Below is the excerpt of Resty del Rosario’s Deputation to City of Mississauga Council on June 11, 2025 on behalf of KCCC, KFCO and Philippine Festival Mississauga.
Introduction
My name is Resty del Rosario, a resident of Mississauga for over 40 years. I am here today to speak on behalf of Filipino Canadians who live in this great city of Mississauga.
I am the President of the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre – the only Filipino Community Centre in Mississauga and the Peel Region.
The Centre was born out of the biggest Philippine Centennial Celebration outside the Philippines at Skydome in 1998 to mark the 100 years of Philippine Independence.
This Centre serves as a hub for us to hold various programs for seniors, adults, newcomers and the youth.
It has been in existence since December 2005 and has become a vibrant place not only for Filipinos but also for people with various ethnic backgrounds and age groups.
I am also the President of the Mississauga Charitable Gaming Association, a 92- member non- profit -organization of Rama Gaming House located at Battleford and Erin Mills Parkway,
I am also the co-chair of the Carassauga Festival which celebrates the vibrance and diversity of Mississauga for 40 years.
Together with my wife, Luz, we run the Culture Philippines of Ontario which hosts the Philippine Pavilion at the Carassauga Festival for 40 years.
In addition, I am co-chair of Philippine Festival Mississauga, a summer festival held at the Mississauga Celebration Square. Last year, this festival attracted an audience of close to 55 thousand.
I stood in front of you today to seek your support on behalf of the Board of Directors, Committee Members, Volunteers and thousands of people in the Filipino Community who in one way or another participated or continue to be part of our programs at the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre.
Why are we here?
In 2024, shortly after Madam Mayor, Carolyn Parrish, was elected and after our Philippine Festival Mississauga, we met with her for a courtesy visit.
In that visit, we took a bold step and floated the idea of having a park named after the Philippines. She welcomed the idea and this has led to today.
We are delighted and very excited to be here today to present our deputation to you and seek you support and approval for having a park named after the Philippines.
Thank you to Councillor Natalie Hart for making the motion and to Councillor Stephen Dasko who seconded the motion.
Why we chose Max Ward Park to be Philippine Park
Madam Mayor asked me during our courtesy visit why we chose Mark Ward Park. Without hesitation we suggested Max Ward Park because of its proximity to our Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre at 5225 Orbitor Dr in Mississauga. It will provide a perfect place for our outdoor activities.
We would like to emphasize that we recognize Maxwell William Ward legacy as a Canadian aviation pioneer and as inductee to Canadas Aviation Hall of Fame. In that regard, the Filipino community appreciates the willingness of the Ward family to rename the park to “Philippine Park” and to relocate Max Ward Park near the Pearson International Airport.
Why is it important for the Filipino Community
The Filipino Population in Canada continue to grow and as of today, it is almost 1 million. In Ontario, closed to 400,000 thousand and over 40,000 thousand in Mississauga.
They came to Canada for one common reason, to seek opportunity for a better life for themselves and their family.
To make it happen, we sacrificed a lot. In some cases, parents left their young children under the care of relatives to go to Canada.
To achieve their dream, they take jobs well below their qualification and they go back to school to qualify for their profession.
Today, every hospital in the country, the Province of Ontario and the City of Mississauga, Private Agencies and Clinics, employ thousands of Nurses, PSWs, Doctors, Pharmacist, Lab technicians and other health care workers from the Philippines
They work their job to the best of their ability and utmost care. They provide impeccable service to residents of Mississauga, the Province of Ontario and our country Canada. We have a reputation of being caring, empathetic and hard-working. Not to mention other professionals and trades who came to Canada with nothing but hope and determination.
Renaming Max Ward Park to Philippine Park
The Filipino Community in Mississauga and beyond will feel a deep appreciation for this symbolic gesture from the City of Mississauga that will be forever remembered by the Filipino Community.
OUR VISION for Philippine Park
We will work with the City of Mississauga to make the park a vibrant place especially on summer weekends, seniors doing their walk, younger adults playing sports, people gathering around picnic tables, children frolicking around water splashes. A place where the public can visit to get a glimpse of Filipino Culture and Heritage.
Call to action
Every 12th of June, we celebrate our independence as a nation. We will celebrate that tomorrow with the raising of the Philippine flag at the Mississauga City Hall. June has also been declared federally and provincially as a Philippine Heritage Month. The timing couldn’t be more appropriate and fitting.
We respectfully ask you to approve the renaming of Max Ward Park to the Philippine Park. It will be a great gift to us!
We are extremely grateful to Madame Mayor and to you, the City Council, for this opportunity and we invite you to continue to share with us our culture and heritage right here in the heart of Mississauga.
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Rick Falco, a former school Board Trustee and Lauroz Mercader, who run as Councilor in Mississauga also delivered their deputation to the Council in support of the proposal.
After all the deputation was made, the City of Mississauga Council voted unanimously to re-name Max Ward Park to “Philippine Park”.
Kalayaan Group will work with the Filipino Community to continue the tasks of making the park enticing for everybody to visit.