Globe: Mississauga enters new phase of city-building

[taal]

As it stands today though they're both on equal footing and it's hard to say Markham is any way better off ... that is until you look into the future.

When all the downtown Markham developments will be under construction / completed. It's really the future of the two that are questions right now. Markham seems to have the edge but a couple plans in MCC are interesting too!

Also MCC does feel like it could be more of traditional city them Markham. I don't like the idea of one developing taking on a whole area. I can't help but feel we'll get a fake sensation in the new downtown Markham. MCC will have that in clusters but at least they're alternatives!

Time will tell all.

 

[khris]

City wants public's input on downtown plan
By: Radhika Panjwani
rpanjwani@mississauga.net

March 12, 2009 04:10 PM - City officials say input from residents is a key component of a plan to revitalize Mississauga's downtown core.

The master plan, dubbed Downtown 21, involves transforming the land and development around the City Centre to create a walkable and vibrant downtown.

In an effort to engage residents, the City of Mississauga hosted a public session on Thursday at the Living Arts Centre.

City staff said consultants will incorporate public feedback before unveiling the master plan on May 7.

“The residents will have an opportunity to roll up their sleeves and have pens and markers to put their ideas and thoughts into the master plan,†said Marilyn Ball, the City's director of development and design.

The City has hired Florida-based Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Inc. as lead consultant on the project.

The master plan seeks to create sustainable areas with access to public transit. To do that, the consultants will ensure each street is bike/pedestrian-friendly and that residents will have easy access to trails and parks, said Ian Lockwood, lead consultant.

“This plan is about taking the vision – as supplied by residents – and figuring how (to make) it happen,†Lockwood said. “So we've a strategy on both short-term and long-term things...â€

Ward 7 councillor Nando Iannicca said residents are tired of hearing plans for revitalization and are now demanding action. He said if the City doesn't engage residents in building a vibrant downtown core, a golden opportunity will be lost.

“Residents are always asking me, 'When are you going to implement the ideas?'" Iannicca said.

Source

 

[khris]

I'm looking forward to May 7th. I can't wait to see what things are going to look like.

 

[waterloowarrior]

are the images drum posted in the hurontario LRT thread from this study or a different one

Latest Vision

Burnhamthorpe

 

[FutureMayor]

New Main Street for City Centre

I attended the public meeting tonight at the Living Arts Centre and it turns out that I was right about having the city plan on two LRT routes into the City Centre:

PHASE 1 City Centre Loop/4 Stations: Rathburn, Transit Terminal, Living Arts Drive/Civic Centre and Burnhamthorpe/New Main Street then onto Hurontario.

PHASE 2 Corridor/2 Stations: Rathburn, City Centre Drive/New Absolute Drive then back onto Hurontario.

Burnhamthorpe Road will also be narrowed from 6 lanes to 4 lanes in the heart of the City Centre, along with dedicated bike lanes on the "safe" side of the parking lanes, and plans for raised intersections to facilitate barrier free access for predestrians and to slow down drives.

A strategic new north south "main street" to connect Square One to City Centre Drive, cut in between parking lots of 151 and 201 City Centre Drive office building, to Burnhamthorpe and extended Webb Drive.

It is a strategic location because it connects Square One on the north, office buildings to the east, Civic Centre to the west and new condos to the south.

Planned intensification of parking lots with the 5 land owners for new mid-rise, mixed-used buildings within the next 5 - 7 years to be ready in time for opening of the LRT Station at Burnhamthorpe Road.

Louroz

 

[kEiThZ]

One thing that people need to keep in mind about Mississauga's version of a downtown, is that it's not trying to be like a typical downtown. It's going to be a unique take on downtown. It is something that hasn't really been done before. Except for maybe Dubai? I haven't been to Dubai, but I imagine they have some sort of downtown area(s).

It's interesting you say that. All my family and friends who have migrated from Dubai or from other places in the Gulf have chosen to live in Mississauga. They always say that it feels and looks like Dubai. And to be honest, driving around, one can see how Hurontario could look like Sheikh Zayed Road in 10 years. I hope they don't make the same mistakes that Dubai made....focus on putting up ridiculous buildings but making very little effort at urban development.

