Mississauga Cooksville Community Hub | ?m | 5s | PDSB | CS&P

[Sauga89]

With all the new development around Cooksville GO, I went looking for any plans to re-develop T. L. Kennedy Secondary School. I discovered a major re-development has been in the works for several years.

In partnership with the city of Mississauga,
- a new 60,000 square foot community centre is planned (including a new community pool and fitness centre)
- a 16,000 square foot replacement of the existing Cooksville Library Branch
- a new and expanded T. L. Kennedy Secondary School with a capacity for 1,500 students (up from a building designed for 750). It would be 5 storeys.
- a large new parcel of land would be sold off for private development (265,000 square feet or 6 acres, near Cooksville GO and the LRT stop). I suspect this site would be big enough for 5 or 6 30+ storey towers

A parking structure with 300 spaces would be beneath the new football field.

Below, the plot which would be available for residential development.

(EDIT: Below, an exterior view)

The plans were drawn up by CS&P Architects.

The cost to the city is estimated at $72 million. I haven't been able to find the school board's share of the cost.
As of July 2024, the city and school board are awaiting approval from the Ontario Ministry of Education, according to the InSauga news site. The school board apparently needs provincial approval for a project of this size.

 

[Sauga89]

With all the new development around Cooksville GO, I went looking for any plans to re-develop T. L. Kennedy Secondary School. I discovered a major re-development has been in the works for several years.

In partnership with the city of Mississauga,
- a new 60,000 square foot community centre is planned (including a new community pool and fitness centre)
- a 16,000 square foot replacement of the existing Cooksville Library Branch
- a new and expanded T. L. Kennedy Secondary School with a capacity for 1,500 students (up from a building designed for 750). It would be 5 storeys.
- a large new parcel of land would be sold off for private development (265,000 square feet or 6 acres, near Cooksville GO and the LRT stop). I suspect this site would be big enough for 5 or 6 30+ storey towers

A parking structure with 300 spaces would be beneath the new football field.
View attachment 689450

Below, the plot which would be available for residential development.
View attachment 689449

The plans were drawn up by CS&P Architects.

The cost to the city is estimated at $72 million. I haven't been able to find the school board's share of the cost.
As of July 2024, the city and school board are awaiting approval from the Ontario Ministry of Education, according to the InSauga news site. The school board apparently needs provincial approval for a project of this size.

My personal thoughts:
I really love the idea of a new community centre! The library too! And the new school building would be great for the community as well.

However, I don't like the new Melissa street on the south side of this plot. It just adds pavement, and my experience with Agnes St suggests it would be tough to turn into from Hurontario or Confederation unless a stop light is built. Access to the parking garage would be easier off Hillcrest Ave or Cook St.

Also, while the community centre adds recreational space, I would hope for more green space. It would be nice if the school site were further eastwards, with an enlargement of Sgt. David Yakichuk park. That would mean shrinking the land the school board wants to sell off, but maybe the city could take development charges from other surrounding developments to compensate the school board.

 

[SR95]

Would be a big win for cooksville if/when this gets built, this and that big park expansion on Shepard will hopefully kick off more investment/revitalization for the area

 

[Sauga89]

Would be a big win for cooksville if/when this gets built, this and that big park expansion on Shepard will hopefully kick off more investment/revitalization for the area

I'm happy about the Cooksville park expansion too, but that park seems a bit south and east of the heaviest development. I feel like the city is missing the boat on parks on the west side of Hurontario.

In addition to a larger Sgt. David Yakichuk Park than what is proposed here, I'd like to see an expanded Martin Dobkin/Brickyard Park. If the city purchased the houses circled below, they could connect the two parks.

Then the city could build a pedestrian bridge over Confederation Pkwy to link Sgt. David Yakichuk Park with the combined Dobkin/Brickyard park. The multi-use trail could also follow the creekbed under Dundas to serve the apartments on Argyle. The goal should be to let people bike to the new school/community centre, and to the GO station.

