UrbanToronto has partnered with Heritage Toronto to capture a moment in Toronto's past. On a weekly basis, we highlight historic photos of the city's people, places and events, and tell the stories behind them.

This photograph of people walking through Yorkdale on a busy day in 1965 will certainly bring back memories for some.

Yorkdale was only one year old at the time, and already a hit with Torontonians. This state-of-the-art shopping centre featured 100 stores, air conditioning, the first dual auditorium theatre, the largest restaurant within a shopping centre, and perhaps most incredibly, it was the largest shopping centre in Canada. In fact, it was among the largest in the world!

Yorkdale revolutionized shopping in Ontario, setting the trend for many malls that followed, including the Toronto Eaton Centre and Fairview Mall. It centralized the shopping experience bringing together, under one roof, many stores that Torontonians loved. Eaton’s and Simpson’s department stores bookended the mall for many years and were popular among customers.

Yorkdale has continued to grow since 1964 with a major expansion in 2005 with new stores and an elegant shopping streetscape. Another big expansion is currently in the works. Read up on UrbanToronto's past coverage of Yorkdale's renovation/expansion in the links below.

Many thanks to both Gary Switzer of MOD Developments and Maya Bilbao for putting together the photos and research.