Small park crucial in getting new sports complex built in Mississauga: mayor

The shovel is finally in the ground for a new track and field facility in Mississauga that’s been talked about for seven years — and a small city park was key to getting the deal done, the mayor says.

Construction of the $3.3-million lit sports facility to be located at Anaka Park, next to Ascension of Our Lord Secondary School in Malton, officially began on April 29 when City of Mississauga and school board officials gathered for the groundbreaking of the joint-use complex.

While Mayor Carolyn Parrish applauded the milestone, she said the project took much too long to come together and, in the end, the plan took shape because the city offered one of its parks as part of the deal.

She added the major project, a joint effort of the city, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Ministry of Education, should have been completed sooner but for the school board dragging its heels.

“This is the one that has taken us seven years to try and give a park to the (Dufferin-Peel board), and they steadfastly refused it by telling us they wanted a dome and they wanted this and they wanted that,” Parrish told city council last week.

Anaka Park improvements include a multi-use artificial turf field with a four-lane running track, a new playground and fitness facility, and buffer tree plantings along the north and west perimeters. (Image: City of Mississauga)

In the end, the mayor offered, the city deserves the bulk of the credit for getting the deal done and the shovels in the ground.

“We have to be proud of what we do,” Parrish said of the city’s contributions — the park and money — to the project, a facility, she noted, the school board wouldn’t have without the city coming to the table.

“They would never get that. That was a high school that was built on an elementary (school) site. It was too small; the piece of land they had they put portables on. We had a little community park in the back and we agreed, for seven years, to do a joint-use agreement and they just refused to keep signing it and they refused to put their money into it.”

The mayor did give credit, though, to the chair of the Dufferin-Peel board, Luz del Rosario.

“She’s the one that finally pushed it through, so that we got the Dufferin-Peel money.”

“Exciting project” will provide recreational opportunities

In announcing the groundbreaking two weeks ago, city officials said “this exciting project is a collaborative effort … aimed at enhancing recreational opportunities for students and the community.”

The joint-use facility, which when completed will feature a lit artificial turf field and synthetic four-lane track, was given the unanimous green light by city councillors in March 2023 and was at that point expected to open to the public in 2024.

However, unspecified delays ensued and the city didn’t take plans to the public for feedback until a March 2024 open house.

Ontario’s Ministry of Education has approved $2 million in funding for the project. It’s unclear how, specifically, the city and school board split the remaining cost of the new facility, which is to be used by the school and school board during school hours and open to use by scores of others across Mississauga on evenings, weekends and holidays.

During public discussion about the planned sports facility in March 2023, Parrish, who at that time was Ward 5 councillor, didn’t mince words in expressing her relief that the project finally appeared to be leaving the starting gate.

“This has been worse than birthing five elephants. I’ve never seen anything take this long,” Parrish said at the time, noting unrealistic expectations of school staff and an initial reluctance of the school board to part ways with its share of the cash led to numerous earlier delays.

An earlier report from city staff recommending the facility proceed concluded that such “shared-use facilities are a cost-effective strategy for providing access to new park facilities.”

Other components of the new sports complex include:

• long jump and triple jump facilities
• spectator bleachers
• extra seating areas
• updated playground with new play structure, improved accessibility and a sandbox
• new outdoor fitness facility
• improved pathway connections
• newly planted trees between the park and surrounding homes

(Cover image: City of Mississauga)