Everything You Need to Know for Moving to Clarkson, Mississauga

Clarkson is a large residential neighbourhood located in the southwest sector of Mississauga. The neighbourhood encompasses the smaller subdivisions of Park Royal, Birchwood, and Glen Leven. While most of Clarkson is made up of quiet residential space, there is an industrial sector located south of Royal Windsor Drive along the shore of Lake Ontario. Clarkson has become an incredibly popular neighbourhood for young families looking to buy their first home but want some distance from the hustle and bustle of the big city. If you are moving to Mississauga, the Clarkson neighbourhood is a great choice, with its amazing park, great school system, and spacious homes.

Where is Clarkson?

Clarkson is located between Winston Churchill Boulevard and Clarkson Road North with the Queen Elizabeth Way acting as the northern border of the neighbourhood. The neighbourhood shares its western border with the City of Oakville. Lakeshore Road West is the official southern border of the Clarkson neighbourhood, but the neighbourhood is often considered to stretch all the way south to the shore of Lake Ontario.

Getting around Clarkson

One of the many benefits of living in the Clarkson area is having access to great transportation options. The neighbourhood is situated between Lakeshore Road West and the QEW giving motorists two routes for easily accessing Toronto’s downtown core. Just north of Lakeshore Road West and Southdown Road is the Clarkson GO Station, which is the transportation hub of the community. Several Mississauga Transit (MiWay) bus routes funnel into the Clarkson GO Station.

A brief history of Clarkson

In 1808, Warren Clarkson and his brother left their home in Albany, New York to seek their fortune in Canada. They were invited to come work for a family friend who had purchased some land near Lake Ontario. Warren liked the area so much that he decided to stay. He eventually saved enough money to buy land and build a home in the area along the water. Warren got married and started a family while buying up more and more land each year. He built the community’s first store along the stagecoach trail and the town council later named that trail Clarkson Road. A post office was opened in the family store and William Clarkson, Warren’s son became the postmaster. For the next forty-five years a member of the Clarkson family would run the post office.

The Clarkson family were incredibly important figures in the Clarkson neighbourhood, which steadily grew throughout the 1800s. In 1856, another important figure, Captain Edward Sutherland, moved to Clarkson with his seven children. Sutherland introduced both strawberry and raspberry cultivation to the area. Clarkson eventually became known as the “Strawberry Capital of Ontario,” and commercial fruit farming expanded in the area through the rest of the 19th and into the early 20th century.

Park Royal, the second subdivision to be built in Clarkson, was developed by the Leonard W. Finch, President of the United Lands Corporation, on 900 acres of land south of the QEW between Southdown Road and Winston Churchill Boulevard. Park Royal was designed with all the electrical cables and wires underground and the office buildings were designed to be shorter than the trees. The planned neighbourhood had accommodations for schools, parks, a recreation centre, and a library. In 1958, Park Royal was opened by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Denis H. Truscott. In 1971, the Clarkson Community Centre and Arena was opened.

The type of homes in Clarkson

Clarkson has an impressive selection of housing options. The southern part of the neighbourhood along Lake Ontario is known as Rattray Park Estates. This area has large, detached houses built on large lots nestled on a handful of small streets near Rattray Marsh. The long, winding, tree lined streets and proximity to the water make this one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods in Mississauga and a highly sought-after location for home buyers. As you move north away from the water towards Lakeshore Road West, you will find a wide range of different types of housing from semi-detached back split homes, townhomes, ranch-style bungalows, colonial revivals, and new custom homes with modern design aesthetics and amenities. In recent years, there have been several condominium developments in Clarkson to bring some diversity to the housing options in the area. One of the more prominent condo developments in Clarkson has been the Craftsman Condominium Complex on Lakeshore Road West.

Making the move to Clarkson

The Clarkson area has become a popular destination for young families who are looking to buy their first homes but don’t want to pay the exorbitant prices for a house in Toronto. Clarkson is a safe and quiet neighbourhood, with excellent schools, and great access to transportation making it the perfect place to raise a family. Making the move to a new home can be challenging and renting out a self-storage unit can be incredibly helpful in alleviating some of the stress of move-in day. Many people decide to hold onto their self-storage unit after their move and use it for long term storage or to help with general home organization.

Storwell Self Storage offers secure and affordable self-storage solutions that are very helpful when you are moving homes. Storwell has locations across the GTA in Scarborough, Etobicoke, and one location in Mississauga on Royal Windsor Drive and Winston Churchill Boulevard, which is just minutes away from the heart of Clarkson. If you need self-storage in Mississauga to help with your next move, call a Storwell representative or visit a facility in person to demo a unit.

