No more controversial parking ban in Mississauga

After more than a decade, a controversial Friday afternoon parking ban on a neighbourhood street near a huge Mississauga mosque has been lifted by the City of Mississauga.

ISNA Canada’s Mississauga mosque, which is located on South Sheridan Way off the QEW just west of Southdown Rd., and its large congregation had been negatively impacted by the no parking order on Finfar Crt. since it was approved by City council in late 2011 in response to a resident’s complaint.

While the mosque, run by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), offers hundreds of on-site parking spots, its Friday afternoon prayers draw thousands of people.

The parking ban on Finfar Crt., which is located just west of the mosque, was in effect Fridays from noon to 3 p.m., so many members of the congregation looking for parking had to do so even farther away and then walk a good distance.

A March 22 vote by Mississauga council put an end to that ban and the no parking signs were taken down two days later. The City is also looking at other areas in Mississauga where similar situations may exist.

While the mosque and its congregation are pleased with the reversal, many have said the parking ban was offensive to them as it was in effect for so many years on a major day of prayer for Muslims.

Mayor Bonnie Crombie and councillors Alvin Tedjo (Ward 2, where the mosque is located), Joe Horneck (Ward 6) and Carolyn Parrish (Ward 5) called for removal of the no parking signs and the subsequent vote was unanimous.

Noting the importance of being fair to all, Tedjo said council needed to revisit how the parking ban happened in the first place and take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again given that Mississauga is such a diverse community.

“Whether or not (the actions) were intentionally prejudice, it had that outcome that had a significant impact on that particular community,” said Tedjo.

Map shows location of ISNA Canada mosque in relation to nearby Finfar Crt., just to the west.