exposure for Mississauga.”