Mississauga News
Name of bridge honours former municipal councillor
Joseph Chin
November 20, 2008 09:12 AM
Mississauga's snazzy new bridge will be called the Thomas J. Dale Bridge.
The decision, by a unanimous vote of City of Mississauga councillors, was made yesterday at General Committee.
The Confederation Pkwy. bridge over Hwy. 403 was opened July 21.
Dale is the father of Ward 4 councillor Frank Dale, who serves the area where the $17-million gateway structure to City Centre is located. The councillor said the road played a special part in his family's life.
"In fact, our first family home in Cooksville was on what's known now as Confederation Pkwy. Also, the length of Confederation from The Queensway to Eglinton was all within the area that my father represented when he sat on Toronto Township Council," Dale said.
"Our family is very humbled and extremely proud that my father is being honoured," he added.
The motion was moved by Ward 11 councillor George Carlson.
"I didn't have the honour of knowing Frank's father, but I suspect the apple didn't fall far from the tree," said Carlson. "I can't think of a more appropriate thing to do to honour his legacy and (the Dale) family's commitments made over many decades to the City of Mississauga."
Ward 7 councillor Nando Iannicca said father and son share the same traits — an unassuming way and an unselfish sense of duty.
As a strong advocate of recreation, Thomas John Dale was instrumental in the development of Huron Park, Mississauga's first community centre. He was a founding member of both the Mississauga Real Estate Board (serving as its president) and the Cooksville Business Association.
Starting in 1971, the elder Dale was appointed by the Province as a returning officer for each provincial election for more than 20 years in the ridings of South Peel and Mississauga East.
Features of the four-lane Thomas J. Dale Bridge include multi-use walkways for pedestrians, bike lanes, landscaped walls and signage on Hwy. 403, innovative blue LED lighting, which can be seen from one kilometre away on the highway, and special aluminum handrails.