Peel Regional Police have staged multiple enforcement blitzes, such as this one in 2024, the past few years at Ridgeway Plaza in Mississauga. (Photo: Peel Regional Police)

More than five dozen speed bumps, numerous security cameras and permanent access gates at all entrances/exits are being installed at a large plaza in Mississauga under a new agreement with the city intended to resolve a litany of ongoing complaints and make the commercial area a safer, more welcoming environment.

The 61 speed bumps, 17 cameras and access gates at 11 entrances and exits are being set up at Ridgeway Plaza, located at Eglinton Avenue West and Ridgeway Drive in west Erin Mills, in an effort to significantly curtail — or eliminate — the many “dangerous nuisance gatherings,” stunt driving incidents and other concerns that have plagued the plaza and area residents since the commercial site opened in 2022.

The City of Mississauga and the group that manages the plaza signed a new agreement three weeks ago in an effort to settle a years-long dispute between the two entities and tidy up the many problems.

Beefed-up plaza security is at the core of the recently struck pact, which includes new measures that seek to “improve safety, support businesses and maintain a welcoming environment” at Ridgeway Plaza, the city said earlier.

The new measures are to be implemented immediately, the city noted in an April 15 news release, saying “several actions (are) expected to be in place by May.”

Image shows location of Ridgeway Plaza (centre) and surrounding area.

City officials said earlier the new deal with Ridgeway Plaza Condominium Corporations, which manages the plaza, comes after a recent mediation process and establishes a “formal compliance and security framework to reduce nuisance gatherings at Ridgeway Plaza and help maintain a safe, welcoming space for residents, visitors and local businesses.”

To ensure compliance with city safety standards, Mississauga Deputy Mayor and Ward 8 Coun. Matt Mahoney, in whose ward the plaza is located, told residents in a recent letter the Ridgeway condominium corporations will “independently fund and implement the following site improvements”:

Installation of 17 security cameras, 61 speed bumps and permanent access gates at all 11 entrances and exits.
Additional “No Parking,” “No Trespassing” and “Video Surveillance” signs.
Increased security staffing on evenings when large celebrations are expected.

The City of Mississauga, meanwhile, will provide enhanced enforcement of parking regulations moving forward, officials said.

In addition, the city and Ridgeway Plaza Condominium Corporations will meet four times a year to “monitor progress and adjust as needed,” Mahoney added in the letter.

Safety a “top priority”

“Ridgeway Plaza is an important and valued part of our community and we appreciate the collaborative approach taken by the condominium boards to reach this agreement,” Mahoney said in mid-April, shortly after the deal was struck. “Safety has always been our top priority and we’re confident these steps will help address the concerns raised by the community and keep plaza patrons safe while supporting the plaza’s diverse businesses.”

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 had 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 this year to the city’s planning and development committee.

The plaza has become known since opening in 2022 for “dangerous nuisance gatherings,” excessive noise, street racing, fighting, parking concerns and other issues, city officials said earlier.

As a result, the site has regularly attracted both headlines and the eyes of Peel Regional Police, who’ve conducted multiple enforcement campaigns at the plaza the past couple of years.

Second public meeting being held

Meanwhile, a second public meeting is being held later this month to bring residents and others up to speed on the most recent developements related to Ridgeway Plaza, Mississauga Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden said last week in an online notice to the community.

McFadden, who hosted the first public meeting in early March, said the second gathering — to be held online May 20 from 7-9 p.m. — will again seek to “address concerns raised by residents living in the neighbourhoods surrounding Ridgeway Plaza, located in Ward 8 and adjacent to Ward 10.”

She noted while the meeting is open to the general public, “the content will be geared specifically for those who live in close proximity to the plaza and it will detail efforts undertaken by municipal and police forces to reduce nuisance gatherings and address safety, noise, parking, traffic, litter and related concerns at and around the plaza.”

Those interested in participating in the upcoming public meeting must register beforehand.


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