Pretty in pink! View Mississauga’s cherry blossoms at Kariya Park

Kariya Park is transforming into a pink wonderland with approximately 80 stunning Japanese cherry blossom trees in full bloom in coming days. The park honours Mississauga’s sister city, Kariya, Japan and boasts different varieties and hues. Expect a full blossom soon, weather permitting. Residents don’t need to travel to High Park or anywhere else when Mississauga is home to our own cherry blossom experience.

The City’s cherry blossom trees should be in full bloom in coming days when the temperature reaches at least 15 degrees Celsius consecutively for about a week. Try to enjoy these blooms while they last for up to a two-week period. Wind or rain can knock the flowers off these delicate trees, so don’t wait too long to visit. Start making plans now to visit Kariya Park.

Visit Kariya Park

Kariya Park is a stunning, Japanese-inspired park located in the heart of the city’s downtown core. It’s a great park where many families take photos or go on a walk just to enjoy the scenery. The park is named after our sister city in Japan, Kariya. In July 1992, the City opened Kariya Park to honour our sister city partnership. The park features Japanese-style gardens, pavilion, cherry trees, rhododendrons, and several sculptures gifted to us by Kariya City.

The park also has a:

• Stone tsukabai basin, which was hand-carved by Fumio Naito, a sculptor from Kariya, Japan.
• Zig-zag boardwalk, which crosses a marsh containing Japanese irises and other water-loving plants.
• Cascade waterfall with overhanging red Japanese maple.
• Dry stream bed, representing a flowing stream with different sizes of stones, carefully placed to imitate fast and slow-moving currents.
• Duck pond with a turtle rock, which represents a turtle climbing out of the water.
• Friendship Bell, located in the pavilion, which is rung on ceremonial occasions.

Getting to Kariya Park

The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. You can find paid on-street parking on Kariya Drive or in Municipal Parking Lot #36 at the south-east corner of Burnhamthorpe Road and Kariya Drive. You can also walk from Square One or take MiWay to get to the park.

Take beautiful photos

Take advantage of the beautiful pink backgrounds and take memorable photos! Here are some tips to capture your next favourite photo or screensaver.

Shoot wide or focus on the small things: Capture the entire tree or grove or zoom in for close-up details of the cherry blossom trees. Try taking photos from both angles and get a variety of images, both horizontal and vertical.

Fallen petals? No problem: If you visit during the latter half of cherry blossom season when the petals are falling – don’t worry, your photos will still look great.

Interested in professional photographs? Obtain a permit from the City.

Practise park etiquette

As we enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossom trees, let’s remember to treat our parks and other park visitors with respect. When visiting Kariya Park, remember to:

• Stay on the trails.
• Avoid actions that could potentially harm the trees like climbing on them or pulling at their branches.
• Leave your dogs at home. Dogs are not permitted in the park. If you’re looking for a place to bring your dog, consider visiting a leash-free zone.
• Keep our park beautiful by disposing of your waste in the proper bin.
• Park in permitted areas. With limited parking available, consider using active transportation or taking MiWay to visit the park.
• Avoid feeding wildlife like ducks, squirrels and turtles.

Looking for other places to see cherry blossom tree blooms? You can find a few trees at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, St. Lawrence Park and Mississauga Valley.

The value of parks

Parks have positive social, health, economic and environmental benefits for cities. They are an essential part of a complete community, support healthy lifestyles and contribute to everyday quality of life. Parks support Mississauga’s housing strategy by making meaningful contributions to the quality of neighbourhoods in a growth environment. Parks provide opportunities to enjoy nature, appreciate public art, experience social interaction, participate in recreational activities and be physically active.

For more information, please visit mississauga.ca/parks.

To find out when the blooms peak, follow @saugaparksrec and @citymississauga on X for updates.

Tags

• Parks and Forestry