The naming history of Mississauga's Aquitaine Avenue

Our article for this week comes from an inquiry asking about the name origin of Aquitaine Avenue in Meadowvale. Aquitaine Avenue was a key component of the Meadowvale development. Built on what was previously farmland, the New Town concept for Meadowvale was that of a modern pre-planned subdivision that was built in the 1970s, and not to be confused with the nearby historic Meadowvale Village. The modern community of Meadowvale was planned in three parts: Meadowvale West, North and South. Meadowvale South opened in 1970, while Meadowvale West followed shortly after. Meadowvale South was built around Argentia Road and Kenninghall Boulevard, east of Erin Mills Parkway, while Meadowvale West was focused around Meadowvale Town Centre, Aquitaine Avenue, and what would later become Lake Aquitaine.

Meadowvale West concept, from 1969 promotional booklet

The development emphasized social, recreational, natural, educational, commercial and employment aspects of the planned community. Meadowvale South included green-belted industrial areas clustered near Highway 401, with residential housing in close proximity to Streetsville. Meadowvale West contained a wider array of housing options, from single detached homes and semi-detached housing, to town houses and high-density apartment buildings.

Peter Langer

“The roads of Meadowvale will not be rigidly right-angled, and many will take the form of curves and crescents. They will converge on the town centres, link the community to regional highways, and separate industrial from residential traffic”

Markborough Properties Limited revealed its plans for Meadowvale on April 25, 1969. Brian Magee, president of Meadowvale Development Limited as well as Lepage Realty, had begun assembling land in 1954. The project leader was Peter Langer Sr., the Executive Vice President of Operations for Markborough Properties Limited, and Vice President at Lepage Realty. Initial concepts and planning were overseen by Project Planning Associates, led by Macklin Hancock.

Macklin Hancock

But back to the question at hand and the name origin for Aquitaine Avenue. Several years ago, we had an opportunity to speak with the late Macklin Hancock about the planning for, and origins of, the Meadowvale community. He spoke in detail about the planning and designs concepts for Meadowvale, including curving streets and walkability through an interconnected trail and park systems to local shopping plazas, and more. He also gave some details on road name inspirations. The names for roads came from the Markborough and Project Planning Associates management teams, and specifically the places that they had travelled to and/or vacationed at in 1968 and 1969. There was a desire to create a sense of time and place with road names associated with an “old world” charm or romantic ideals. Throughout Meadowvale West, you will find road names that connect with places in Europe (many from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain) as well as from South America.

Meadowvale promotional concept plan book, 1969

Aquitaine Avenue was named for the area of Aquitaine in southern France and the Pyrenees mountains along the border with Spain. Macklin Hancock thought that the name for Aquitaine came from Peter Langer himself, inspired by the rolling agricultural fields from the Aquitaine region in southern France. In Meadowvale, work began on laying out Aquitaine Avenue in 1975 (the road originally ran from Millcreek Drive to Winston Churchill Boulevard – Aquitaine Avenue did not extend west of Winston Churchill Boulevard until the early 1980s).

Weylie Farm - Cows in the field - now Lake Aquitaine

Aquitaine Avenue was a key component of the design for Meadowvale, allowing “for the rapid flow of people into and out of the community.” Meadowvale’s “internal road system and its external connections are designed to serve the community … the roads of Meadowvale will not be rigidly right-angled, and many will take the form of curves and crescents. They will converge on the town centres, link the community to regional highways, and separate industrial from residential traffic.”

Digging for Lake Aquitaine, c1975

The name of Aquitaine was also given to the man-made lake on the former Weylie farm. Excavation work began on what would become the lake in 1975. The lake was in place by 1976 and was formally named Lake Aquitaine in 1977. In 1978 Meadowvale Town Centre, a shopping complex, was opened by Markborough Properties Limited. The original Meadowvale Community Centre opened its doors in 1982 and was rebuilt in 2016.

Meadowvale New Town Logo