By the late '50s, planning was underway for what would become Canada's first fully-enclosed and climate-controlled commercial venue. John Graham, Junior, who had designed Seattle's NORTHGATE CENTER (North America's first shopping mall) was called in to conceptualize a centre city shopping complex for London, Ontario.
Opened to the public on August 11, 1960, WELLINGTON SQUARE became not only the first interior mall in Canada but the first centre city shopping mall in North America. This "downtown mall" concept was copied by several North American cities during the 1960s and '70s.
London, Ontario's revolutionary retail centre was anchored by the Toronto-based T. Eaton Company. WELLINGTON SQUARE originally housed forty-seven stores, including an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. The complex was expanded in 1988-1989 and renamed GALLERIA LONDON. This incarnation was not successful. It has since been repositioned as CITI PLAZA, a mixed-use collection of offices, public service facilities and retail.
Drawing from Canadian Architectural Archives, Libraries & Cultural Resources, University of Calgary / Image number 58979-1
Canada's first suburban-type enclosed mall was built 107 miles east of WELLINGTON SQUARE, in the environs of Metropolitan Toronto. THORNCLIFFE MARKET PLACE, which originally contained forty-two stores, was dedicated in the fall of 1960. It featured a Steinberg supermarket and S.S. Kresge 5 & 10. A Sayvette discount mart was added in 1961. Today, the complex, known as EAST YORK TOWN CENTRE, houses over 100 stores and services.
Photo from Thorncliffe Park, Limited