 

[Sauga89]

The city is pulling out of this project, according to a report to Mississauga city council.

From the report:

The City is prepared to advance development priorities of both facilities. However, progress with PDSB has been limited, creating uncertainty in aligning timelines and shared goals. As noted in the Corporate Report entitled "Cooksville Joint-Use Feasibility Study (Ward 7)” dated April 18, 2023, extensive consultation is required between PDSB and the Ministry of Education determine PDSB’s ability to execute on an urban joint-use model. Limited progress has been made over the past 2 years.

Consequently, continued partnership with PDSB will impact the City’s ability to capitalize on funding opportunities and maintain project momentum. By shifting to a City-led approach, removing School Board and Ministry dependencies and approvals enables the City to deliver comprehensive amenities that meet evolving community needs, accelerate key project milestones, secure funding proactively, and coordinate construction timelines with limited disruptions to community services.

I know that the school board has listed T. L. Kennedy as a priority for replacement (It's third on their list of priorities for capital funding), but it seems like the city felt they couldn't wait. Presumably, both the new library/community centre and the new school will still go ahead, but separately now. The city report doesn't say where the community centre would be located.

 

[SR95]

The city is pulling out of this project, according to a report to Mississauga city council.

From the report:



I know that the school board has listed T. L. Kennedy as a priority for replacement (It's third on their list of priorities for capital funding), but it seems like the city felt they couldn't wait. Presumably, both the new library/community centre and the new school will still go ahead, but separately now. The city report doesn't say where the community centre would be located.

Interesting that they mention the redevelopment of the Mississauga Valley CC will open up development parcels, would be nice to see some non-tower in the park developments in that area.

 

[Anastasia]

The city is pulling out of this project, according to a report to Mississauga city council.

From the report:



I know that the school board has listed T. L. Kennedy as a priority for replacement (It's third on their list of priorities for capital funding), but it seems like the city felt they couldn't wait. Presumably, both the new library/community centre and the new school will still go ahead, but separately now. The city report doesn't say where the community centre would be located.

I suspect that the City would locate the new Cooksville library and community centre on the Sgt David Yakichuk Park lands.

 

[Sauga89]

I suspect that the City would locate the new Cooksville library and community centre on the Sgt David Yakichuk Park lands.

Ugh, I hope not. It would be pretty far from the LRT, and building it there would reduce green space in the area. The only way I'd support building the community centre on the Yakichuk park lands is if the city acquired an equivalent amount of park space from the school board when the T. L. Kennedy replacement is eventually built.

 

[Anastasia]

Ugh, I hope not. It would be pretty far from the LRT, and building it there would reduce green space in the area. The only way I'd support building the community centre on the Yakichuk park lands is if the city acquired an equivalent amount of park space from the school board when the T. L. Kennedy replacement is eventually built.

While I agree that it would be preferable for the City to acquire replacement park land from PDSB when they replace TL Kennedy SS, I imagine the province would direct them to instead sell the higher value parcels of land fronting onto Hurontario for residential development, which wouldn't leave much (if any) excess land available for the City.

 

[Sauga89]

I watched the video of the report being presented to city council. The cost is estimated at $150 million for each community centre. $75 million is the pot of money in the city's 10-year capital budget for either project. The city is looking to the province and the federal government to make up the shortfall. By comparison, South Common had a budget of $110 million, of which $45 million came from the province.

While I agree that it would be preferable for the City to acquire replacement park land from PDSB when they replace TL Kennedy SS, I imagine the province would direct them to instead sell the higher value parcels of land fronting onto Hurontario for residential development, which wouldn't leave much (if any) excess land available for the City.

Hence why I think they shouldn't build the community centre there. In the city council meeting, Councillor Damerla noted that lack of land has always been a big concern for building the Cooksville community centre. She said she fully supported staff's alternative plan, but she didn't specify the details of what that plan was.