Plans to liven up its 500 parks with alcohol, music and picnics in Mississauga
Published June 6, 2023 at 3:22 pm
More live music and community picnics, a streamlined approvals process for licensed events and allowing people to drink alcohol in designated public spaces are all part of a sweeping plan being considered by Mississauga officials who want to liven up the city’s more than 500 public parks and other outdoor spaces.
Essentially, City of Mississauga officials want more people having more fun in public spaces, a notion voiced late last summer by Mayor Bonnie Crombie, who also asked senior staff at the time if they could look into ways to make it easier for community event organizers to get approvals from the City.
The mayor said in August 2022 that she wanted to streamline that process so more groups will be encouraged to bring more life to the parks.
A report entitled “Animating City of Mississauga Parks” to be discussed at tomorrow’s (June 7) meeting of general committee offers numerous ideas intended to do just that.
And the plan is to get the community more involved.
“While the City provides leadership for some programs that act as a catalyst for use and animation of parks throughout the year, community-led initiatives are essential to providing a variety and choice of activities to animate parks and engage Mississauga’s large and diverse population in a meaningful way,” the report, authored by Mississauga community services commissioner Jodi Robillos, states.
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In the report, staff suggests the creation of several pilot projects, among them an effort to get more people out picnicking in parks across the city.
Mississauga currently offers 30 large picnic sites at 12 parks that can be booked by the public. Those large picnic areas with shelters are popular with residents/community groups and get booked up quickly, the report notes.
A pilot project is being recommended that would add new small-capacity bookable picnic areas to Community Common Park in the downtown core, Lake Aquitaine Park in Meadowvale and J.C. Saddington Park on the lakeshore “…to provide more opportunities for residents to enjoy a backyard-type experience in parks.”
Another pilot study being called for involves music and entertainment being scheduled at more parks across Mississauga.
“Implementation of activities to advance the City’s Music Strategy such as the Live Music Grant Program, Summer Concert Series expansion to a new location at Cooksville Four Corners and Busk Stops will bring additional animation to parks across the City,” the report states.
“Staff are also working to designate park locations that can accommodate increased demand and streamline approvals for larger, licensed, ticketed live music events.”
For 2023, Lakeside Park, Totoredaca Park in Meadowvale and Erindale Park have been identified as pilot locations for such events.
In addition, City staff is also looking at ways to allow for personal alcohol consumption in certain areas, as a number of other Canadian municipalities allow.
“Recognizing that jurisdictions across Canada including Vancouver, Langley (B.C.), Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto are implementing initiatives to allow for personal alcohol consumption in designated public spaces and parks, staff will conduct further assessment and advise on how this may be addressed by the City of Mississauga in future years,” the report reads.
In August of last year, Crombie expressed her desire to see the city’s parks and other outdoor spaces filled to the brim with residents enjoying the amenities.
“I’m wondering if it’s possible to look at how we can reduce the number of approvals and how we can animate and activate our parks for the enjoyment of residents and to also support our local businesses so that they can continue to recover from the pandemic,” Crombie said to senior staff at an August 2022 meeting, her words prompting this week’s report.
“So, what I’m thinking about, in future, (are things like) beer gardens with live music and food vendors at our marquee parks during the summer months…it would be a great opportunity for us to show support for our local businesses and musicians while providing fun of a different kind…for our residents.”
Mayor Bonnie Crombie wants to make it easier for people and groups to hold summertime events across the city.
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