January 14, 2025 • 25 mins
Norm Murray speaks with Mississauga Ward 1 Councillor, Stephen Dasko about the most recent happenings in his part of the city. There are many upcoming events you may wish to check out! Visit http://www.stephendasko.ca
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The views expressed in the following program are those of
the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of
SAGA nine sixty Am or its management.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm Noram Murray. Nice to have you long this afternoon
on News Talk SAGA nine sixty. What a pleasure to
be here today. And it is that time of the
month for me, meaning I get to speak with Stephen
Dasco Ward one counselor in Mississauga, which we do every
month around about this time. It's at the sometime around
the beginning of the month, and you can imagine with
the January first holiday and everything, we're a few days
(00:54):
in here. But it's a pleasure to speak to one
of our connections to city Hall and what's going on
in Ward one absolutely, and then we talk about what
else is happening generally in the municipal politics, I suppose,
and you never know where the direction is where the
conversation is going to go. Stephen, Happy New Year to you.
How are you.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I'm doing terrific. Happy New Year to you as well.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Thank you. I hope you're getting the year kicked off nicely.
And tell me about your holiday first of all, because
I know you probably celebrated Christmas and also, if I'm
not mistaken Ukrainian Christmas.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Correct, Yes, absolutely, and great memory. The holidays were fantastic,
you know. It was just a nice time to take
a bit of a pause and kind of catch your
breath as you know, as you do, and just you know,
it was it was very nice. And yeah, thank you
(01:48):
very much, because we do celebrate on the on the
Orthodox side as well, and so we did have a
nice Christmas Eve dinner, a traditional dinner that my family
has and twelve dishes that go out for the twelve Apostles,
and it was just very nice. So thanks for asking.
(02:09):
And now we're right back at it, sleeves rolled up
and going right back at it again one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Did you work very much during the holidays. I get
the impression somebody like you would be working.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
It's funny you mentioned that because I tend to say
I'm not really working, But if you were asked my wife,
she would tell you that I am still working. And honestly,
I love doing what I do. I love helping people,
and my mind is always going on what the next
thing would be and some ideas for the community. So yeah,
(02:44):
you know, I guess guilty as charged. I'll always tend
to be working.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
So now that the weather's nice and cold, and I
say nice and cold, boy, I bet you things are
hopping at Memorial Park.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It is awesome down there. The twenty five foot Christmas tree,
which talking to the BIA, we've now got it as
the I think it's just going to be the winter
tree now we've transitioned because we're going to keep the
tree up. It's just it's a stunning thing to see
if you haven't had a chance to get down and
(03:17):
listeners haven't had a chance. It's twenty five feet tall,
twelve thousand lights on it, and all the trees around
the skating trail are also all lit up, and it's
just really quite something to see in the evening time,
and if you happen to go down there, it's great
for a skate. There's music playing as well from ten
(03:38):
until ten, and of course once you're down in Port
Credit and along the lake shore area there there's all
kinds of great dining solutions and some shops to go
check out and things like that. So it's great. So
probably a longer answer than you were looking for a norm,
but yeah, it's pretty special down there.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
That's exactly what I meant. No, no, for sure, and
I'm glad you told us about that. And the skate trail.
I mean, now that the weather's cold, I know it's
already frozen from underneath anyways, but still it's a real
Canadian feel of skating on that skate trail, I'll tell you.
And having the tree there too. I have to ask
just off to the side here. I don't know how
(04:21):
you're going to approach this, but did somebody complain it
was called a Christmas tree instead of a winter tree?
Is that why the name has been changed?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
No, No, absolutely not, okay, No, it's a Christmas tree
through and through and right now. It's just because Christmas
is gone, and like, for example, you've got the tree
up at Celebration Square has been taken down for the
season and that, but we've elected to keep it up
there for the season right up until essentially in March break.
(04:50):
And the reason is just because it really is quite
something to see with the lights and everything. It just
has a great feel to it. We thought, you know, no,
we haven't forgotten that Christmas is over, but we're just
going to keep it up. So that's why we just
thought we transition it and call it the Winter Tree.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Now, I think that's a great idea, super idea just for.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
The rest of the season, yeah, for sure, and then
next year it'll be a Christmas tree. Speaking all over again.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
And speaking of Christmas is the last thing I'll ask
you about Christmas, okay, But going into Christmas, and as
you know, along Port Credit there was many areas of
free parking to encourage people to visit you're part of
the city and do some shopping and not have to
worry about running out to the meter and putting coins
in all the time. So free parking, I should say,
(05:36):
free parking was happening in many areas of Port Credit
and other areas actually too. But I guess that's coming
to an end pretty soon, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
It is coming up to an end. I'll tell you.