Storwell Self Storage

2525 Royal Windsor Dr, Mississauga, ON L5J 1K9

Phone: 905-823-5555

Shopping and entertainment near Clarkson

There is a plethora of great shopping options in and around the Clarkson neighbourhood. Just north of Clarkson on Lincoln Green Way is the Sheridan Centre. The Sheridan Centre is an indoor shopping mall with nearly 100 unique retail stores. The mall is undergoing a renovation and will soon reopen with a fresh new look and a new name, Sherwood Village.

Another great shopping destination for Clarkson residents is the Clarkson Village Shopping Centre on Lakeshore Road West. The outdoor shopping centre has several retail stores along with a fitness studio that specializes in kickboxing.

Located on Upper Middle Road East, the Oakville Entertainment Centrum is a shopping mall that has a variety of interesting entertainment options. The mall has a Dave and Busters, which is a sports bar and restaurant that offers classic American fare paired with a robust selection of arcade games. Putting Edge provide a fun yet challenging glow in the dark mini golf course. The mall is also home to iFLY Toronto, which allows people to feel the experience of free fall skydiving in a safe and controlled indoor environment.

Parks and recreation in Clarkson

Clarkson has access to a lot of green spaces making it a perfect neighbourhood for people who want to get in touch with nature. The Rattray Marsh Conservation Area is located just off Lake Ontario and is situated around the Sheridan Creek. The Conservation Area is the last remaining lakefront marsh of its kind within the GTA, and it has a pedestrian boardwalk overlooking the natural wetland, which allows Clarkson residents to experience this unique setting in a safe and environmentally conscious manner.

Jack Darling Memorial Park is a massive park located right off Lake Ontario that has a walking trail along the water, a designated dog park, two well-maintained tennis courts, and a splash pad. In the center of Clarkson on Truscott Drive is Whiteoaks Park, which is a densely wooded park with a full-sized baseball diamond and eight tennis courts with flood lighting that belong to the Whiteoaks Park Tennis Club. Hillside Park is located on Truscott Drive and Kelly Road, and it has a soccer field, children’s playground, and a community garden. Right next to Hillside Park is the Clarkson Community Centre, which features the Clarkson Branch Library, Clarkson Arena, a full-size gymnasium, an outdoor children’s water play area, and a variety of multipurpose rooms.

The best restaurants in Clarkson

Clarkson has an eclectic mix of great dining options, many of which are situated along Lakeshore Road West. Capra’s Kitchen is a bright and vibrant Italian restaurant serving upscale pizza and pasta dishes in an industrial-chic setting. Right next door to Capra’s is Wanda’s Caribbean Kitchen, which is a popular local family-owned Caribbean eatery serving authentic Caribbean dishes using recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Clarkson Pump and Patio is a staple of the Clarkson neighbourhood. This sports-friendly local pub has a relaxed atmosphere and is known for its wings but also serves pizza, pasta, steaks, and burgers. To discover more great restaurants in the area, check out Storwell’s latest article on the best restaurants in the Clarkson-Lorne Park neighbourhood.

The best schools in Clarkson

One of the main reasons why Clarkson has become such a popular neighbourhood for families is because of the wonderful selection of schools in the area. The Peel District School Boar and the Dufferin- Peel Catholic School Board both operate several schools in the Clarkson neighbourhood. The main secondary school in the area is Clarkson Secondary School located on Bromsgrove Road. Another prominent high school in Clarkson is Iona Catholic Secondary School located on Southdown Road and Queen Elizabeth Way. Iona received high marks on the Fraser Institute’s Annual Report Card for 2020 and was ranked as one of the top 150 secondary schools in Ontario.

Clarkson also has a tremendous selection of highly rated elementary schools. École Élémentaire Horizon Jeunesse is a French language school located on Lewisham Drive that is part of the Conseil Scolaire Viamonde and received extremely high marks from the Fraser Institute and was ranked as the 35^th best elementary school in Ontario out of over 3000. Some other highly rated elementary schools in the area include:

• Helen Separate School
• Hillside Public School
• Louis School
• Hillcrest Middle School

Conclusion

Clarkson is a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood with a range of amenities and attractions. In the last few years, Clarkson has become one of the most popular neighbourhoods in Mississauga, especially for young families. Moving to Clarkson provides the benefits of a suburban lifestyle with easy access to urban amenities, natural beauty, and a strong sense of community. If you are looking for a great neighbourhood to move into today, look no further than Clarkson.