Woodbine Centre is a shopping mall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27 in the Rexdale area of Toronto, across Rexdale Boulevard from Woodbine Racetrack. The mall has over 130 stores and is home to Fantasy Fair, a year-round indoor amusement park. The fair houses a Charles I. D. Looff carousel. It is one of 13 still in operation today.[3] They also have a 50-foot ferris wheel which they say is the only one in North America.[3] The ferris wheel was closed in April 2024.[4]
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 Woodbine Centre Atrium in 2023 | |
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| Coordinates | 43°43′13″N 79°36′01″W / 43.72028°N 79.60028°W |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 Rexdale Boulevard Toronto, Ontario M9W 6K5 |
| Opening date | 1985 |
| Developer | Cadillac Fairview |
| Owner | Woodbine Mall Holdings |
| Architect | Crang and Boake Incorporated[1] |
| No. of stores and services | 107 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 2 |
| Total retail floor area | 750,000 sq ft (69,677 m2)[2] |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Website | Woodbine Mall |
History
editWoodbine Centre was opened in 1985 by developer Cadillac Fairview,[1] Its design served as inspiration for property developer Sir John Hall when planning the MetroCentre, the UK's largest shopping mall, in the 1980s.[5]
In 2008, proposed development of an entertainment centre at Woodbine Racetrack and the closure of national stores like Shoppers Drug Mart fuelled rumours that the mall was closing. Instead, then-owners Darton Property planned renovations, starting with redesigned washrooms.[6]
As of 2016, the assessed value of the property was $96,708,000. Woodbine Mall Holdings Inc. owed over a half-million in unpaid taxes that year.[7]
On May 2, 2023, Woodbine Mall Holdings Inc. was placed in receivership by Romspen Investment Corporation. Ernst & Young was appointed receiver. [8]
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Level 1 Shops -
Level 2 Food Court -
Skylight in the mall
Fantasy Fair Amusement Park
edit Fantasy Fair in 2023 | |
| Location | Toronto, Ontario Canada |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1985 |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 9 |
Fantasy Fair is an indoor amusement park and the largest in Ontario featuring nine full-sized rides:[9]
- 1911 Antique Looff Carousel
- Crystal Kaleidoscope – indoor ferris wheel (CLOSED)
- Ships Ahoy – spinning tea cups
- Smash 'n Dash – bumper cars
- Fantasy Flight – a 32' balloon tower ride
- JRB Express Train – mini replica steam engine (CLOSED)
- Airforce - plane ride
- Spinners – roller coaster (CLOSED)
- XD Simulator Theatre
- Rock 'n Climb - climbing wall
- Drop & Hop - tower (CLOSED)
- Dreamer's Play Village - indoor playground/soft play area (5500 sq.ft)
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Crystal Kaleidoscope – indoor Ferris Wheel -
Merry Go Round -
Ships Ahoy – spinning tea cups -
Play Village (indoor playground)
In popular culture
editThe mall was used in the filming of 1987's "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol", where David Spade is seen skateboarding through the mall.
The mall also featured in the Animorphs television adaptation's second season episode Changes, Part 2.
Various parts of the mall and Fantasy Fair also feature in 2021's 8-Bit Christmas
Various parts of the mall and Fantasy Fair are featured in Season 5, Episode 1 of television show What We Do In The Shadows (2023).
References
edit- ^ a b "Woodbine Shopping Centre Rexdale". 24 February 2011.
- ^ "Woodbine Centre: Project Overview". Marino. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Rides and attractions".
- ^ "About Fantasy Fair".
- ^ Jackson, Chris (13 October 2011). "A BOGOF offer from Inside Out you can't refuse". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- ^ "Woodbine Centre redevelopment in works", Toronto.com, 29 August 2008.
- ^ "Properties with arrears greater than $500,000, owned by a corporation", City of Toronto, 2016.
- ^ "Court File No. CV-23-00696329-00CL". Retrieved 2023-09-25.
- ^ "Fantasy Fair at Woodbine Shopping Centre". toronto4kids.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012.
External links
edit