Dead/Decaying Malls of Greater Toronto

[dt_toronto_geek]

this small mall is hidden away near Steeles and Hurontario, and opened in 1960.
apparently it used to have a roof, for some reason it was removed. its a strange and lonely place, but there's a funky old bowling alley in the lower level.
i haven't been out there in a while, but there was a serious fire there in the middle of may. i don't know how it fared.

Those photos bring back warm and fuzzy memories of growing up in central Scarborough (Danforth/Midland then Warden/Lawrence) in the 70's. There were plenty of vibrant outdoor malls nearby, Wexford Heights, Elaine, White Shield Plaza, Parkway and so many others. I loved the malls that had those bowling alley's down below, a cinema attached in the middle with a Woolco or Sayvette at the end. Conklin would set up shop in a few of these malls in the summer prior to the CNE.
I haven't been out there in years, perhaps this summer would be a good time to journey out and see what's left of those places.

 

[Observer Walt]

There's nothing at all left of the Elane. It has now been redeveloped completely with townhouses. But most of the others are still around. Many of these places do quite well, actually. Small businesses, many of which cater to certain ethnic groups, find them affordable.

 

[Transportfan]

Brampton people dealt with this confusion by calling the whole thing "10" as in "Steeles and 10".

But ironically, those same people cause confusion by by calling both Queen and Bovaird "Hwy. 7."

All you Mississauga and Caledon people forget that it's Main Street, not Hurontario, between Steeles and Bovaird (the old Town of Brampton boundaries), though I am sympathetic. Hurontario is the name of the pre-concession system road between Port Credit and Collingwood, so at one point in the 1830s or 1840s, the whole thing was Hurontario.

That would be better. If Yonge in old Richmond Hill was "Main Street" the concept of Yonge would lose something. You may not know this, but Weston Road in Weston was once Main St.

 

[W. K. Lis]

That would be better. If Yonge in old Richmond Hill was "Main Street" the concept of Yonge would lose something. You may not know this, but Weston Road in Weston was once Main St.

The Queen Elizabeth Highway was originally Lower Middle Road. (There still is a Upper Middle Road.)

 

[Dan416]

But ironically, those same people cause confusion by by calling both Queen and Bovaird "Hwy. 7."



That would be better. If Yonge in old Richmond Hill was "Main Street" the concept of Yonge would lose something. You may not know this, but Weston Road in Weston was once Main St.

Wow who knew Hurontario was that old? I always thought the "[Lake] Huron" + "[Lake] Ontario" thing sounded like a more recent concoction.

 

[ShonTron]

I was in Hamilton today. If anyone wants that authentic dead mall experience, I strongly suggest Centre Mall as most of the stores have now vacated, yet is still mostly open. Go now, as construction on the big-box style replacement in the parking garage has started.

 

[Just_Chris]

Off topic, but does anyone know that mall that was closed down and was being replaced with outdoor shops? It was somewhere in Toronto. I'm thinking near Don Mills for some reason...

Several years ago an old indoor mall in Oakville was torn down, and has been replaced by a Home Depot and some other stores. I can't remember what the mall was called, but it was right beside (south side) the QEW.

 

[ShonTron]

Trafalgar Village. I believe the No Frills was the only survivor of the original mall. I guess Oakville Place across the QEW did a number on them.

Don Mills is the mall being replaced with a "Lifestyle Centre".

 

[Basshats]

I'm surprised when I go in Central Parkway Mall in Mississauga and actually see people in it.
The cheap theatres are gone now also. I'd love to see some kind of new development happen there.

The Food Basics is the major draw in that mall. With most of the development taking place further west around MCC I would be surprised to see anything happen there for a while. In fact, as Square One goes upscale, staying downscale might attract many many people from the Mississauga Valley/Kaneff area.

 

[Towered]

Done.

 

[Mustapha]

this small mall is hidden away near Steeles and Hurontario, and opened in 1960.
apparently it used to have a roof, for some reason it was removed. its a strange and lonely place, but there's a funky old bowling alley in the lower level.
i haven't been out there in a while, but there was a serious fire there in the middle of may. i don't know how it fared.

Sublime. Quite beautiful.

 

[Kingsway]

I remember my mom dragging me to that Brampton mall as a kid...30 odd years ago. Amazing its still there.

 

[bleeepbluuup]

The Food Basics is the major draw in that mall. With most of the development taking place further west around MCC I would be surprised to see anything happen there for a while. In fact, as Square One goes upscale, staying downscale might attract many many people from the Mississauga Valley/Kaneff area.

There's a passport office in there too.

 

[Observer Walt]

^ The passport office sometimes causes parking problems, and some of the other occupants of the mall might wish that they were not there. The mall is definitely "downscale", with almost no chain stores. It's a collection of independent stores, several of them catering to various ethnicities. However, it helps that the movie theatre is back in business.

 

[LowPolygon]

Sublime. Quite beautiful.

thank you! i'd forgotten i posted them! my mom used to live across the road from this plaza and i was always struck with how lonely it seemed...