Shoppers World Brampton celebrates 50th anniversary

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Published November 14, 2019 at 8:18 pm

Brampton residents gathered at Shoppers World Brampton on November 9, 2019, to celebrate a milestone; the centre’s 50th anniversary.
Shoppers World, Brampton’s somewhat
Brampton residents gathered at Shoppers World Brampton on November 9, 2019, to celebrate a milestone; the centre’s 50th anniversary.
Shoppers World, Brampton’s somewhat “historical” mall, although known for being a useful but generally ho-hum establishment, is actually an impressive mall that’s more than stood the test of time.
Opening in 1969, the mall has been home to long-defunct department stores and a waterslide that was once operated by a tenant known as White Water.
Here is an ad we found in a publication called The Canadian Champion for the water slides from 1984.

Shoppers World Brampton commemorated its big 5-0 with festivities including a pop-up museum, cultural and community performances and guest speakers from the City of Brampton, Government of Ontario and RioCan.
The pop-up museum highlighted memories over the decades and included historic photos of the centre.
MP Sonia Sidhu and Brampton City Councillor Jeff Bowman were two of the guest speakers.
Two stores in the centre, Peoples Jewellers and Bank of Montreal received plaques to commemorate them being the two longest-standing retail tenants. 
“Brampton has evolved tremendously over the course of my 20-plus years as General Manager of Shoppers World Brampton, but one thing remains constant – this shopping centre continues to be a beloved emblem of Brampton’s historic Peel Village,” said Penny Karas, General Manager, Shoppers World Brampton. 
“Community members of all ages, across the City of Brampton, have fond memories of time spent in this centre over the past 50 years, and I’m incredibly proud to be celebrating five decades as a hub for connection and exploration.”
Currently, a mix of national and independent tenants continue to provide the city with a unique variety of retail offerings at the centre.
Shoppers World Brampton’s big celebration followed RioCan’s recent announcement to revamp the centre into a walkable, cyclable, transit-oriented, multi-use community with a large focus on accessibility.
Retail will continue to play a vital role in the property even after redevelopment, in accordance with the importance of creating a complete, livable community.

Here’s a look at Shoppers World throughout the years.






Main photo courtesy of the city of Brampton

All other photos courtesy of Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives (PAMA)

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