Here are the more popular Mississauga, Brampton and Peel Region parks:
Albion Hills Conservation Area
16500 Peel Regional Rd 50, Caledon, ON L7E 3E7
(8 km north of Bolton)
Located 40 minutes northwest of Toronto, in the rolling hills of Caledon, Albion Hills is the outdoor enthusiasts dream.
In winter, there are 27 kilometers of groomed cross-country skiing trails, and skaters enjoy the lake and toboggans come flying down the hill.
Summer activities a t the park include camping, swimming and fishing. In summer join the Chico 24-Hours of Summer Solstice and the Caledon Canada Day celebrations. Admission: $
Centennial Park
56 Centennial Park Road, Etobicoke
(one block west of Renforth, north off of Rathburn, south of Eglinton )
Ski Hill 416-394-8754
Golf Centre 416-620-1392
Go-Karts -416-620-6669
Arena 416-394-8757
Conservatory 416-394-8543
This 435 acre park, just east of Etobicoke Creek, has 3 ball diamonds, a cricket pitch, the Centennial Park Arena, lacrosse/football field, playground, indoor swimming pool, tennis course, a toboggan hill, a go-cart track, a 2,200 seat stadium with running track, a 27 hole golf course and a ski hill (used for hang-gliding, para-gliding in summer). Centennial Park Snow Centre features day and night skiing, with a T-bar and Poma Lift. The park has three greenhouses and the conservatory has 1080 square metres (12,000 square feet) of plant collections. There are also nine picnic areas, with bathrooms (permits needed for large gatherings).
Cheltenham Badlands
Olde Baseline Road, just north of Cheltenham
The Cheltenham Badlands is a natural anomaly in the Caledon hills, near the base of the Niagara Escarpment, just west of the Caledon Golf and Country Club. The Badlands peeking out of the Caledon hills feature beautiful red and grey shale exposed by extensive erosion of shale and clay slopes caused by human activity following deforestation & overgrazing of the area. More recently, large numbers of tourists combing the area have added to the erosion. Since 2000, the Cheltenham Badlands became provincial lands and are co-managed by the Bruce Trail Association and Caledon Countryside Alliance.
NOTE: In order to protect the sensitive environment of this site from degradation, visitors are requested to respect the following: – no sliding, no digging, stay on the flat area in the vicinity of the interpretative sign, stay off during wet conditions, no tobogganing, no motorized vehicles.
Donald M. Gordon Chinguacousy Park
9050 Bramalea Rd., Brampton
905-458-6958
Chinguacousy Park is home to many events and celebrations with a band shell for concerts and a popular greenhouse, chapel and botanical garden. For sports-minded, it has Brampton’s own ski hill for skiing, snowboarding, snowblading, tubing and tobogganing; a curling rink with licensed lounge; volleyball courts; tennis courts; skateboard park; sports fields; paddleboats; a barn complete with a petting zoo and pony rides; mini golf; batting cage; tennis courts; children’s splash pool and picnic shelters.
Gage Park
Main St. S. & Wellington St. W., Brampton
905-874-2300
Gage Park, in Brampton’s historic downtown. In the summer, its a trendy noon-day lunch spot and playground, and also hosts a summer series of evening concerts and popular weekend festivals. In winter, It offers an outdoor skating trail, popular with families and skaters.
Glen Haffy Consrvation Area
Airport Road, south of Highway 9 in Mono Mills (West of Albion Hills)
416-667-6275
This park’s hiking trails offer panoramic views of southern Ontario. The trout pond isstocked with rainbow trout, providing recreational fishers summer recreation. This park is also home to a fish hatchery, raising thousands of rainbow trout for the ponds at Albion Hills and Heart Lake conservation areas (paid for by the park’s angling fees). During the summer months, Glen Haffy Conservation Area plays host to numerous day camps and day cares, and can be booked for camping by groups of 20 or more.
Heart Lake Conservation Area
10818 Heart Lake Road
just north of Highway 410 in Brampton
Named for the spring-fed kettle lake, roughly shaped like a heart. This popular Peel Region park has had over 5 million visitors since it opened, in 1957. Heart Lake is popular for swimming, fishing (stocked with rainbow trout), pedal and canoe rentals, and the currounding parkland has hiking trails, picnic areas, playground. Open daily from late April to early October. Admission Adult (16+) $5.00, Senior (60+) $4.00, Children (Infant-15) FREE.
The Butterfly Conservatory is home to 30 species of native butterflies, plus the migrating Monarch. A 4,500 square foot mesh-enclosed house has been created with all the essential food plants for butterflies. Beautiful display gardens include floral baskets, potted annuals, perennials and herbs are introduced throughout the summer to ensure a constant source of nourishment.
Mississauga’s Waterfront Trail
450 km (280 miles) long and runs along the shores of Lake Ontario, from Niagara-on-the-Lake all the way up to Brockville, Ontario. In Mississauga, the 22 km (15-mile) trail stretches from Etobicoke Creek through to the Oakville border. Rattray Marsh Conservation Area lets visitors get close to nature and wildlife. At Jack Darling Park, you can try your hand at windsurfing or canoeing, soak up the sun on the beach, hit the tennis courts, play a game of baseball or cool off at the splash pad. Lakefront Promenade, off Lakeshore Rd E (between Carwthra and Dixie) by the Lakeview Generating Station provides boaters a ramp and a marina.
J.C. Saddington Park
53 Lake St, Mississauga
Avid fishermen like this park at the mouth of the Credit River, which is rich in Chinook salmon and steelhead, as well as coho, pink and Atlantic salmon. Each year nearly 25,000 chinook salmon and 10,000 steelhead fill the river, providing ample chances to make that perfect catch.
Professor’s Lake
905-791-7751
1660 North Park Dr.
This lake offers Bramptonians and visitors lakeside recreation in the middle of a luxurious residential neighbourhood. This man-made lake has groomed sandy beaches, swimming, water slide, windsurfing, canoeing, and paddle boating. Call for beach hours and boating information