This green space at the corner of Burnhamthorpe Road West and Kariya Drive in Mississauga’s downtown core is the potential site of a new “signature park.”

Mississauga is moving ahead with an early stages plan that could lead to the development of a “distinctive and memorable public space” in the city’s downtown core.

City council decided on Tuesday to enter into a memorandum of understanding with developer Camrost Felcor “for the purpose of exploring enhanced park design for city-owned property” at the southwest corner of Burnhamthorpe Road West and Kariya Drive.

The green space is adjacent to the site being developed by Camrost Felcor and located directly north of Kariya Park, the tranquil Japanese-style park named for Mississauga’s sister city located southwest of Tokyo.

Senior City of Mississauga staff said in a report brought to council they’re exploring the concept of “a distinctive and memorable public space that serves as a focal point for residents and visitors and has the potential to become a signature park within the Downtown Core.”

New park would be under one acre in size

If it does come to fruition, the new park, at just under one acre in size, would be significantly smaller than Kariya Park.

In the conclusion of his report, Raj Sheth, the City of Mississauga’s commissioner of community services, said “the new park’s close proximity to Kariya Park, which is recognized as one of the city’s treasured public spaces, provides an opportunity to complement and enhance the broader park experience in this area of the Downtown Core.

“By exploring an enhanced park design,” the report continued, “the city can consider how the future park may build on the character and success of Kariya Park while creating another successful signature park that supports residents, visitors and the continued growth of the downtown.”

(Source: City of Mississauga)

Sheth said in his report the memorandum of understanding with Camrost Felcor is “non-binding” and “does not commit the city to provide funding, undertake construction or enter into a binding partnership agreement.”

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He added that if the completed preliminary enhanced park design is “determined to be desirable and feasible, and the project costs and funding sources have been identified, staff may recommend proceeding with the project.”

In that case, Sheth continued, a separate report would be brought forward down the road to seek council’s go-ahead “to enter into a Park Design and Construction Agreement.”

Bold new vision for City Centre in the works

The preliminary plans for the new park at Burnhamthorpe Road West and Kariya Drive come seven months after city officials revealed a sweeping vision for the City Centre area next to Square One Shopping Centre and City Hall.

A new performing arts centre that would rival the largest in Canada and a highrise hotel and convention facility as big as 500,000 square feet are highlights of that major plan to dramatically transform Mississauga’s downtown for generations to come, city officials said earlier.


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