Unicity Shopping Centre (Formerly Unicity Mall) is a shopping centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is officially classified as a big-box centre.[1][2] The location was originally the site of Unicity Mall, which was an enclosed shopping mall. It was named for the 1972 unicity restructuring of city management.
Originally known as Unicity Fashion Square when it opened in September 1975, the mall was anchored by a Woolco and The Bay, and was one of only three malls in the city, along with Polo Park and Grant Park Shopping Centre. Managed by Trizec Corporation, the mall initially prospered despite one wing being almost completely empty. The food court McDonald's was the first to be placed inside a mall in western Canada. The Mall was demolished in 2000 to make way for the current shopping centre.[3]
In the mid 1980s, the local economy was slowing down and the mall began losing tenants. By the 1990s, it was mostly empty and the vacated spaces were used for temporary flea markets. During that time, Woolco became Walmart, and extensive pressure was placed on the mall ownership for expansion of the Unicity Walmart location.
In April 1995, owner Bramalea Limited, which had 67% stake in the mall, became bankrupt after all its board of directors resigned.[4][5] At that time, the mall had 86 stores and an area of 485,000 square feet (45,100m2).[6] Markborough Properties of Toronto, which had owned a smaller portion of the mall, immediately took over management and leasing.[7]
Despite various legal battles between store owners, local residents, and the new ownership, the mall was demolished to make way for a larger Walmart.[8] Ownership was transferred to First Pro and the mall was subsequently demolished in 2000[9] and replaced with a SmartCentresbig-box complex.[10]
12"St. James". Tourism Winnipeg. Archived from the original on 2014-04-22. Retrieved April 21, 2014. Unicity Shopping Centre is an open-air mall located at the edge of Portage Avenue near the Perimeter Highway.
↑Zehr, Leonard (1 April 1995). "Creditors circling over Bramalea's assets: Court clears the way for seizures as it removes bankruptcy protection on 44 of the worst-performing properties". The Globe and Mail. p.B4.
↑Zehr, Leonard (28 Apr 1995). "Bramalea feeding frenzy begins: Creditors begin applying to take possession of properties from defunct developer". The Globe and Mail. p.B1.
