Scarborough Town Centre's 2-year-long renovation project is finished. The Oxford Properties-managed mall was originally opened in 1973 and was in need of a major facelift. Designed by Petroff Partnership Architects and built, mostly overnight after mall hours by PCL Constructors, the centre is now much lighter and brighter than it was, now featuring coved backlit ceilings and large skylights. After $62 million in updates, here's what it looks like:

Second floor food court at the Scarborough Town Centre

Second floor food court at the Scarborough Town Centre

Second floor at the Scarborough Town Centre

Grand Christmas ornament at the Scarborough Town Centre

New ceiling lights at the Scarborough Town Centre

The mall covers over 1.3 million square feet of leasable space featuring over 240 shops and services. Its anchors are Sears, The Bay, and Wal-Mart, and it features a multi-screen Cineplex theatre complex. The mall is connected to public transit with a large bus terminal and the Scarborough Rapid Transit line. There are over 5,700 parking stalls for those arriving by car. Along with several new retailers, the renos also include a new Planet Santa area for kids.

Santa's Village at the Scarborough Town Centre

If kids aren't sure, Scarborough Town Centre lets it be known where Santa's favourite place is.

Promotional snow globe

On the 17th the reopening was celebrated and inaugurated in the Scarborough Walk of Fame Court in the middle of the mall. The ceremonies, emceed by Colin Mochrie, started with two songs by local high school group, The Wexford Gleeks.

High School Musical 12

After speeches by local city councillor Glenn de Baeremaeker, minister of energy Brad Duguid, and Scarborough Town Centre general manager Kathy Meyers, Debra McGrath, Bob the Builder, and Oxford Properties officials joined Mochrie on stage for the ribbon cutting.

Speaking at before the ribbon cutting ceremony

The court was soon full of fluttering confetti.

Confetti showers

Upstairs, the arrival of mendeer - yes - heralded Santa's imminent arrival.

Mendeer on parade

But, who cares about Santa - the mendeer and the elfettes were where it was at. Go Scarborough!

Mendeer and Elfettes

To get a look at what the centre looked like before and during the renovations, visit UrbanToronto's thread in the Projects and Construction forum by clicking on the link below.