Category

Youth

Keep Road Safety in Mind as New School Year Begins

By Announcement, Youth

Mississauga roads will get busier once again as thousands of students, from pre-school to college and university, head back to school starting Tuesday, September 5. Students will be walking, riding their bikes and scooters, taking school buses or MiWay buses, and being driven to and from school. The City of Mississauga reminds all road users to stay alert and be aware when using roads to help prevent collisions.

“I urge all road users to remain attentive and take precautions to prevent collisions during the busy travel periods. Our students deserve to be safe in and out of the classroom,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “As a driver, slow down and watch for students, especially in school zones, and stop for school buses when you see their red lights flashing. If you’re a student, stay alert and be aware while making your way to and from school. Remember, stay safe and have a great first day back!”

The City has more than 215 school crossing guards at more than 160 locations who will be ready on the first day of school to help elementary school students cross the road safely. The City’s Mississauga School Traffic Safety Action Committee conducts site inspections and safety reviews at or near schools on request to help improve student safety at any school location.

“We’re continuing to work towards our commitment of achieving Vision Zero in Mississauga and keeping students safe on our roads,” said Geoff Wright, Commissioner of Transportation and Works. “This year so far, we’ve placed speed cameras in 38 school zones to help combat speeding on our roadways. On high-speed City roadways, we’ve lowered speed limits from 70 km/h to 60 km/h  to help reduce the risk of collisions and make City roads safer for all users. We’ve also started to implement Pedestrian and Bike Head Start Signals at intersections to give pedestrians and cyclists a five-second head start to cross the road before vehicles.”

The City also has a School Walking Routes program that promotes active travel, such as walking, biking or using a mobility device, to and from school. School Route signs installed around the neighbourhood guide students on their way to school and alert drivers to watch for children.

For more road safety information and additional safety tips visit, mississauga.ca/roadsafety. For more information about Vision Zero, visit mississauga.ca/visionzero.

Safety tips for families who walk, cycle or take a bus to school:

Plan and practise your school route as a household ahead of time, including safe places to cross the street.
When possible, always use crosswalks or crossrides to cross the street. Walk your bike or scooter across roads when no crossrides are available.
Look both ways before you cross the road to make sure the intersection or crosswalk is clear of vehicles.
If your route to school is near a railway crossing, make sure to follow all railway-crossing safety rules.
When waiting for a school bus or MiWay bus, stand back from the curb and don’t approach the bus until it comes to a full stop.
Follow the instructions of your school crossing guard.
Wear a helmet when biking, skateboarding or riding your scooter to and from school and obey all signs, laws and signals.
Safety tips for drivers:
Be alert, obey the posted speed limits, and follow the rules at drop-off and pick-up locations to help keep everybody safe.
When stopping or parking for school drop-off or pick-up, do not block sightlines near crosswalks or intersections. Never pick-up or drop-off in a spot where your student must cross the road between stopped cars.
Look out for students walking or rolling, especially when turning and in areas with many stopped cars.
At stop signs, drivers are required to come to a complete stop and yield the appropriate right-of-way before proceeding through the intersection. This includes the stop sign held by a school crossing guard.
At crossings, check the entire crosswalk for pedestrians and cyclists, and do not proceed until they have completed the crossing.
Stop for school buses and don’t attempt to pass them. Do not go until the red lights stop flashing.
Avoid distractions when driving including looking at your phone or drinking coffee.
Consider leaving the car at home. If you normally drive to the bus stop, consider walking instead. If you must drive, consider driving partway and walking the rest of the way to reduce congestion and improve safety in front of the school.
August 25, 2023
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Dive in! Become a Mississauga lifeguard

By Parks, Ward 1, Youth

Mississauga is fortunate to have many City pools to help keep residents active and cool throughout the year. To ensure swimming remains fun and safe for all, the City is now recruiting qualified aquatic instructor lifeguards. Starting July 4, anyone 15 years of age and older is encouraged to apply. Applications are being accepted until July 30 for positions that will start in the fall.

City lifeguards provide the safe supervision of swimmers, educate and promote drowning prevention, teach swimming lessons, and enforce pool rules at the City’s 12 indoor pools and seven outdoor pools.

“We’re excited to share that, in accordance with the Government of Ontario’s announcement of reducing the lifeguard qualifying age to 15, we can increase the number of qualified applicants,” said Lisa Boyce-Gonsalves, Manager, Aquatics, Therapeutic and Fitness. “Becoming a lifeguard is really rewarding! It can be a great part-time job or it could develop into a lifelong career. Many of our lifeguards become teachers, paramedics, firefighters, recreation supervisors and more. Becoming a City lifeguard is a great place to kick-start your career.”

