Process

Engaging the community in shaping the investment in Cooksville

A Listen-First Approach

As newcomers to Cooksville, TAS wanted to engage local communities early and thoughtfully to ensure their needs and aspirations were integrated into the plans. Gathering input through interviews, focus groups, surveys, and workshops, our goal was for the community to help shape the investment being made in their neighbourhood.

We are proud to be a part of the Cooksville Community Hub Working Group—a group of local residents, community organizations, and businesses interested in building connections and supporting people in the area. We have also enthusiastically lent our site to local community groups like Heart Comonos for their activations and events which create a diverse and dynamic community presence on our site.

As TAS continues to refine the development plans, we will continue to collaborate and seek input from stakeholders and community members. Future engagement opportunities will include providing input on the design of the public spaces, community amenities, programming, and site activations.

Check back to this site for opportunities to participate in future engagement activities.  

When you bring people together, there is a frisson, an energy, a magic that is released. Ideas are born, relationships bloom, and a sense of belonging emerges.

What We Heard & How It Impacted Our Plans

  • Ensure the design of public spaces promotes social cohesion and inclusion

The Central Plaza has been designed to create a generous community gathering space at the heart of the site. The plaza will be open and accessible, serving new residents and the existing community alike.

  • Prioritize community spaces that encourage connections and capacity building

A community centre is planned at the base of the building at the southwest corner of the site including a public library, aquatic hall, gymnasium, and community meeting spaces. The community centre will open up to the community forest and central plaza, creating an active and lively public space.

  • Invest in local employment opportunities and support for local businesses

The ground floor retail will feature small-scale retail units to encourage community-oriented tenants.

  • Maintain neighbourhood affordability and provide affordable housing

Of the 2,200 new homes, 250-300 will be delivered through an affordable homeownership program in partnership with Options for Homes.

  • Promote sustainable and environmental innovation

The project proactively responds to the climate emergency and delivers on Mississauga’s Climate Change Action Plan through sustainability practices in building and landscape design.

  • Design for the human scale  

The design of the buildings and public spaces focus on human experiences—it will be a place for the people of Cooksville. Treatment of the built form, public realm, and community amenities will take a human-centred and human-scale approach.