Civil

Streetsville - Main Street Square Redevelopment

Owner: City of Mississauga
Consultant: CS&P Architects
Date Completed: September 2014
Project Value: $3 Million

Scope of Work: The Streetsville Main Street Square Redevelopment Project was a community vision to turn the existing street into an urban green space where the whole community could share and enjoy. The main concept of the plan was to relocate the existing 17’ high cenotaph, originally constructed in 1926 in memory of local veterans who died during World War I, to be the centrepiece and transform the square into a community gathering place as well as a venue for festivals and events.

The project was centred between Queen and Church on Main Street and covered an approximate area of, 2800m2. The original tendered completion date was scheduled for July 2014 with a contract value of $2,701,524. However, due to unknown existing utilities, the project required extensive redesign, and the project was extended until September 2014 at a cost of $2,699,983.

The Scope of work included but was not limited to:

Removal/disposal of existing infrastructure:

  • The road, curbing, sidewalks, and all paved surfaces within the site boundaries
  • Excavation of sub-grade materials below all surfaces to approximately 900mm
  • Existing trees and vegetation
  • Salvage of components from the existing Cenotaph for re-use in its rebuilding
  • Demolition and removal of the supporting structure of the Cenotaph

Installation and construction of:

  • Placement of granular for road and all pedestrian surfaces
  • Adjustments and additions to the storm drainage system
  • Concrete curbing for road articulation
  • Installation of concrete unit pavers for road and all pedestrian surfaces
  • Asphalt patching at transition areas beyond the project site
  • Tree planting in specialized tree pits (using pre-manufactured soil cells)
  • Electrical installations, including road and pedestrian lighting, tree up-lighting, trellis lighting, and installation of power outlets throughout the site
  • Specialized architectural elements, including roadway light standards and metal frame trellis construction with a reinforced glass roof
  • Rebuilding of the Veteran's Memorial Cenotaph utilizing salvaged components of the original and new brick supplied by the City
  • Installation of a complete audiovisual infrastructure
  • Site furnishings, water services, and all related roadway appurtenances

The construction was a mix of civil structural and Historical Restoration. New infrastructure included portable water, storm, and electrical utilities and working around existing unmapped utilities such as gas, storm, and hydro. New footing and foundations for stage and trellis, as well as plants and electrical bunkers. The use of soil cells around the existing infrastructure was at times challenging, it was like “installing train tracks through a dish of pasta,” as said by the site super, while maintaining service to all businesses and homeowners.

The most challenging aspect of this project was maintaining access to all businesses and residences during the duration of the project. This involved extensive hoarding and walkways, which had to be relocated, mobilized, and constantly dismantled. All of this is done with the safety of the public as our main goal. This project was completed with no safety issues and with minimal disruption to the community. There were some necessary downtimes, but we tried to keep it minimal no matter the cost, which played a role in extending the project timelines.

The City of Mississauga’s vision of transforming a two-lane street with road parking into a new public green space to connect residents and the community through arts, culture, and heritage came to fruition with the completion of this project. With the flexibility of closing traffic access to Main Street’s new concrete unit paving stone two-lane street, the new community square can now host movie nights and concerts as well as all types of community events from car shows to farmer’s markets.

Construction site with workers, heavy machinery, and partially demolished buildings under a clear sky.
Aerial view of an urban construction site with heavy machinery, materials scattered around, and buildings in the surrounding area.
A public square with potted trees, benches, and surrounding buildings under a clear sky.