$61M in renovations will give entirely new look to community centre in Mississauga

Construction begins this week on the massive renovation of a popular community centre and library in Mississauga’s west end.

South Common Community Centre and Library was closed to the public in June as preparations began for a $61-million facelift that’ll keep the facility shut down for the next three years while work is done.

City of Mississauga officials said Tuesday that construction will start this Friday on significant upgrades and renovations to the community centre, which opened in 1981. An expanded fitness space and a new aquatics centre are high on the list of jobs to be done.

The South Common Community Centre and Library Redevelopment will “modernize and increase the size of the library, improve the quality of recreational services and create a parkland link to South Common Park,” city officials, who’ll attend a Friday groundbreaking ceremony, said in their most recent update. “This redevelopment will provide improved infrastructure for Mississauga’s residents for generations to come.”

The provincial government is covering $45 million of the total cost, with the remainder picked up by the city.

The new-look community centre is expected to reopen in summer 2027, officials said earlier.

Officials overseeing the major overhaul of the 43-year-old Erin Mills-area complex first took their design plans to the public last year for feedback.

And now the shovel is about to go into the ground for what they call an “exciting redevelopment that will ensure the programs and services offered continue to meet the needs of the community.”

Additionally, they’ve noted, the renovations are expected to “improve infrastructure to address population growth and changing demographics in the area.”

The work will be completed using environmentally friendly building standards, the city said, as well as with greater accessibility in mind.

Rendering of the new aquatics centre.

City officials said in an earlier project update that in order to maintain “beautiful and inviting spaces where people of all ages come to spend quality time together, occasionally our facilities need to close to ensure (they) remain up-to-date and include features that respond to and support community needs.”

They added that while the community centre is closed, residents can access programs and activities at neighbouring facilities. 

Improvements to the library, expanded fitness spaces, a new aquatics centre and a new gymnasium are all part of the South Common project. The library’s expansion will see an extra 16,000 square feet that will include multi-purpose rooms, officials said.

Rendering of new library. (All renderings, including cover photo: City of Mississauga)

South Common Community Centre has remained largely unchanged over the decades. It serves as a hub of community activities for Erin Mills and west Mississauga, especially since it has a close connection to South Common Mall. 

An expansion of both indoor and outdoor fitness spaces as well as the aquatics area has been long sought by the community. 

The project calls for:

• new aquatics centre with a 25-metre, six-lane pool, warm water therapy pool and new change rooms
• new gymnasium
• new equipment-based fitness centre with cardio machines and weights, a fitness studio with wood-sprung floor, in addition to a walking track, two squash courts and sauna
• new updated library with a larger children’s area, small meeting rooms, comfortable lounge seating and reading area, new design computers, digital photography tools and quiet/group study spaces
• new tennis courts
• new outdoor spray pad and picnic shade structure
• improved connection to South Common Centre bus terminal

South Common Community Centre and Library prior to start of renovations. (Photo: City of Mississauga)

This past summer, city officials hinted at plans for some of the green space around the revamped community centre.

Angered by the city’s plan to eliminate 25 mature and healthy trees to make way for a more convenient entrance to the facility, some 250 area residents presented council with a petition calling for the trees to be spared.

Though residents’ efforts did not succeed, city officials told them they intend to make up for the loss of those trees, and then some, by planting and transplanting many more in the area.