This is something that I used to have to put
a pitch in for every year, and then finally I
made it permanent. So extended it and made it permanent.
So it starts off at the end of November and
continues to the middle of January. Done is free parking
(06:07):
throughout the Port Credit BIA And the reason for that is.
I don't want to have it where it's challenging enough
for our local businesses to be competing. I don't want
to have it so that they're now competing with a
plaza or a mall with free parking, and then we
have that barrier, even though quite frankly, twenty five cents
(06:30):
will more than likely do it. If you want to
go into a shop, you can probably do your shopping
within that time, or if you're going in for a meal,
it's a dollar fifty an hour, you know, to go
in and park along Lake Shore. But those are the
barriers that I think. It just sends the message that
everybody there is is there to do business and they'll
(06:52):
look after you know, the consumer. And taking out those barriers,
I think is just it's the nice overture to make.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Thank you for doing that. Thank you very much on
behalf of everybody who's used the free parking spots. I
know it's really appreciated by everybody, and your fight to
do that. Before we get to some other local stuff,
I just want to throw a political question at you here,
because Stephen, it is so hot in the news right
now you cannot listen to any program certainly here on
(07:21):
News Talk Saga nine to sixty for the most part,
without Donald Trump's name being mentioned, and twenty five percent
tariffs and local politicians Doug Ford the possibility of an
early election in the province of Ontario or not, which
of course would involve Bonnie Crombie. There's so much going
on in politics right now, so you at a municipal level.
(07:45):
I realize the levels are different here, but you've got
more of an ear to the ground than most of us,
if not all of us. I would just like to
know if you could expand a little bit on some
of your thoughts about some of those areas. What's going
on here? Are we afraid aid of what's going to
come from the United States in terms of tariffs? How
does it affect Peel region for example, things like that.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Well, we're certainly living in an interesting time and one
where we went from having a big debate over should
we have free trade? We had a whole, a whole
campaign run on that in nineteen eighty eight right across
the country of course, the free trade election, and now
(08:29):
we have one where there's an incoming US president who
is I think, probably more than anything, deflecting from other
issues going on and putting out things like this, you know,
whether it's Canada, you know, Greenland and.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Panama Canal, Gulf of Moco, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
You know, Gulf of Mexico. Very very interesting types of
you know, conversations. But you know, the one thing that
that I think the War of eighteen twelve showed ish,
don't mess with Canada because we've got an incredible grit
and and on top of that we we are, I believe,
(09:16):
a very good partner to the United States. The States
are a good partner to us, and we've had a
wonderful relationship for a great number of years. And any
kind of inndiary incendiary rhetoric, to me, I don't think
it's healthy. It's this isn't what the world needs right now.
You know, we've had so much anger out there and
(09:39):
so much division that it tends to be quite unhealthy.
So hopefully that this this type of rhetoric dies down,
but you know, it's nice to see that that we
are seeing some leadership emerging, just to just to let
everybody know that, you know, if if this is for real,
(10:00):
and it is you know, looking to move forward, that
there will be consequences to it. But I'm hoping that
once the new president comes in that he gets down
with the business of the day, you know, in the
United States, and we can get along and really get
(10:20):
back to being productive as opposed to having something like this.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah. You know, one thing I was thinking earlier today
was it's kind of odd, but Donald Trump has almost
contributed to uniting Canada because I think we all of
all political stripes in Canada, I would say, for the
most part, the vast majority are united in our thoughts
of no, you know what, We're happy to be our
(10:46):
own country, thank you very much. We don't want to
be absorbed into the United States and all of those
things that seemed to start off as a joke and
then suddenly kept going. I think it's kind of united
US a bit.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
You know, well, we are truly a dynamic uh country
that that we are. We're the true North, strong and
free and uh and that's the way we always will be.
And maybe it's a bit of a wake up call
sometimes that that that when you you you poke at
something like that, that this is the kind of results
(11:16):
that you get. But I'm really hoping that that that
this really gets put into it into its proper place,
which is behind us and and we move forward in
a much more productive and positive way.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
So let's get back to our part of the world
and bring us up to date and what's happening in
your part of the world. In Ward One, we're speaking
with Steven Dasco. He is the Ward one counselor and
here in Mississauga. So I'm sure there's been a lot
happening as you started to touch upon a little bit
of course, with the you know, the tree and the
skate trail and all of that, but there's a lot
(11:48):
more going on in Ward One.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Oh, there certainly is, and there's and it's not just
Ward One, there's certain pockets this city. And it's been
it's been great to work collaboratively with some of my
council colleagues, one in particular's counsel Chris von Seka. We
both of our awards were badly damaged our residents during
(12:13):
the floods that we had in July and August of
twenty twenty four, and so working together to come up
with which is a first of its kind in Mississauga,
and that's a residential compassionate flood relief Grants it's a
one time payment of a thousand dollars to those property
(12:34):
owners and tenants in Mississauga that that that experienced flooding
you know, in their in their basements and damage to
their property. So it's not meant to dissolve and look
after all of all all of the damage, but it's helped.
