Looking back on 2024 and the celebrations and commemorations on the City of Mississauga’s 50th Anniversary, it truly has been a marvelous, and rather busy, year of community programs. It was a wonderful exploration of our city’s more recent history, both in terms of gathering stories, and also in sharing Mississauga’s unique stories around how our city came to be. From my own perspectives, highlights include our Carassauga Canada Pavilion theme on 1974, our ongoing “Moments & Milestones” interview series on YouTube, the countless articles exploring the path to becoming a city in 1974, the History Hunt, the Museums of Mississauga’s “Out of the Vault” exhibition, the special 50th Anniversary Council Meeting and reception, and so much more. A special shout out also to all the volunteers, past and present colleagues, students and coworkers who helped to make our city’s 50th Anniversary such a special milestone. In my humble opinion, it has made Mississauga even more special. It truly does take a village.

From all of the interviews and conversations we have had around the 50th, and from gathering “good news” stories (special hat tip to our friends Richard Collins, Lindsay Doren, Denis Frias, Justine Lyn, Fiona Martel, Stephanie Meeuwse, Nick Moreau and Robert Stanczyk for sharing their ideas!), a few prominent highlights from the last 50 years in Mississauga have come to the fore when reflecting on our city’s history:

• 1974: January 1, 1974 the City of Mississauga came to be through the amalgamation of the towns of Mississauga, Port Credit and Streetsville

• 1974: Creation of the new City of Mississauga flag and Coat-of-Arms

• 1974: Summer Records established in Malton

• 1975: National Research Council completed the first solar-energy house in Meadowvale

• 1975: After a 16-year battle, led by Ruth Hussey, Rattray Marsh was saved from development and opened as a park in 1975

• 1978: Hazel McCallion elected as the third mayor of the City of Mississauga, following Dr. Martin Dobkin (1974) and Ron Searle (1976)

• 1979: Streetsville Derbys won OHA Sutherland Cup. The original franchise relocated in 2007, but Mississauga welcomed a new expansion team back to Streetsville in 2024

• 1979: Mississauga Train Derailment and evacuation

• 1980: Meadowvale Village became Ontario’s first Heritage Conservation District

• 1981: Mississauga and Kariya, Japan were officially twinned on July 7, 1981 with the purpose to “promote goodwill between both cities and to enhance the international awareness of our citizens through the exchange of cultural, educational and sporting activities”

• 1985: Founding of the Mississauga Garden Council (today the Riverwood Conservancy)

• 1986: Founding of Carassauga

• 1987: Opening of the Mississauga Civic Centre

• 1992: Kariya Park opened as a tribute to its sister city Kariya, Japan

• 1992: Opening of Lakefront Promenade Park in Lakeview

• 1995: Opening of Benares Historic House museum

• 1997: Opening of the Living Arts Centre

• 1998: Opening of Hershey Centre (now the Paramount Centre)

• 1999: Britannia Hill Golf Course (now BraeBen Golf Course) opened on a former landfill site

• 2004: Creation of the Old Port Credit Village Heritage Conservation District

• 2005: Closure of the coal-fired Lakeview Generating station

• 2005: Maanjidowin Indigenous gathering held in J.C. Saddington Park

• 2009: Peace Monument was realized at Richard’s Memorial Park after many years of advocating by Dorothea Sheasby

• 2011: Opening of Celebration Square at the Mississauga Civic Centre

• 2017: Mississauga BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) line opened

• 2024: Creation of the Streetsville Heritage Conservation District

We know that this is only a quick list of civic milestones – there are many, many more highlights from over the last 50 years!

Throughout the exploration of our city’s 50th anniversary, what has risen to the forefront reinforces the idea that Mississauga is a dynamic and evolving city comprised of many layers: historic villages, significant landscapes, vibrant and diverse cultures, all located within a modern urban setting. We celebrate the “Mississauga” story in a wide variety of ways. Natural areas, parks and trails, such as Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, the Credit River, Culham Trail, Erindale Park, Rattray Marsh, Riverwood, and the Waterfront Trail, all contribute to the uniqueness of Mississauga. Heritage houses, adaptively repurposed structures, interpretive plaques, ruins, and other iconic and vernacular vestiges of our past all provide distinctive character and help to reinforce a sense of place.

Likewise, our built heritage sites like Small Arms building in Lakeview, the Bradley Museum in Clarkson, The Grange in Erindale, the mill sites of the Credit River Valley, historic buildings like the Glenerin Inn and Clarke Memorial Hall, all shed light on Mississauga’s formative years, as does the story of growth from Toronto Township to the emergence of our city.

Legends Row, the Mississauga Music Walk of Fame, the Mississauga Sports Hall of Fame, The Mississauga Arts Awards (the MARTYS), The Credits awards, and so much more, all help to shape and commemorate our city’s unique identity and stories – and to remind us that Mississauga’s story is worthy of celebration!

In short, our story has many chapters and countless authors. The 50th Anniversary is not the end of the story – it is merely a moment to reflect on our past and to step boldly forward into our next chapter. One only has to ponder and compare the charming landscapes of Lorne Park Estates to the busy terminals at Pearson International Airport, or a quiet repast in one of our many historic cemeteries to the busy byways that transect our city, the tranquility of Hancock Woodlands to the bustling urban core and Square One, to understand that our city is a multifaceted, deeply varied, culturally endowed, dynamic and vibrant place to call home.

Happy 50th Anniversary to our city and all who call it home, and best wishes for the new year and beyond as we begin our next 50 years!