Introduction
Sandwiched between the QEW to the south and Rathburn to the north, Cooksville manages to be a homey community. With Cawthra as its border to the east and Mavis to the west, it appears to be an area demarcated by major roadways. Instead, Cooksville is defined by its communal spaces, independence from the big city and a bustling freshness.
Lifestyle
Once called a Toronto suburb, Cooksville is a city centre in its own right, boasting young families and hard-working singles in the downtown core and established homes on its perimeter. Cooksville has everything you need to live – the basics and the frills. What it lacks in green space, it makes up for with wide sidewalks, public art, and cultural landmarks that draw the entire community.
The Vibe
Cooksville has a sense of newness about it despite its long history as the centre of Mississauga. A fire destroyed most of the original architecture, but glorious new edifices bring a sense of modernity and futuristic vision to Cooksville. The very deliberately structured area around City Square is busy and inviting, and the high concentration of new condos adds to the sense of never-ending growth and exhilaration.
Meet the Neighbours
Anglo-Canadians, Italians and Eastern Europeans were part of early waves of settlement, many of whom have called Cooksville home for decades. This large district is also home to new immigrants from all over the world, including sizable South Asian, Arabic, and Afro-Canadian communities, and the resulting mix of people is truly an international one. According to Heritage Mississauga, over forty different languages are spoken as mother tongue in Cooksville.
In the Area
Cooksville has everything: schools, big box stores, ethnic food specialty shops, community centres, and a gigantic shopping mall. It has a library, an art gallery and sports arenas. Mosques, temples, churches represent all faiths. Smallish parks are dotted throughout Cooksville. The huge Living Arts Centre houses the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra and hosts many other types of performance. The local hospital, Trillium Health Partners, boasts the largest emergency department in Canada.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Public transit in Mississauga is centred in Cooksville. Two GO Stations provide rail and bus service to all of Mississauga. Express buses run passengers to Union Station in downtown Toronto, and Pearson Airport is only a twenty-minute drive. Cooksville is very accessible by car, with major roadways connecting to side streets in residential areas. The City Centre is very much a walking community, with cars and pedestrians co-existing in harmony.
The Good, the Bad & the Rest
Apartments are increasingly expensive, and new condos can be as small as those in Toronto, although they are more affordable. Streets are clean and wide, crime is low, and the energy is bustling. The very up-and-coming ambiance of Cooksville is augmented by its vibrant multiculturalism. It’s very close to Toronto, but one can easily work and live here with no need to go beyond its borders.
Dollars & Sense
Cooksville has both modern trendy cafés with sidewalk patios as well as inexpensive take-out restaurants. Square One carries all major brands with extensive free parking. There are many South Asian grocery shops and Afro-Caribbean barber shops. As a home for many new immigrants and young families, it is possible to live very reasonably while still having access to all the amenities of a large city.
Gallery
Neighbourhood Hotspots
Square One Shopping Centre
Get blissfully lost in this 1.6 million-sq.-ft. shopper's paradise. Lost, in spite of it literally being a square! Here, shopping is a sport as you run a marathon through 360 shops, services and restaurants.
more infoLiving Arts Centre
This modern 225,000-sq.-ft. facility hosts theatrical and musical performances, as well as art exhibitions, summer camps and courses for adults and children. It is home to the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.
more infoCelebration Square
Host to concerts in the summer and ice skating in the winter, this huge public space is located near City Hall, drawing crowds all year-round with free events and festivals.
more infoMississauga Valley Community Centre and Library
The largest community centre in Mississauga boasts a gymnasium, an ice arena, a swimming pool and a therapy pool, as well as meeting rooms. Sports programs include basketball, volleyball, badminton and indoor soccer.
more infoMississauga Flea Market
On weekends the parking lot of this local strip mall fills with vendor and local farmers selling fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, jams and baked goods. It's a chef's and a fresh foodie's dream!
more infoThe Absolute Towers
The “Marilyn Monroe buildings” were named the Best Tall Buildings in the Americas by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and are emblems of the futuristic architecture found throughout the centre of Cooksville.
more info