It's there to help offset some of the costs and
(12:55):
and and also deductible for those that you know that
have that some place. So there's there's one measure there.
Another is we we put forward to get the disaster
Relief Assistance UH from from the Ontario government and UH
and very very happy and pleased to say that that
(13:18):
that was awarded for UH for people in the community
around the Little Tobacco Creek area. And so this is
something that if you just go to my website at
Stephen Dasco dot ca A at Stephen Dasco dot ca A,
you'll be able to find the application form, like the
link to it and UH and what you're eligible for UH.
(13:40):
You can go to that and UH and and fill
all that information in. So there's that and there's also
for UH for those that want to be proactive in
terms of having having some having some rebate pro programs
available to you. For the flood Resilience rebate program for example,
(14:03):
and the prevention and the prevention rebate program. These are
ones that are available. They're out there, and again just
go to my website and you can get all the
information for that. The flood Resilience Rebate program, it gives
you a maximum of three thousand dollars that you that
you can recover costs. And then at the same time
(14:23):
the basement Flooding Prevention rebate, that one is for up
to sixty eight hundred dollars. So that's where you can
just go to my website. You can get all the
information there and find out where there's some other things
even for example, subseeds for the sanitary backwater valve rebate,
(14:44):
things like that that are in place as well, so
that you know, while the floods might be over, we're
certainly working a way to try to help out residents
the best that we possibly can because it was absolutely
devastating for so many people and trying to help out
whichever way we can.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Oh, yeah, it absolutely was. And you're right. It's right
on the front the first opening home page there when
you go to Stephendasco dot ca A and there's a
wealth of information on the website too, but all sorts
of other things you can learn more about Stephen Dasco himself,
as well as planning and development and community news and
Steven's initiatives and issues, some information on the here Ontario
(15:28):
l r T, which I'm sure you're tired of being
asked about, Steven.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Well, it's interesting because it affects so many of our
of our day to day lives, and this is one
that it's a it's a large infrastructure project that that
pretakes me, but you know, I'll tell you it's it's
it's helping manage through it for for all the residents
and Metrolinks is one that you know, they've they've been
(15:57):
managing the project. It's their project, and unfortunately it's gone
a little bit long. So hoping to get a little
bit more clarity from them in the near future on
just exactly how much longer it's going to be and
when they're looking to get up and running. So that
that is one that you know, is a cause of
(16:17):
concern for sure. But I'll tell you there's some great,
you know, some great initiatives that are happening right across
the ward, and I will tell you it's it's very,
very exciting. We've got the Carmen Corbus and community center
is really coming along. If you go along Caught right now,
just south of the Qew, you will see the community
(16:40):
center is really starting to take shape.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I've been pushing staff and staff are you know, We're
getting a lot of some very good things done. We're
we're hoping to have the center open at the end
of March. Uh and then the swimming pools are going
to be a little bit late, so those should get
up and running in May. But I do want the
(17:05):
center open. They've asked me, you know, d Wall, do
you want it all open? It'll get delayed even more.
I said, no, I want to have the center open.
We can add the pools on it, you know, at
the end, but I want to make sure that those
that are using those classes, the courses, the new gym,
everything else that's there. I want to be available to
the community as soon as possible, So that will be
(17:27):
coming at the end of March, and it's a big
one for the community and really looking forward to having
that reopen for everybody as well.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, that's a big one, and congratulations to you and
everybody working on that. Of course, that's very exciting for
the whole community. And it is a great feeling, you know.
I mean when something is that big and it's going
to be opening soon, there's a buzz in the community
leading up to it, Like they're talking about it now.
I know it's January and you've got another month and
(17:55):
a half, two months to go here, but it's sure,
I'm sure they're all talking about it. Can't wait for
it too, good stuff.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Yeah, it's nice to see. It's nice to see. And
then as well, we've got the Ministry of Transportation. There
was another one where we had the Bailey Bridges I
call it, and that's that's the bridge that is the
pedestrian bridge that goes across the Qew at the top
of Hague and it goes right sorry hag Ogden area
(18:27):
and it goes right over to Applewood Plaza and it's
one that has been a gem in use for many
many years. It was it was knocked down. It was
end of life, so they were looking to have it rebuilt.
It ran into some complications and ran over time, but
that is up and running now. It's it's fully, fully functional.
