Throughout the summer, there are big car-meets like Oblivion, ImportExpo, Subie Showdown and the CSCS series that take months of careful planning to execute. Locations have to be rented, vendors have to be approved, and show cars must be curated. Port-a-potties, police and emergency services ensure the smooth running of events. At the other end of the spectrum are what the TV news calls ‘unsanctioned car rallies’ like this one on Financial Dr in Mississauga.
At the corner of Mississauga Rd and Derry Rd is Peel Region Police HQ; and directly across the street is the biggest weekly car meet in the city. Car clubs with names like Road Warriors or Society Take Over often announce on social media that they’ll be hosting an meet at ‘Financial’ but really there’s no planning or permission required. A bunch of friends in cool cars show up to a spot that’s always hopping. And police are always watching.
These pictures and videos were shot on Good Friday before midnight. Upon entering the parking lot, two things became obvious. First of all, police were not going to stop anybody from revving their engines, popping their exhausts, or blasting their sound system. 2-step and subwoofers don’t cause property damage. The second obvious thing is that Financial has become the new La Paloma. This parking lot has never been so jam packed with cars, even if half of them are tourists and ‘regular traffic’ rather than show cars.
From the cops’ standpoint, keeping these fast and furious fans together makes it much easier to monitor. When the car kids get kicked out of the lot, there’s nothing else for them to do but street racing and causing trouble.
We have many impromptu can meets here every summer. At times different types of cars (50’s-70’s) or today’s models, even the bikers have a few. Usually in the parking lot of a strip mall, or a closed business. Every year these are short lived because there have to a be few folks that feel the need to lay down 200 yards of rubber when they depart. Then the folks living nearby call it it, and soon the cops are there moving people along. After a couple these the folks that own the property will block access, or the police will. They can be great fun though!