There are many benefits for City of Mississauga lifeguards, including:

  • Discounts on recertifications
  • Opportunity to gain and develop leadership skills
  • Benefits and Health Spending account*
  • Paid vacation and sick time
  • OMERS pension enrollment*
  • Career advancement opportunities

*Minimum number of hours required for qualification

Apply to become a City lifeguard

Lifeguard jobs will be open online from July 4 to 30. Applicants must have the following qualifications at the time of applying:

  • National Lifeguard – Pool
  • Lifesaving Society – Swim Instructors
  • Lifesaving Society – Lifesaving Instructors
  • Lifesaving Society – Emergency First Aid Instructors
  • Standard First Aid/CPR C with AED
  • High Five – Principles of Healthy Childhood Development

Missing qualifications and interested in building your skills? Look into Mississauga’s leadership programs.

Not 15 yet? Become a volunteer.

To learn more about swimming at the City, visit mississauga.ca/swimming.

For career opportunities at the City, visit mississauga.ca/jobs.

 

July 5, 2023
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Win big this summer at Mississauga Library!

By Announcement, Youth

Are you hoping to learn something new this summer? Have you been waiting for the latest bestseller to read outside or by the pool? Are you looking for fun programs and activities to keep your children busy and happy? The Mississauga Library has you covered! With over 850 free programs in July and August, the library has something for everyone in the family to enjoy, while promoting the love of reading! Visit your local library all summer long to challenge yourself with reading and you may even win a prize!

TD Summer Reading Club

From Monday, June 12 to Saturday, September 2, children (ages three to 12) who register in person at a Mississauga Library location to take part in the 2023 TD Summer Reading Club, have the chance to win incentive prizes like stickers and stamps as well as an Early Bird, Weekly or Grand Prize.

This summer, the library is giving away over 180 incredible prizes such as new bikes, scooters, instant cameras and Canada’s Wonderland season passes! They are also doing weekly draws at all locations for tickets and passes to popular family destinations such as Cineplex, Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterpark, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Ripley’s Aquarium and more!

For full details, read the contest rules.

TDSRC Official Kick-Off Party

Join us for the TD Summer Reading Club kick-off party on the first day of Open Air Storytime taking place Wednesday, July 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the Amphitheatre at Celebration Square. Library storytimes and other engaging performers will take the stage at the Amphitheatre every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. until August 30.

Book Buzz Reading Challenge

The Book Buzz Reading Challenge for teens and adults encourages you to challenge yourself to read widely by trying new books, authors and genres. To enter, simply track the books you’ve read in specific categories and then submit your list using the online submission form. While you have until Sunday, December 31 to complete the challenge, the summer can be a great time to get most of your reading done. If you read 12 books in the 12 different categories, you’ll have the chance to win a grand prize.

Register for more summer programs, including book clubs, family storytimes, conversation circles and more at activemississauga.ca.

For more information about Mississauga Library visit mississaugalibrary.ca.

Background

TD Summer Reading Club

The TD Summer Reading Club is Canada’s biggest, bilingual summer reading program for children of all ages, interests, and abilities. This program inspires children to explore the fun of reading during the summer months while celebrating Canadian writers and illustrators. It also assists with literacy development, confidence building and setting children up for future reading successes.

June 23, 2023
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Sheridan Events During Youth Week

By Events, Youth

Sheridan has partnered with the City of Mississauga Recreation Team to provide several in-person and virtual events during National Youth Week (May 1-7)!  

The events are embedded within the City’s full calendar of events for youth and include sessions on Career Exploration, Interview Skills, a Campus Tour at the Hazel McCallion Campus, and an in-person event with our Varsity Basketball Athletes to lead a “Skills & Drills + talk about Post-Secondary” on May 3rd at the Mississauga Valley Community Centre. 

Here is a link to a news release that has links to all of the Sheridan-hosted events.

April 27, 2023
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National Youth Week

By Events, Youth

National Youth Week (NYW) is back in Mississauga featuring a week-long festival filled with free events and activities happening at various locations across the city. The City will host a variety of free activities and programs that celebrate arts, environment, literacy and recreation for Mississauga youth where they can express their creativity, exchange ideas and connect with others.

From May 1 to 7, youth are encouraged to sign-up and participate online or in-person. This year’s line up features events focused on arts, environment, literacy and recreation.

In addition, the Museums Youth Council is proud to launch “Serene Seas” – a poetry anthology created by Mississauga youth.

Follow along on social media using #NYW905. A detailed list of programs can be accessed by visiting ca/nyw905.

April 24, 2023
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