EDMONTON – The biggest shopping mall in North America is turning 30 and celebrating with a fresh facelift and some fancy new toys.
West Edmonton Mall, loathed by residents but loved by tourists, has been synonymous with the Alberta capital since it first opened in 1981.
Trying to be beautiful and exciting once again, it’s adding some new stores and attractions and dressing up with a new paint job and art work.
“We’re not focused on age. We’re focused on moving forward,” said general manager Stacey Claffey. “You continuously have to be fresh and new to create that unique experience, and we have guests that come year after year to see what new offerings we have.”
Despite its wrinkles, the mall has seen a steady increase in attendance each year and recorded 30.8 million visitors in 2010, said spokeswoman Sheri Clegg.
Sprawling over 48 city blocks, the mall has more than 100 restaurants and 800 retail shops.
Oro Gold Cosmetics, the luxurious skin care company that puts 24-karat gold in its face creams and body butters, opened its first store in Canada at the mall last month. Designer denim outlet 7 For All Mankind, a reported favourite of movie stars Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz, has also become a new tenant.
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Fashion retailer Simons is set to join the mall next summer in its first venture outside of Quebec.
A multi-million-dollar renovation project is also set to be completed by the end of next year. White ceramic wild roses are already hanging from the glass ceiling in one area of the mall. Hand-blown glass droplets representing Alberta’s oil industry will soon be floating from another.
Several water fountains will be dancing to the beat of classic music on the hour, every hour. And the exterior of the mall will also get a new coat of paint, lighting and benches.
Although the mall lost its shiny crown as the world’s largest shopping centre in 2004, it still boasts the world’s largest indoor waterpark and wave pool. Covering two hectares, the make-believe beach resort hovers above 30 C and offers pina coladas from thatched bar huts – a much-needed escape for those shivering in the land-locked province each winter.
The mall spent $1.5 million on three new waterslides at the park this year, including the Cyclone, the only indoor slide of its kind in Canada.
“Oh, my God! That is unreal!” shouted James Middleton of Picture Butte, Alta. after his first trip down the purple slide. “You don’t even know you’re going upside down!”
The Discovery Channel recently filmed a segment on the science and math involved in making the Cyclone. Riders step into a glass capsule and the floor drops beneath their feet. They plummet 17 metres straight down before the slide arches up into a near-vertical, roller-coaster style loop.
Riders have been clocked going 60 km/h.
Adventure junkies can also strap on a harness and climb a new three-level ropes obstacle course in the mall.
And, of course, there’s always the mall’s old standbys: the Galaxyland amusement park, Ice Palace skating rink and Fantasyland theme hotel.
Although the mall’s dolphin exhibit shut down seven years ago after three of the four resident animals died, it later reopened with sea lions. Visitors can catch daily performances or pay for a private swim session.
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If you go . . .
Get out your wallet:
World Waterpark or Galaxyland – general admission $32.95, family pass $89.95
Sea Lion Encounter – $149.95 per adult, $119 per child for a 1.5 hour swim
Ice Palace – general admission $7.95, family pass $19.95
Ropes Quest – regular admission $9.95
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