WARMINGTON: Race so tight for Mississauga mayor that photo finish expected

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The city of Mississauga has always been more about the future than the past.

From the once famous, but now vacant, Satellite Diner to the dynamic new M City skyscrapers, Mississauga has always been a cutting-edge city on the move.

And now, following the legendary 36-year, 12-term run from 1978 to 2014 by the iconic, late great mayor Hazel McCallion, stands three political statuesque hopefuls to continue on with the positive legacy she built.

Before McCallion took the chains of office, there were less than 250,000 residents and one 26-storey apartment building next to Square One Shopping Centre. Today, the city has a population just shy of 770,000 as well as an 82-storey behemoth high rise and five others 48-floors up or higher – with more to come.

In just a little more than half a century, Canada’s seventh largest city rivals any big city in the country and melds parkland, wildlife, urban life, cuisine, diversity, economics and domestic, local and international business.

There is so much potential everywhere you look in a place that combines a metropolis with old school, quaint farming towns. When you look around significantly older neighbouring Toronto, despite so much of it being torn down to establish glass, cement and steel structures, you can get a sense of the historical side of Mississauga.

New skyline noticed by visitors flying in

While history is harder to find in Mississauga, if you look closely you can see where the city was and how far, and high, it has come. There are many hidden gem historic sites – mostly old stone residences, churches, town halls, and of course old cemeteries. But in Clarkson’s Lakeshore Blvd. area and in downtown Mississauga near Burnhamthorpe Rd. and Hurontario St., you can see the contrast of how it was in the 1950s and how it looks today.

Mississauga’s growing, iconic skyline is not only impressive for its expanding landscape but also its creativity. Many of these newer residential but multi-use buildings have a flare to them which stand out.

The unique structures at M City are examples and so are the Marilyn Monroe and Pamela Anderson towers as well as the Vessel development. But if you were to drive by here a few decades back, you would see farm fields. But Mississauga and it’s neighbourhoods before amalgamation were always trying to do something unique.

The Satellite – which many thought was a flying saucer – is an example. A ’50s-style diner was the pride of Clarkson, but in a new, modern Mississauga sits empty looking for a tenant. I suggested Nav Bhatia move in and create a Superfan cafe, similar to what Elon Musk did with his Tesla restaurant in California.

Hopefully somebody does something with it instead of tearing it down because if you erase the past, future growth is not as meaningful without people understanding the hopes, dreams and successes of the original builders.

Mississauga, then and now, has always been a special place. It boasts 13 kilometres of Lake Ontario shoreline with the gem Port Credit and spectacular lakefront parks, beaches and marinas to the south, universities and colleges in the middle and Pearson International Airport to the north with amazing people who live, work, study and play in a city that is on the move.

Who is going to win?

On Monday, the residents here will decide on who will lead it. The current mayor is Carolyn Parrish. Previous mayor Bonnie Crombie, who McCallion originally handed the keys to, and potential mayor of the future, Councillor Alvin Tedjo.

This thing could go any way. According to opinion polls It’s a dead heat between the three and this race could end up being a photo finish. I reached out to all three and asked them for some final campaign comments – a closing argument of sorts. Edited down for length, here are each of them in their own words.

Bonnie Crombie

“I believe in Mississauga and what we can accomplish together. People want a city they can afford, neighbourhoods where they feel safe and a future where their children can thrive. That’s why I’m running. People asked me to come back to restore fiscal prudence to City Hall and bring the experience to get things done.”

She added, “Hazel taught me to manage public money carefully and never forget whose money it is … We need a mayor who can get to work on day one: stop the waste, review spending line by line and respect your money.”

In addition, “I know how to bring people together, attract investment and fight for what Mississauga needs – including a subway to City Centre. We can be ambitious about our future and careful with every public dollar.”

Carolyn Parrish

“I attended an evening at the Living Arts Centre with an overflow crowd of aged 50-plus Eagles fans, enjoying an amazing cover band called Hotel California. Got called up on stage by a band member because of a 13-year charitable event I run at which they had played twice. Huge applause. After the concert there was a line up of photo seekers. Renewed my faith in real people away from the chaos of election spins and attacks. They are why I keep running for office.”

Alvin Tedjo

“We’re feeling the momentum across Mississauga ahead of Monday’s election. Residents are hungry for change and tired of seeing our city move in the wrong direction – our plan to freeze property taxes, build more housing, reduce congestion and make our neighbourhoods safer is resonating with residents.”

He added, “We’ve campaigned on a vision for a Mississauga where families can grow, opportunities are within reach and residents feel safe and secure in their communities.”

Race to the wire

Any of the three are capable and have a track record of proving that. All three have had their good moments and no so good moments, but all are decent, interesting people who have served their constituents well.

There really is no wrong decision. But one has to be made. The undecided voters will ultimately decide who wins. As the world changes, crime and homelessness increases, there are big decisions for the city moving forward to the future.

If you consider all that has sprung up since being incorporated in 1974, it’s not hard to consider what Mississauga will be when it turns 100 in 2074.

Who voters elect Monday will help determine that.

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