(18:49):
I know that they're going to finish it off in
the spring, but that's one that people can start using now,
which is great to see. And then we've also.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Gone before go on. You said you call it the
Bailey Bridge.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
It's it's a type of bridge. So I always thought
it's funny that the Bailey Bridge was named after somebody
you know, but no, it's actually it's a type of bridge.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
So okay, is it is it going to have a name?
You're going to name this one?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Stay tunedha tuned? Yeah, yeah, more more more to come,
and it might just be an exclusive exclusive on the Norm.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Oh, I would love that. Of course, we want to
scoop on that one for sure, to find.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Out especially I think that that would be pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Especially if it's going to be the NORM Bridge. I
am totally in favor and I and I accept, thank
you very much. Anyways, I'll keep that quiet for now.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Maybe you'll have something like out of the Norm Bridge
or something like that.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Right, that's right, which is where I usually am is
under the NORM Bridge. But anyway, all right, so sorry
I interrupted you. What else are you going to tell
us about coming up?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Yeah? And we've also got down towards the water front.
There's there's the Marina Park that is going to be
opening up. It ran into a little bit of delay
getting open. There was some final pieces that had to
get put into place, and also getting the UH the
site as I call it, energized, or that's where Electra
has to activate all the lighting and things like that
(20:20):
down in the park area. So that's right down where
they where the UH where the lighthouse is just south
of the lighthouse, so you're going to see the charter
fishing boats back where they were before. You'll also see
the boat launch coming back. Plus there's a brand new
(20:41):
non motorized boat launch that's going to go in there
and that's for kayaks and canoes and things like that,
so that'll be going in and also just a walking
promenade along there, which is it's stunning. So that is
all coming along very very nicely. That'll be back in
the community, so I'm very very exciting to see that
(21:03):
coming in. And then of course we started our first
leg of it, and that was the pedestrian cycling bridge
going across across the Credit River and that's just south
of the train track bridge right essentially where the parking
lot is for the Port Credit Legion, and that is
(21:26):
going to go right across from essentially where the back
of the Legion is, right over into Memorial Park. And
it's again it's going to have that heritage characteristic towards
how the bridge is going to look. It'll be a
very very unique Port Credit feel to it. And that
bridge is going to go into full construction this year
(21:50):
and it will be open to the public in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Okay, that sounds amazing.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
So you have been it's been very exciting.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah, yeah, no, that that's really good news. Stephen. That's awesome.
Have you been out and around and about in the
port maybe visiting some establishments and ribbon cutting and kissing
babies and all that. I guess they probably don't do
that anymore. But anyway, well, i'll tell.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
You you know, there's there's been a lot of great,
wonderful things happening throughout the community. I'll tell you there's
one that I really want to make mention of, and
that's the Brogue. The Brogue Irish Well, it has been
an institution in our community for twenty six years. This
(22:39):
was not just a pub. It was a community gathering
place in the Donnelly family, who are dear friends.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Really.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
They brought so much into the community and did so much.
They've decided that they wanted to retire after twenty six years,
and so they absold the pub. It is now going
to be open. My understanding is in March it'll be
under a new name, but it will still be a
(23:09):
pub and it's going to go through some some minor
cosmetic changes. But very sad to see the Donnelly family go,
wishing them all the very best, you know, as they
go forward. They did, as a matter of fact, finish
everything off in the community with the spirit that they
always bring into the community, and that is they have
(23:29):
for twenty five of those twenty six years have been
doing a Polar Bear Dip at New Year's and they
finished off their last day being in business was actually
holding the Polar Bear Dip and that was down at
Arcae McMillan Park and then welcomed everybody back over at
the Brogue for its final time. So sad to see
(23:52):
them go, but at the same time, I wouldn't feel
right if I didn't wish them all the very best,
because they've been such a huge part of the community
for a great number of years.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Well, listen, I hope you have a great rest of
your month in January. We'll talk to you the beginning
of February. We'll be going into as you pointed out,
Family Day will be on the horizon, and Valentine's Day
around the corner, and lots of other great things to
look forward to in Ward one and Mississauga in general.
I know you're keeping an eye on things in council
as well under the good Mayor, and we appreciate the
(24:25):
time you spend with us. Thanks Stephen. We'll talk to
you next month.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Well, thanks so much, look forward to it. Take care.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Always a pleasure. Stephen Dasco is the Ward one councilor
here in Mississauga. Go to Stephen Dasco dot c A
and you'll learn a lot about Ward one and about
the city in general, and about Stephen for that matter too.
And it's always a pleasure to have him on the program,
and we'll talk to him again next month. I'm Norm Murray.
