Mississauga Councillor Jim Tovey, a dedicated champion of conservation, passed away in January 2018. The Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) Board of Directors voted to name a new 26-hectare waterfront conservation area in Mississauga’s in his memory. As such, the Lakeview community, currently known as the Lakeview Waterfront Connection, will be named Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.
“Jim’s vision was a revitalized waterfront where residents can connect with the lake and the natural environment can thrive,” said Nando Iannicca, chair of Credit Valley Conservation and Councillor for Mississauga Ward 7. “Naming the conservation area in his honour recognizes Jim’s central role in this project, and is our way of honouring his legacy forever.”
Councillor Tovey’s unique connection with the Region of Peel, CVC, and TRCA served to bring the organizations together to realize his vision for a thriving and environmentally sustainable waterfront.
“The conservation area’s final name was determined through consultation with the Tovey family, project partners and members of the project’s Community Liaison Committee,” said Deborah Martin-Downs, CAO of CVC. “It reflects his strong commitment to environmental conservation, the waterfront, and the Lakeview community.”
Jim Tovey recognized the opportunity to reuse clean fill that was being generated by Region of Peel capital works projects as a resource to enhance the natural environment and improve the local community. This responsible reuse of material is central to the Lakeview Waterfront Connection project.
The new conservation area will transform a currently degraded section of the shore into a beautiful, naturalized conservation area, expected to become a hub for waterfront recreation, a hotspot for wildlife migration, and a green oasis in the heart of the city.
It will boast 12 hectares of meadow, five hectares of forest, eight hectares of wetland and one hectare of cobble beach. Together, these connected habitats make up a complete coastal ecosystem, approximating the waterfront ecosystem that was lost over years of urban development. This ecosystem will support a wide variety of local fish and wildlife, as well as migrating birds.
The Lakeview Waterfront Connection project is a joint effort of Region of Peel, Credit Valley Conservation and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).
