Mississauga YMCA Questions & Answers

Where is the current YMCA?

Our Mississauga YMCA is currently at 325 Burnhamthorpe Road West.

Where are you moving? Why did you pick the new location?

Our Mississauga YMCA will be moving to the Square One Shopping Centre in early 2027. Square One is Ontario’s largest shopping centre with more than 330 stores, restaurants, and entertainment spaces.

Our new home is close to our current location. Transit provides easy access and there is ample free parking for our members. Since announcing the sale of our current location in 2021, we have been leasing the existing space while looking for a new home. We’re excited that our new location will allow us to remain a vital part of downtown Mississauga for decades to come.

Our charity remains committed to delivering high-quality child care, day camps, and health and fitness programs in downtown Mississauga, and our new location will offer a modern, accessible space designed to meet the evolving needs of our community. 

In addition to services provided at this location, the YMCA has a significant and growing presence in Mississauga with employment programs offered at 2 locations, 34 child care centres, 7 day camp locations and we offer student nutrition programs in schools and a variety of youth programs.

Where in Square One will the Y be located? 

It will be at Entrance 4 on the west side of Square One near Duke of York Boulevard, near the Hazel McCallion Walkway.

When is the lease up on the current location? 

Our lease on our current Mississauga YMCA location was originally set to end at the end of 2025, but that’s been extended.

How long is the lease on the new location?

Our lease at Square One is for up to 30 years, providing a long-term YMCA presence in downtown Mississauga. This reflects our charity’s dedication to serving the community for generations to come. Having a strong, community-focused anchor tenant like the YMCA is also a great fit for Square One, and we are excited about our new home. 

What programs will be offered?

We will continue to offer a wide variety of health and fitness programs for members and day camp programming for the community. The new location will also continue to have a new child care centre led by our caring and highly qualified early childhood educators. We’ll share more details with participants as we get closer to the move and look to them for input on programming.

When will it open?

We expect to move in early 2027.

We look forward to sharing more as the move gets closer. Stay tuned — there are many more updates coming, and we’re excited to keep members and child care families in the loop along the way!

Will everything be available / open all at once?

No. The new Y will be built in two phases. 

Phase 1 involves retrofitting an existing area in the mall. The high ceilings are ideal for two full-sized gymnasiums for everything from basketball to pickleball and more. A conditioning room will be on the mezzanine level of the existing space. The new child care centre will also be part of phase one.

The opening of Phase 2 of the project will follow because it involves constructing an extension to the existing mall that will include a brand new, 25-metre, four-lane pool. 

How closely will phase 2 follow phase 1?

We don’t have the exact timing yet and are actively working through those details right now. We’ll share with members as soon as we know more. We are working hard to have Phase 2 ready within a year after Phase 1.  

What size will the new Y be?

When complete, the new Mississauga YMCA at Square One will be 68,700 square feet in size (Phase 1 will be 58,300 square feet, phase 2 will be 10,400 square feet). 

The new space has been thoughtfully designed to maximize efficiency while continuing to offer the high-quality programs and services our members value. 

Since the current Mississauga YMCA opened in 1989, we’ve learned how to use space more effectively. This new location allows us to offer amazing programs and services in a smaller footprint.

We’ve seen similar footprints work well at other new and busy Ys like The Steve & Sally Stavro Family YMCA in Toronto. You can tour that centre virtually to get a sense of how we use the space.

What is the size of the current location?

Our existing centre is 119,200 square feet in size. 

Will all services be moving to a single location or can we expect there will be several locations each offering different programs? 

The new Mississauga YMCA in Square One will be our new Mississauga YMCA home and offer health and fitness programs, child care, and YMCA day camps in the future. 

What other sites did you consider? 

Throughout this process, we carefully evaluated a variety of options in Mississauga — including non-traditional venues, existing sites, and new developments. We’ve been working on this location in Square One for some time and think it’s the perfect fit.

Will the new facility have the same community feel as the old one?

Absolutely! One of the defining features of the YMCA is our welcoming and inclusive environment. While the space may look different, it’s the people who make the Y what it is. Our commitment to creating a sense of community remains the same. We’re designing the new space to encourage social connection and engagement, ensuring it remains a home away from home for our members.

Will the new Y open the day the old Y closes?

We are working hard to minimize any disruption and we can’t wait to share transition plans as soon as they are finalized. 

Will there be a track? A Plus Members area? Some other specific facility element or program?

We know that members are anxious to learn more about our new home. We’re currently working through many details and will share more information soon. That said, it’s important to note that our newer Ys offer programming more efficiently in smaller, modern spaces and don’t include areas like tracks. We’ll share updates as we get closer to our move date and look to members for their input on programming in our new home.

Will there be a pool? 

Yes! The pool will be part of Phase 2.

Will the new location be easily accessible by public transit and have parking available?

Yes! There will be plenty of free parking — more than we’ve had in the past — along with great access by transit, making it even easier for you to visit.

Will there be any disruptions to my membership or services during the transition?

Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition and we are working hard to avoid any disruptions to members. We will provide plenty of notice about key dates and updates, and we are committed to keeping you informed each step of the way.

Will my membership/fees transfer automatically?

Yes, all active memberships will transfer seamlessly to the new location.

Can you access the mall from the new Y? Will the Y have its own entrance? 

We will have a health and fitness entrance in the mall and Child Care will have its own entrance outside the mall.

Will the child care also relocate to the same location?

Yes! Child care will also have a new home at Square One, alongside our health and fitness centre. 

Will there be any differences in programming or curriculum now that child care will be in a smaller space? 

While the space may be different, families can expect the same high-quality programming and curriculum they know and trust. Our commitment to providing a nurturing, engaging, and enriching environment for children remains unchanged. The new location will continue to offer the same high-quality learning experiences, led by our dedicated educators.

If you have any other questions, please email memberservices@ymcagta.org.