This is News Talk SAGA nine to sixty.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
No Radio, No Problem. Stream is live on SAGA nine
sixty a M dot CA.
The views expressed in the following program are those of
the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of
SAGA nine sixty Am or its management.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm Noram Murray. Nice to have you long this afternoon
on News Talk SAGA nine sixty. What a pleasure to
be here today. And it is that time of the
month for me, meaning I get to speak with Stephen
Dasco Ward one counselor in Mississauga, which we do every
month around about this time. It's at the sometime around
the beginning of the month, and you can imagine with
the January first holiday and everything, we're a few days
(00:54):
in here. But it's a pleasure to speak to one
of our connections to city Hall and what's going on
in Ward one absolutely, and then we talk about what
else is happening generally in the municipal politics, I suppose,
and you never know where the direction is where the
conversation is going to go. Stephen, Happy New Year to you.
How are you.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I'm doing terrific. Happy New Year to you as well.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Thank you. I hope you're getting the year kicked off nicely.
And tell me about your holiday first of all, because
I know you probably celebrated Christmas and also, if I'm
not mistaken Ukrainian Christmas.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Correct, Yes, absolutely, and great memory. The holidays were fantastic,
you know. It was just a nice time to take
a bit of a pause and kind of catch your
breath as you know, as you do, and just you know,
it was it was very nice. And yeah, thank you
(01:48):
very much, because we do celebrate on the on the
Orthodox side as well, and so we did have a
nice Christmas Eve dinner, a traditional dinner that my family
has and twelve dishes that go out for the twelve Apostles,
and it was just very nice. So thanks for asking.
(02:09):
And now we're right back at it, sleeves rolled up
and going right back at it again one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Did you work very much during the holidays. I get
the impression somebody like you would be working.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
It's funny you mentioned that because I tend to say
I'm not really working, But if you were asked my wife,
she would tell you that I am still working. And honestly,
I love doing what I do. I love helping people,
and my mind is always going on what the next
thing would be and some ideas for the community. So yeah,
(02:44):
you know, I guess guilty as charged. I'll always tend
to be working.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
So now that the weather's nice and cold, and I
say nice and cold, boy, I bet you things are
hopping at Memorial Park.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It is awesome down there. The twenty five foot Christmas tree,
which talking to the BIA, we've now got it as
the I think it's just going to be the winter
tree now we've transitioned because we're going to keep the
tree up. It's just it's a stunning thing to see
if you haven't had a chance to get down and
(03:17):
listeners haven't had a chance. It's twenty five feet tall,
twelve thousand lights on it, and all the trees around
the skating trail are also all lit up, and it's
just really quite something to see in the evening time,
and if you happen to go down there, it's great
for a skate. There's music playing as well from ten
(03:38):
until ten, and of course once you're down in Port
Credit and along the lake shore area there there's all
kinds of great dining solutions and some shops to go
check out and things like that. So it's great. So
probably a longer answer than you were looking for a norm,
but yeah, it's pretty special down there.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
That's exactly what I meant. No, no, for sure, and
I'm glad you told us about that. And the skate trail.
I mean, now that the weather's cold, I know it's
already frozen from underneath anyways, but still it's a real
Canadian feel of skating on that skate trail, I'll tell you.
And having the tree there too. I have to ask
just off to the side here. I don't know how
(04:21):
you're going to approach this, but did somebody complain it
was called a Christmas tree instead of a winter tree?
Is that why the name has been changed?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
No, No, absolutely not, okay, No, it's a Christmas tree
through and through and right now. It's just because Christmas
is gone, and like, for example, you've got the tree
up at Celebration Square has been taken down for the
season and that, but we've elected to keep it up
there for the season right up until essentially in March break.
(04:50):
And the reason is just because it really is quite
something to see with the lights and everything. It just
has a great feel to it. We thought, you know, no,
we haven't forgotten that Christmas is over, but we're just
going to keep it up. So that's why we just
thought we transition it and call it the Winter Tree.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Now, I think that's a great idea, super idea just for.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
The rest of the season, yeah, for sure, and then
next year it'll be a Christmas tree. Speaking all over again.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
And speaking of Christmas is the last thing I'll ask
you about Christmas, okay, But going into Christmas, and as
you know, along Port Credit there was many areas of
free parking to encourage people to visit you're part of
the city and do some shopping and not have to
worry about running out to the meter and putting coins
in all the time. So free parking, I should say,
(05:36):
free parking was happening in many areas of Port Credit
and other areas actually too. But I guess that's coming
to an end pretty soon, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
It is coming up to an end. I'll tell you.
This is something that I used to have to put
a pitch in for every year, and then finally I
made it permanent. So extended it and made it permanent.
