When you think of popular sports in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), cricket might not be the first one that comes to mind, but it should come as no surprise that the sport — known for its international reach — is among the most-watched in a region considered a vast mosaic of cultures.

And nowhere in the region does this ring as true as Brampton, home to a dense concentration of GTA cricket fans who could soon have a massive new facility to watch matches locally.

A 45.3-hectare (112-acre) site owned by the City of Brampton, east of Kennedy Road, west of Highway 410 and north of the 407 ETR, has been earmarked as the future anchor of the 'Uptown Brampton' that would contain transit-oriented development with retail, business, and residential space.

A new sports complex will stand as its centrepiece, dominated by what the City of Brampton describes as a "state-of-the-art, multi-purpose cricket facility."

The area is currently home to the CAA sports and entertainment facility, formerly known as the Powerade Centre.

Plans to redevelop the site into a new urban hub took a massive leap forward on Thursday when Brampton launched community-wide engagement to map out the future of the lands.

The City is moving the plan forward with the launch of an Expression of Interest (EOI) seeking parties to place bids for the site "to develop the lands into a vibrant urban realm and walkable neighbourhood that includes a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose cricket facility."

The EOI bids will be evaluated in the second quarter of 2023, and a report to council is expected to follow in Q3.

In the meanwhile, Brampton is asking residents what they'd like to see included in plans for the site, launching a public survey that will remain open until February 28.

It's a prospect that Brampton mayor Patrick Brown calls "incredibly exciting," stressing the "opportunity to do something very special, and creating a legacy project with a world-class multipurpose cricket facility as the centrepiece."