There is a leash free dog park in Northwest Mississauga known affectionately as “Toto Park”. Totoredaca Park has a long and interesting story, and the leash free dog park is but the latest chapter of its story.

Camp Totoredace – Chief’s Hut and Totem Pole, 1994, from Mississauga Library System

Children’s day camps began in Toronto Township (Mississauga) in the 1950s, under the direction of former Recreation Director, Jerry Love.  =In the early 1960s the camp program was officially named Camp Totoredaca (TOronto TOwnship REcreation DAy CAmp).

The camp first operated in what is now called Erindale Park (we will talk about the history of Erindale Park in another story). In its early years, the camp relocated several times to different locations, until 1973 when a new home was established near the intersection of Fifth Line West and Derry Road West, to the north of Derry Road. The present site of Totoredaca Park is located to the north of the original camp property off of Fifth Line.

Camp Totoredaca – Activity Hub Building, 1994, from Mississauga Library System

The camp operated on this site until 1985, and then relocated to Meadowvale Conservation Area, closing in 2004. Use of the name Totoredaca for day camps in Mississauga was discontinued in 2017. The only reminder of name and of the camp, outside of some great memories and stories from those who attended camp there, or camp councillors who worked there, is the name of Totoredaca Park at 2725 Meadowvale Boulevard.

NOTE: This story was previously published as part of the Way Back Wednesday series in Modern Mississauga by Heritage Mississauga.

It can be found on their website here: https://www.modernmississauga.com/main/2019/8/13/the-history-of-the-mississaugas-totoredaca-park-also-known-as-toto-park