So it starts off at the end of November and
continues to the middle of January. Done is free parking
(06:07):
throughout the Port Credit BIA And the reason for that is.
I don't want to have it where it's challenging enough
for our local businesses to be competing. I don't want
to have it so that they're now competing with a
plaza or a mall with free parking, and then we
have that barrier, even though quite frankly, twenty five cents
(06:30):
will more than likely do it. If you want to
go into a shop, you can probably do your shopping
within that time, or if you're going in for a meal,
it's a dollar fifty an hour, you know, to go
in and park along Lake Shore. But those are the
barriers that I think. It just sends the message that
everybody there is is there to do business and they'll
(06:52):
look after you know, the consumer. And taking out those barriers,
I think is just it's the nice overture to make.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Thank you for doing that. Thank you very much on
behalf of everybody who's used the free parking spots. I
know it's really appreciated by everybody, and your fight to
do that. Before we get to some other local stuff,
I just want to throw a political question at you here,
because Stephen, it is so hot in the news right
now you cannot listen to any program certainly here on
(07:21):
News Talk Saga nine to sixty for the most part,
without Donald Trump's name being mentioned, and twenty five percent
tariffs and local politicians Doug Ford the possibility of an
early election in the province of Ontario or not, which
of course would involve Bonnie Crombie. There's so much going
on in politics right now, so you at a municipal level.
(07:45):
I realize the levels are different here, but you've got
more of an ear to the ground than most of us,
if not all of us. I would just like to
know if you could expand a little bit on some
of your thoughts about some of those areas. What's going
on here? Are we afraid aid of what's going to
come from the United States in terms of tariffs? How
does it affect Peel region for example, things like that.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Well, we're certainly living in an interesting time and one
where we went from having a big debate over should
we have free trade? We had a whole, a whole
campaign run on that in nineteen eighty eight right across
the country of course, the free trade election, and now
(08:29):
we have one where there's an incoming US president who
is I think, probably more than anything, deflecting from other
issues going on and putting out things like this, you know,
whether it's Canada, you know, Greenland and.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Panama Canal, Gulf of Moco, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
You know, Gulf of Mexico. Very very interesting types of
you know, conversations. But you know, the one thing that
that I think the War of eighteen twelve showed ish,
don't mess with Canada because we've got an incredible grit
and and on top of that we we are, I believe,
(09:16):
a very good partner to the United States. The States
are a good partner to us, and we've had a
wonderful relationship for a great number of years. And any
kind of inndiary incendiary rhetoric, to me, I don't think
it's healthy. It's this isn't what the world needs right now.
You know, we've had so much anger out there and
(09:39):
so much division that it tends to be quite unhealthy.
So hopefully that this this type of rhetoric dies down,
but you know, it's nice to see that that we
are seeing some leadership emerging, just to just to let
everybody know that, you know, if if this is for real,
(10:00):
and it is you know, looking to move forward, that
there will be consequences to it. But I'm hoping that
once the new president comes in that he gets down
with the business of the day, you know, in the
United States, and we can get along and really get
(10:20):
back to being productive as opposed to having something like this.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah. You know, one thing I was thinking earlier today
was it's kind of odd, but Donald Trump has almost
contributed to uniting Canada because I think we all of
all political stripes in Canada, I would say, for the
most part, the vast majority are united in our thoughts
of no, you know what, We're happy to be our
(10:46):
own country, thank you very much. We don't want to
be absorbed into the United States and all of those
things that seemed to start off as a joke and
then suddenly kept going. I think it's kind of united
US a bit.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
You know, well, we are truly a dynamic uh country
that that we are. We're the true North, strong and
free and uh and that's the way we always will be.
And maybe it's a bit of a wake up call
sometimes that that that when you you you poke at
something like that, that this is the kind of results
(11:16):
that you get. But I'm really hoping that that that
this really gets put into it into its proper place,
which is behind us and and we move forward in
a much more productive and positive way.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
So let's get back to our part of the world
and bring us up to date and what's happening in
your part of the world. In Ward One, we're speaking
with Steven Dasco. He is the Ward one counselor and
here in Mississauga. So I'm sure there's been a lot
happening as you started to touch upon a little bit
of course, with the you know, the tree and the
skate trail and all of that, but there's a lot
(11:48):
more going on in Ward One.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Oh, there certainly is, and there's and it's not just
Ward One, there's certain pockets this city. And it's been
it's been great to work collaboratively with some of my
council colleagues, one in particular's counsel Chris von Seka. We
both of our awards were badly damaged our residents during
(12:13):
the floods that we had in July and August of
twenty twenty four, and so working together to come up
with which is a first of its kind in Mississauga,
and that's a residential compassionate flood relief Grants it's a
one time payment of a thousand dollars to those property
(12:34):
owners and tenants in Mississauga that that that experienced flooding
you know, in their in their basements and damage to
their property. So it's not meant to dissolve and look
after all of all all of the damage, but it's helped.