If Mississauga ever wants to see MCC become an actual downtown, they need high order transit, store fronts, small blocks like Toronto, and incentives for family run business. A little late for that now though...

+1

I'd go a little further. They need to plan for the end of Square One. MCC has amazing potential if they can commit to ridding themselves of a giant mall as their focal point. While they have all those parking lots they should get the migration/transition going now. It'd be awesome to see the Square One block converted to a few pedestrian only blocks with tons of shopping, and mid-rise condos and offices.

 

[taal]

ha......... I've been to Dubai on multiple occasions.

If MCC's goal is to become like that forget anything urban ... heck MCC is probably already more urban then Dubai ...

 

[Dan416]

If you ask me, Webb Dr should be extended to Kariya Dr in the east (along with planning to extend it to Hurontario eventually) and in the west toward Mavis Rd.

Then Palgrave Rd and Joan Dr could be extended to Burnhamthrope.

 

[khris]

If you ask me, Webb Dr should be extended to Kariya Dr in the east (along with planning to extend it to Hurontario eventually) and in the west toward Mavis Rd.

Then Palgrave Rd and Joan Dr could be extended to Burnhamthrope.

Webb Dr. could not be extended to Hurontario. It would be going through what is now the parking garage for Novotel and Widesuites.

Also Joan Dr. would have to go through a school to get to Burnhamthorpe Rd.

 

[Dan416]

Webb Dr. could not be extended to Hurontario. It would be going through what is now the parking garage for Novotel and Widesuites.

Also Joan Dr. would have to go through a school to get to Burnhamthorpe Rd.

Details, details...

 

[Tuscani01]

Webb Dr. could not be extended to Hurontario. It would be going through what is now the parking garage for Novotel and Widesuites.

Also Joan Dr. would have to go through a school to get to Burnhamthorpe Rd.

The parking garage can always be placed underground if Novotel and the city were to put some money into it. Enfield would have to make a slight turn toward Novotel in order to avoid Widesuites, but it is entirely doable. It would give Novotel street frontage, and free up some land for development. Novotel could probably get a developer to help with the cost by offering building rights.

As for the school... its old. The board should either find another location, or rebuild in the same spot, but closer to Kariya Park. Get a developer on board and we can do something like North York is doing in T.O. That would provide space for an extension, build a new school (possibly even bigger to handle the increasing City Centre population and add some density.

 

[urbandreamer]

Dear Miss,

You are so silly, taking advice from the wrong ppl!

When all you need to do is look over your shoulder towards the old city of Toronto: proper urban vibrant city zone!

Sincerely,

consultant x

 

[drum118]

Photo's are part of phase I

Sorry, but the school needs to stay as most of it has been rebuilt as well added on these past 9 years.

The street over to the west can be extended to Webb better as well connect to City Centre.

There is a split of view by the consultations for 21 and the Hurontario teams.

Overall, there is no ""REAL"" Vision of what the core should be, not what Sq One want. Even Condo City to the west should no dictate that the core be plan around them.

The core belong to the city as a whole, not part of it.

 

[waterloowarrior]

FutureMayor that sounds great. I'm not sure many other cites in Canada have tried that bike lanes on the safe side of parking as you mentioned. Maybe Montreal or Vancouver have, I'm not sure. IMO it works very well in Europe.

 

[Tuscani01]

Photo's are part of phase I

Sorry, but the school needs to stay as most of it has been rebuilt as well added on these past 9 years.

The street over to the west can be extended to Webb better as well connect to City Centre.

There is a split of view by the consultations for 21 and the Hurontario teams.

Overall, there is no ""REAL"" Vision of what the core should be, not what Sq One want. Even Condo City to the west should no dictate that the core be plan around them.

The core belong to the city as a whole, not part of it.

You're jumping the gun. Downtown 21 is the process of developing a "real vision" of what the core should be. The Hurontario study is looking at ways to make Hurontario a street capable of supporting higher order transit. The City Centre is just a small piece of the Hurontario corridor puzzle.

As it stands, there is no split view. Both the studies see Hurontario as the main transit corridor and the most important street in MCC. Both studies are simply looking for different options for the LRT. There's nothing wrong with looking at all of our options, and if Downtown 21 can support their argument for diverting the LRT into MCC, then why not?