Woodbine Centre

Woodbine Centre is a shopping mall in the Rexdale area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located across Rexdale Boulevard from Woodbine Racetrack in the former city of Etobicoke.

Woodbine Centre
Location500 Rexdale Boulevard
Toronto, Ontario
M9W 6K5
Coordinates43°43′13″N 79°36′01″W
Opening date1985
DeveloperCadillac Fairview
OwnerWoodbine Mall Holdings
ArchitectCrang and Boake Incorporated[1]
No. of stores and services107
No. of anchor tenants2
Total retail floor area750,000 sq ft (69,677 m2)[2]
No. of floors2
WebsiteWoodbine Centre

Opened in 1985 by developer Cadillac Fairview,[1] the over 130 store mall 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]

Its design served as inspiration for property developer Sir John Hall when planning the MetroCentre, the UK's largest shopping mall, in the 1980s.[4]

History

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 to washrooms.[5]

The mall was used in the filming of 1987's "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol", where David Spade is seen skateboarding through the mall.

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.[6]

Fantasy Fair Amusement Park
Fantasy Fair
LocationToronto, Ontario
Opened1985
Attractions
Total9

Fantasy Fair is an indoor amusement park and the largest in Ontario featuring nine full sized rides:[7]

  • 1911 Antique Looff Carousel
  • Crystal Kaleidoscope - indoor Ferris Wheel (50 ft.)
  • Ships Ahoy - spinning tea cups
  • Smash 'n Dash - bumper cars
  • Fantasy Flight - A 32' Balloon Tower Ride
  • Fantasy Fair Express Train - mini replica steam engine (driver sits in tender unit) with 3 open air passenger cars (each carrying 8 passengers)
  • Airforce (plane ride)
  • Spinner – roller coaster
  • Simulator
  • Climbing Wall
  • Drop Tower
  • Play Village (indoor playground)

References
  1. http://astint.on.ca/woodbine-shopping-centre-rexdale/
  2. "Woodbine Centre: Project Overview". Marino. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  3. http://www.fantasyfair.ca/rides-and-attraction
  4. Jackson, Chris. "A BOGOF offer from Inside Out you can't refuse". Inside Out. BBC. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  5. "Woodbine Centre redevelopment in works", Toronto.com, 29 August 2008.
  6. "Properties with arrears greater than $500,000, owned by a corporation", City of Toronto, 2016.
  7. http://www.toronto4kids.com/Directories/Birthdays-Parties/index.php/name/Fantasy-Fair-at-Woodbine-Shopping-Centre/listing/25933/
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