It's there to help offset some of the costs and
(12:55):
and and also deductible for those that you know that
have that some place. So there's there's one measure there.
Another is we we put forward to get the disaster
Relief Assistance UH from from the Ontario government and UH
and very very happy and pleased to say that that
(13:18):
that was awarded for UH for people in the community
around the Little Tobacco Creek area. And so this is
something that if you just go to my website at
Stephen Dasco dot ca A at Stephen Dasco dot ca A,
you'll be able to find the application form, like the
link to it and UH and what you're eligible for UH.
(13:40):
You can go to that and UH and and fill
all that information in. So there's that and there's also
for UH for those that want to be proactive in
terms of having having some having some rebate pro programs
available to you. For the flood Resilience rebate program for example,
(14:03):
and the prevention and the prevention rebate program. These are
ones that are available. They're out there, and again just
go to my website and you can get all the
information for that. The flood Resilience Rebate program, it gives
you a maximum of three thousand dollars that you that
you can recover costs. And then at the same time
(14:23):
the basement Flooding Prevention rebate, that one is for up
to sixty eight hundred dollars. So that's where you can
just go to my website. You can get all the
information there and find out where there's some other things
even for example, subseeds for the sanitary backwater valve rebate,
(14:44):
things like that that are in place as well, so
that you know, while the floods might be over, we're
certainly working a way to try to help out residents
the best that we possibly can because it was absolutely
devastating for so many people and trying to help out
whichever way we can.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Oh, yeah, it absolutely was. And you're right. It's right
on the front the first opening home page there when
you go to Stephendasco dot ca A and there's a
wealth of information on the website too, but all sorts
of other things you can learn more about Stephen Dasco himself,
as well as planning and development and community news and
Steven's initiatives and issues, some information on the here Ontario
(15:28):
l r T, which I'm sure you're tired of being
asked about, Steven.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Well, it's interesting because it affects so many of our
of our day to day lives, and this is one
that it's a it's a large infrastructure project that that
pretakes me, but you know, I'll tell you it's it's
it's helping manage through it for for all the residents
and Metrolinks is one that you know, they've they've been
(15:57):
managing the project. It's their project, and unfortunately it's gone
a little bit long. So hoping to get a little
bit more clarity from them in the near future on
just exactly how much longer it's going to be and
when they're looking to get up and running. So that
that is one that you know, is a cause of
(16:17):
concern for sure. But I'll tell you there's some great,
you know, some great initiatives that are happening right across
the ward, and I will tell you it's it's very,
very exciting. We've got the Carmen Corbus and community center
is really coming along. If you go along Caught right now,
just south of the Qew, you will see the community
(16:40):
center is really starting to take shape.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I've been pushing staff and staff are you know, We're
getting a lot of some very good things done. We're
we're hoping to have the center open at the end
of March. Uh and then the swimming pools are going
to be a little bit late, so those should get
up and running in May. But I do want the
(17:05):
center open. They've asked me, you know, d Wall, do
you want it all open? It'll get delayed even more.
I said, no, I want to have the center open.
We can add the pools on it, you know, at
the end, but I want to make sure that those
that are using those classes, the courses, the new gym,
everything else that's there. I want to be available to
the community as soon as possible, So that will be
(17:27):
coming at the end of March, and it's a big
one for the community and really looking forward to having
that reopen for everybody as well.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, that's a big one, and congratulations to you and
everybody working on that. Of course, that's very exciting for
the whole community. And it is a great feeling, you know.
I mean when something is that big and it's going
to be opening soon, there's a buzz in the community
leading up to it, Like they're talking about it now.
I know it's January and you've got another month and
(17:55):
a half, two months to go here, but it's sure,
I'm sure they're all talking about it. Can't wait for
it too, good stuff.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Yeah, it's nice to see. It's nice to see. And
then as well, we've got the Ministry of Transportation. There
was another one where we had the Bailey Bridges I
call it, and that's that's the bridge that is the
pedestrian bridge that goes across the Qew at the top
of Hague and it goes right sorry hag Ogden area
(18:27):
and it goes right over to Applewood Plaza and it's
one that has been a gem in use for many
many years. It was it was knocked down. It was
end of life, so they were looking to have it rebuilt.
It ran into some complications and ran over time, but
that is up and running now. It's it's fully, fully functional.
