The Final Ridgeway Community Courts Workshop

On Wednesday, April 6^th, the Erin Mills youth, the MLSE Foundation, the City of Mississauga, and ERA congregated for the last time to discuss final design details for the Ridgeway Community Court. Wings and pizza awaited the group as everyone gathered around for the final workshop.

Delicious pizza and wings!

The agenda for the evening contained final considerations and exciting announcements that kept everyone engaged and enlivened. The Erin Mills youth had to make important decisions such as: what colour would they choose for the rubber surfaces at the bleacher? What kind of park benches should they choose to accommodate community members while they watch the game or enjoy a picnic? The youth intensely debated net options and voted on an official logo from the three they had developed.

Erin Mills youth intensely debating net options.

Net options.

Logo options.

Gathering around to vote for the new logo.

The votes are in!

Everyone in the room was ecstatic to hear that the Ridgeway Community Court, which reclaims under-utilized parking space, will be an official City of Mississauga park. The park will feature a community board to advertise events, games, and other fun activities for the neighbourhood. It will also have bike racks, a shed for supplies, and two beautiful youth designed murals that will showcase the community’s unique identity, and create a gateway into the park. Management of the court will be community-led. A number of youth jobs will be made available – an invaluable addition to the neighbourhood.

Examples of bike racks, benches, community boards, and other park features.

It was a proud moment when the workshop crew watched an MLSE promotional video, which describes the Ridgeway Community Court project (watch it below!). The group morale was at an all-time high as the video described their great efforts to establish this project and the success with which it has progressed since the first workshop.

As the workshop came to a close, the youth itched with one final question: when will the court be built? Although a firm construction start date has yet to be established, ERA and the rest of the project team are working to iron out the final details, and are aiming to start construction by early summer 2016.