Mississauga Pinnacle Uptown: Crystal Condominiums | 167m | 28s | Pinnacle | Richmond Architects

While you rightly comment upon changing land uses etc., I still find myself pondering your argument that Mississauga is not car-centric. Aside from a small (but growing, yes) portion of the 'City Center,' the densification which you speak of has not permeated the suburbs. Mississauga has long catered to the needs of the motorist above those of the pedestrian. Again, this is changing - something evidenced by the attempt to break up the various super-superblocks which constitute the city's core.

That said, I have several friends from different social circles who all embody the automotive-centered principles upon which I believe Mississauga still stands. In the one family (4 people), cars (5) outnumber people. Another has 5 people and 4 cars - the one son is only 13 but is already trolling past Auto Traders for his future chariot. This, In a nutshell, is the image which I feel Mississauga still projects. People living on individual plots of land serviced by amenities which are too far to walk to and inaccessible by transit. Its one thing to speak about what the community will be; the important challenge (especially for someone looking at future of the aforementioned municipality), is not to forget what it is.
 
So much more to Mississauga

I’m glad you at least acknowledged that work to “urbanize†Mississauga is taking place. However, it is certainly much more than just the city centre as you claim. The entire Hurontario Street corridor, from Port Credit right up to Brampton, and Dundas Street from Etobicoke to the University of Toronto at Mississauga is going through this amazing urban transformation. The planning for Light Rapid Transit Lines along both these major corridors will only continue to support this new growth and density. In addition new continuous bike lanes are planned to connect Cooksville with the City Centre along Confederation Parkway, and along the Queensway to connect with Toronto.

As for the one example in your social network owning multiple cars, with all due respect, they don’t automatically represent the average Mississauga family. Not every family in Mississauga lives in Erin Mills, Erin Meadows or Meadowvale where more than one car is needed. As a matter of fact an increasing large majority of families in Mississauga are found in established, increasingly urban and walkable neighborhoods serviced by frequent public transit (GO and Mississauga Transit) - Port Credit, Cooksville, Erindale, Applewood, Dixie, Mississauga Valley, and the City Centre .

My family of 4 only owns one car. I usually don’t have access to the car. I probably should own my own car, especially considering my very busy schedule, however instead of me dumping money into a car, I have chosen to walk, take public transit often, car pool with my colleagues, or take a taxi to my various meetings across the city. I wouldn’t say I’m alone in doing that either, as I’m in great company with the often packed Mississauga Transit buses.

Louroz
 
You raise several excellent points - some of which I began to ponder after I posted; primarily that I neglected the areas between City Center and the lake. As you note, many of these are older, more established developments which already possess much of the urbanization that areas to the north are pursuing. You also saw right through my two examples - both do live in Erin Mills.

I still however find that Mississauga's efforts to "urbanize" fly directly in the face of a greater beast: the car. Engineers, architects and urbanites can plan, design and hypothesize what the city could be in the future, but its success is largely determined by those who live there. Densification, LRT lines, condominiums and sidewalk expansion are but a few of the noble causes which should be (and are being) addressed. That said, I'm still skeptical as to how effective these solutions will be at dragging the common Mississaugite from his or her own modes of transport.
 
The future of transit in Mississauga?

amish2.jpg


Bill
 
Yeah, I'm just hoping they finish the canal system finished so I can get my barge up and running. I have stoking positions to be filled if anyone wants them!
 
urbandreamer said:
... My family: 6 people, one horse and buggy.
Click to expand...

That's OK, as long as you clean up after the horse. :)

Project End raises some good points. But Miss. is not just one uniform community, there are a number of neighbourhoods, each with their own character. The Hurontario corridor, at least from Eglinton south to the lake, is as urban as almost any neighbourhood in Toronto outside the very core district. When you have the No. 19 bus running every five minutes, and still not able to keep up with the demand, it's hard to say that the culture is car-centric.

Admittedly, many parts of Miss. date back to the 1950s and 1960s, and it shows, just as it does in the parts of Etobicoke, North York, and Scarborough which date from the same time. Detached houses on 45 or 50 foot lots, with double garages, and with almost nothing within walking distance. But check the newer neighbourhoods, Lisgar, Churchill Meadows, and a lot of streets areound Hurontario and Eglinton. The streets form a grid, with short blocks. You won't see any more of the loopy crescents. Lot widths are typically 30 feet, depths are 100 feet or less, and everyone has at least a small neighbourhood plaza within walking distance.

If you find yourself near Dundas and Mavis, check the residential development on the former brickyard site on the north side of Dundas. Nothing is taller than four levels, but I would bet that its density in terms of units per acre is one of the highest in the G.T.A. It looks like townhouses, but if you look more closely, you'll see a lot of three-level walkup apartments. It's a fantastic brownfield redevelopment.

Lots more to do in Mississauga, but it's a work in progress.
 
urbandreamer said:
That photo reminds me of my youth: Waterloo County! How I miss the simple pleasures of the rolling hills and farms off sideroads surrounding Crosshill Ontario!
Click to expand...

Ive been there - lived in Waterloo for 9 years. I always got nervous when I ventured out as far as Crosshill though... afraid I'd never see civilzation again. Lovely part of the province though as you say...
 
Mississauga has a long way to go in densifying, but we're going in the right direction. What's holding us back is lack of rapid transit.
 
FutureMayor said:
A great example of where that happened in Mississsauga is the site of the Marilyn Monroe towers. Less than 5 years ago there was a busy gas station surrounded by empty fields and surface parking lots at that intersection.

It has now been replaced with a new high density community with thousands of new residents, along with two architectural stunning and urban form buildings that will change the face of the city.

Louroz
Click to expand...

There was never a gas station on the Absolute Site since I've lived at Hurontario/Burnhamthorpe (1997). It's always been a field of grass and garbage.
There is a Petro Canada on the South-west corner though.
 
phunky said:
There was never a gas station on the Absolute Site since I've lived at Hurontario/Burnhamthorpe (1997). It's always been a field of grass and garbage.
There is a Petro Canada on the South-west corner though.
Click to expand...

Yes there was a gas station on the North East corner. I don't remember when they got rid of it, but it was there in the early 90s.
 
There was a Shell station on the NE corner for years. It was torn down about 10 years ago. An underground tank had leaked, and the gasoline seeped right under Burnhamthorpe Road and across to the condos on Kaneff Crescent. It was quite a mess.
 
Pinnacle International - Uptown Mississauga!

http://www5.mississauga.ca/agendas/planning/2009/01_12_09/Item11OZ07024_025W5.pdf

Highlights:

3883 dwellings on the west side of Cooksville Creek.
New City Park on the east side of Cooksville Creek + New Urban Square on the west side.

77 - 3 - 4 Storey Townhomes
3 - 6 Storey Towers
3 - 12 Storey Towers
4 - 18 Storey Towers
1 - 25 Storey Tower
2 - 32 Storey Towers (Fronting Eglinton Avenue)
3 - 42 Storey Towers (All fronting Hurontario Street)
26 Office/Retail Units on the ground floors
1 - 50 Storey Tower

= 17 NEW TOWERS!

Simply Awesome!

Louroz
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top