Welcome to “We Built This City,” a new column told through the lens of Lisa Hrabluk, dedicated to celebrating the incredible individuals and groups who have shaped Mississauga into the vibrant city it is today. Through captivating stories and personal memories, we will explore the lives and achievements of the people who have left an indelible mark on our community. From renowned figures like Mazo de la Roche and Oscar Peterson to the unsung heroes of local industries and wartime efforts, each installment will delve into the rich tapestry of Mississauga’s history. Join us as we uncover the past and look forward to the future, sharing and celebrating the remarkable legacy of our city. Be sure to share your own stories with us, as they are an essential part of this ongoing narrative.
Lisa Hrabluk is an award-winning journalist and writer. She got her start as a student journalist at The Mississauga News and with Heritage Mississauga, where she wrote walking tours for Clarkson, Cooksville and Erindale. She has written for Time, The Globe and Mail, CanWest News Service, Canadian Press, and the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, and appeared on CBC Radio and TV. Lisa is currently a culture commentator for CBC Radio in Saint John, New Brunswick. Follow Lisa on Instagram @lisahrabluk.
We Built This City is a collection of incredible stories from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Join us as we uncover the past and look forward to the future, sharing the remarkable tales of the renowned figures, individuals, and groups who have shaped Mississauga into the vibrant cultural canvas it is today.
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Mississauga has produced its fair share of hockey greats. There’s Hall of Famers, Paul Coffee, Paul Henderson and Johnny Bower. National sledge hockey players Dominic Cozzolino and Danica McPhee. Former
Mississauga is where Toronto begins. At least it is from a municipal place name perspective. The area we now know as the City of Mississauga was originally named Toronto Township
Some days we all could use a spa day. Erindale’s Glenerin Inn and Spa is known for its ability to help quests relax and bliss out with hot stone body
No gift is too small when regular folk rally around a big idea. That’s what happened in 1954 when residents staged a community fundraising blitz to build the South Peel
For the upwardly mobile Harris family in Clarkson, life meant hawking apples by day while dining with royalty at night. From their 300+ acre estate Benares on Clarkson Road North,
It’s about 14 kilometres from Erindale Secondary School to Dixie Outlet Mall which, give or take traffic, will take about 20 minutes to drive. But on a horse? You’ll probably spend
During university, I spent my summers working at the Petro-Canada refinery in Clarkson. My base of operations was the maintenance department, a single-storey building located across from the asphalt plant
Canada’s era of the suburbs was launched by a couple of Shipps. In 1950, a 24-year-old Harold Shipp was driving along the QEW past the apple orchards near Cawthra Avenue
YYZ. It’s more than just an airport code; it’s part of the GTA’s identity. But while Toronto might be in its name, those three distinctive letters anchor it in Mississauga.
Mississauga’s aeronautics story begins on February 23, 1909 on the frozen Bras d’Or Lake in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, stands on the shore
Rattray Marsh is the last remaining wetland area on the western side of Lake Ontario, a testament to Ruth Hussey, the British-born veterinarian who blew into town with Hurricane Hazel.
When Second World War Allied soldiers marched into battle, it’s likely many were armed by the women of Lakeview. Between 1941 and 1945, the Dominion Small Arms Limited munitions factory