(18:49):
I know that they're going to finish it off in
the spring, but that's one that people can start using now,
which is great to see. And then we've also.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Gone before go on. You said you call it the
Bailey Bridge.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
It's it's a type of bridge. So I always thought
it's funny that the Bailey Bridge was named after somebody
you know, but no, it's actually it's a type of bridge.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
So okay, is it is it going to have a name?
You're going to name this one?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Stay tunedha tuned? Yeah, yeah, more more more to come,
and it might just be an exclusive exclusive on the Norm.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Oh, I would love that. Of course, we want to
scoop on that one for sure, to find.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Out especially I think that that would be pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Especially if it's going to be the NORM Bridge. I
am totally in favor and I and I accept, thank
you very much. Anyways, I'll keep that quiet for now.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Maybe you'll have something like out of the Norm Bridge
or something like that.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Right, that's right, which is where I usually am is
under the NORM Bridge. But anyway, all right, so sorry
I interrupted you. What else are you going to tell
us about coming up?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Yeah? And we've also got down towards the water front.
There's there's the Marina Park that is going to be
opening up. It ran into a little bit of delay
getting open. There was some final pieces that had to
get put into place, and also getting the UH the
site as I call it, energized, or that's where Electra
has to activate all the lighting and things like that
(20:20):
down in the park area. So that's right down where
they where the UH where the lighthouse is just south
of the lighthouse, so you're going to see the charter
fishing boats back where they were before. You'll also see
the boat launch coming back. Plus there's a brand new
(20:41):
non motorized boat launch that's going to go in there
and that's for kayaks and canoes and things like that,
so that'll be going in and also just a walking
promenade along there, which is it's stunning. So that is
all coming along very very nicely. That'll be back in
the community, so I'm very very exciting to see that
(21:03):
coming in. And then of course we started our first
leg of it, and that was the pedestrian cycling bridge
going across across the Credit River and that's just south
of the train track bridge right essentially where the parking
lot is for the Port Credit Legion, and that is
(21:26):
going to go right across from essentially where the back
of the Legion is, right over into Memorial Park. And
it's again it's going to have that heritage characteristic towards
how the bridge is going to look. It'll be a
very very unique Port Credit feel to it. And that
bridge is going to go into full construction this year
(21:50):
and it will be open to the public in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Okay, that sounds amazing.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
So you have been it's been very exciting.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah, yeah, no, that that's really good news. Stephen. That's awesome.
Have you been out and around and about in the
port maybe visiting some establishments and ribbon cutting and kissing
babies and all that. I guess they probably don't do
that anymore. But anyway, well, i'll tell.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
You you know, there's there's been a lot of great,
wonderful things happening throughout the community. I'll tell you there's
one that I really want to make mention of, and
that's the Brogue. The Brogue Irish Well, it has been
an institution in our community for twenty six years. This
(22:39):
was not just a pub. It was a community gathering
place in the Donnelly family, who are dear friends.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Really.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
They brought so much into the community and did so much.
They've decided that they wanted to retire after twenty six years,
and so they absold the pub. It is now going
to be open. My understanding is in March it'll be
under a new name, but it will still be a
(23:09):
pub and it's going to go through some some minor
cosmetic changes. But very sad to see the Donnelly family go,
wishing them all the very best, you know, as they
go forward. They did, as a matter of fact, finish
everything off in the community with the spirit that they
always bring into the community, and that is they have
(23:29):
for twenty five of those twenty six years have been
doing a Polar Bear Dip at New Year's and they
finished off their last day being in business was actually
holding the Polar Bear Dip and that was down at
Arcae McMillan Park and then welcomed everybody back over at
the Brogue for its final time. So sad to see
(23:52):
them go, but at the same time, I wouldn't feel
right if I didn't wish them all the very best,
because they've been such a huge part of the community
for a great number of years.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Well, listen, I hope you have a great rest of
your month in January. We'll talk to you the beginning
of February. We'll be going into as you pointed out,
Family Day will be on the horizon, and Valentine's Day
around the corner, and lots of other great things to
look forward to in Ward one and Mississauga in general.
I know you're keeping an eye on things in council
as well under the good Mayor, and we appreciate the
(24:25):
time you spend with us. Thanks Stephen. We'll talk to
you next month.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Well, thanks so much, look forward to it. Take care.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Always a pleasure. Stephen Dasco is the Ward one councilor
here in Mississauga. Go to Stephen Dasco dot c A
and you'll learn a lot about Ward one and about
the city in general, and about Stephen for that matter too.
And it's always a pleasure to have him on the program,
and we'll talk to him again next month. I'm Norm Murray.
This is News Talk SAGA nine to sixty.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
No Radio, No Problem. Stream is live on SAGA nine
sixty a M dot CA.
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