Success of a Suburban Downtown

The Greater Toronto Area is generally identified as a polycentric urban area with a central core and smaller suburban downtowns. Downtowns in Oshawa, Hamilton, and Burlington were created within the urban fabric over time much like Downtown Toronto. Others such as Mississauga, Vaughan, and Markham have been artificially created on greenfield sites. The success of suburban downtowns are very subjective and each are successful in their own ways. In this article it is opinionated that one of the most successful greenfield downtowns is in Mississauga, which for decades have attracted office and residential towers prior to the recession of the 1990s, and today the thousands of new residents that make downtown Mississauga their home. There are a few reasons why downtown Mississauga is so successful:

• Square One: Most Torontonians have probably heard of this gigantic mall and may have even been to it. It is this mall that have made Mississauga the stereotype it is today; a suburban lifestyle unmatched anywhere. Little can be introduced about how it has shaped the downtown as a destination. True, without it, downtown Mississauga would not successful as it is now. Like other malls in the GTAH, Square One has seen a renaissance through numerous expansions to its building footprint, and increased its relevance with high class shopping. Where in the world can you have a Walmart and a Holt Renfrew in one mall? Probably nowhere. And even today, most visit downtown not to work or visit a resident, but to shop.
• Transit Hub: Mississauga's transit system is best described as a "spoke and hub" where the system's busiest bus routes end up at the MiWayBus Terminal located just north of Square One, and has been bursting at the seams for quite some time. Poor riders have no choice but to be forced to ride the bus to Square One only to transfer to another bus to the destination. Add to the madness, the Square One GO Bus Terminal is a short walking distance from the municipal bus terminal. With the new GO Bus Terminal building opened earlier in 2016, it will surely be well used as this is the second busiest bus terminal in the system after Union Station with 20,000 daily passengers. The synergies are incredible since the two bus terminals are essentially in the same location. Add to the large number of residents who have moved into the downtown area in recent years, you can only imagine the increase in ridership.
• Celebration Square: Located right in front of City Hall and atop an underground parking garage, this may be considered one of the most successful public squares in the 905 area. Built in 2011 as a result of the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF) by the Federal Government to spend out of the 2009 Great Recession for $40 million, the square has been a tad pricey but the result has been worth it. With events happening every weekend including ethnic celebrations and movie nights, this public square has been a place of activity. The City of Mississauga has a website devoted to a schedule of events (see link HERE). With a large television screen, it has broadcasted live the World Cup in 2014 and the Eurocup in 2016. This public square has no doubt brought people together and created friendships and a close-knit community. 
• Sheridan College: With its main campus in Oakville, Sheridan College in Fall 2014 opened its Mississauga located across the street from Square One. Taking up a city block, it has defined the area as a source of higher education. Although not as large as other university campuses, it still is home to thousands of students. With Phase II of the development set to open in Fall 2016, the campus will take up another block.This will no doubt contribute to the hustle of activity during the day when most residents have rush to work, contributing to the overall pedestrian activity of the area. 
• Condo Development: There has been a plethora of condominium development blossoming in the area since 2000, creating a new vertical community. There may be too much of a good thing, as now some roads are congested as they are unable to expand anymore while at the same hundreds move in every time a new building is registered. Furthermore, this condo boom has reduced the number of vacant land appropriate for office buildings. Sure the demand isn't there, but there still have to be important landmark locations for employment. But the benefits still outweigh the lost opportunities (at this time). The skyline is impressive with dozens of buildings over 30 storeys. Some landmarks such as the Marilyn Munroe towers, are now synonymous with Downtown Mississauga.

The success in Mississauga will not be the same in Vaughan, where they are realizing their dream of a corporate centre as the subway system will be extended there in the future. Or Markham, where they have been working with a prominent developer in seeing their dream turn to reality. But an inspiration it is to create a unique community that thousands call home.