City officials and police are preparing to tell residents what steps they’re taking to make a large plaza in Mississauga’s west end “safer” and as a result restore “peace and order” to the surrounding residential neighbourhood.
Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden said a community meeting she’s hosting on March 11 will inform residents and others about the “extensive efforts” City of Mississauga council and staff have undertaken to address the “long-standing issues at Ridgeway Plaza.”
The plaza, located just outside McFadden’s ward in west Erin Mills, has become known since opening in 2022 for “dangerous nuisance gatherings,” excessive noise, street racing, parking concerns and other issues, city officials have said.
“The plaza is located in Ward 8; however, many Ward 10 residents living in the adjacent neighbourhood are impacted,” the Mississauga councillor said in an email update to the community announcing details of the upcoming public meeting.
“This will be your opportunity to ask questions and find out more about what is being done to make the commercial area safer and restore peace and order to the surrounding residential neighbourhood.”
Peel Regional Police officers, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services in addition to officials with the city’s planning, parking, traffic and enforcement divisions will be at the meeting to make presentations and/or answer questions about their work related to the Eglinton Avenue West/Ridgeway Drive plaza.
The March 11 public meeting takes place at the Churchill Meadows Library and Older Adult Centre, located at 3801 Thomas St., from 7-8:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and advance registration is required. Space is limited, so priority will be given to Ward 10 residents living near the plaza.
Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden says a March 11 community meeting will inform residents about what’s being done to calm things down at Ridgeway Plaza in west Erin Mills.
Mississauga city council unanimously approved in mid-January a move to change zoning bylaws that, moving forward, will limit the number of restaurants allowed to operate at Ridgeway Plaza.
Under the new rules, a Ridgeway Special Area will be established that will see a 15 per cent reduction in number of restaurants at the plaza. Existing establishments will be allowed to stay, but they cannot expand their floor space, and gradually the balance will shift as businesses close, City of Mississauga staff noted in an earlier report.
Ridgeway Plaza (it’s actually two plazas — Erin Mills Centre and Platinum Centre) has been the subject of 112 public complaints since 2022, and the city has been looking at options to solve various issues at the location.
Known as a foodie destination, the plaza currently numbers 115 restaurants, according to a report presented earlier to the city’s planning and development committee.
That’s too many restaurants in one spot and it’s leading to parking, traffic, noise and other safety concerns, the Ridgeway Plaza Parking Study, conducted by Paradigm Transportation Solutions Ltd. on behalf of the city, found.
Image shows location of Ridgeway Plaza (centre) and surrounding area.
The city approved the restriction on number of new restaurants despite being presented with a petition signed by more than 140 business owners, employees, restaurant customers and area residents who stood opposed to the changes.
The petition, formally presented to Mississauga city council prior to its meeting on Jan. 14, urged the city to “pursue alternative parking solutions” at Ridgeway Plaza instead of the business-limiting measures adopted.
“Hundreds of jobs, significant business revenue and the long-term viability of local establishments are at risk” if proposed zoning changes are implemented, the petition contended.
The petition had asked city officials to instead consider other options including allowing parking on nearby Platinum Drive and Odyssey Drive, and seeking agreements with neighbouring businesses to allow overflow parking on their property.
City council can lift the restriction in future once a more desirable number of food establishments has been achieved.
Numerous and varied complaints since plaza opened
Over the past several years, various events staged at Ridgeway Plaza have brought with them numerous problems that include loud music and other noise well into the late-night and early-morning hours, parking lot and street racing, fights, parking, the use of illegal fireworks and many other disturbances.
Numerous public complaints related to such late-night gatherings and traffic concerns at the plaza have been received since it opened.
Activities at the plaza have also drawn the eye of Peel Regional Police, who’ve paid considerable attention enforcement-wise to the plaza and surrounding neighbourhood in the past several years as disturbances, stunt driving, speeding and street racing have become regular occurrences.
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