Hazeldean Mall

Hazeldean Mall is an enclosed shopping centre at the intersection of Eagleson Road and Hazeldean Road in Kanata, Ottawa, Ontario. The centre occupies a historically important position in the development of Kanata’s retail landscape: it was the first enclosed shopping centre constructed in the community and opened before the competing Kanata Town Centre project received its final approvals. Its location is also associated with a municipal planning dispute that arose during the creation of the former City of Kanata. The land was zoned for commercial use in 1962, when the surrounding Glen Cairn community was being planned. A proposal then known as the Glen Cairn Shopping Centre was approved by Goulbourn Township in 1978, shortly before Glen Cairn was incorporated into the newly created City of Kanata along with areas from March and Nepean townships. March Township challenged the development in court, arguing that its scale would weaken the commercial prospects of a proposed town centre closer to the geographic middle of the new municipality. The legal challenge did not succeed, and Hazeldean Mall opened on October 30, 1979. At opening, the mall was anchored by Steinberg’s and Towers and included approximately 50 other stores, a TD Bank branch, and liquor and beer outlets. Its tenant mix changed substantially over subsequent decades. Steinberg’s was replaced by Your Independent Grocer after the grocery chain’s early-1990s collapse, while Towers was acquired by Hudson’s Bay Company and converted into a Zellers store. Drug City, another notable early tenant, was replaced by Pharma Plus, which later expanded into the former TD Bank space and gained a larger exterior entrance. The arrival of Kanata Centrum on Terry Fox Drive in the mid-1990s introduced large-format retail competition and drew some customers away from the older enclosed mall. Hazeldean Mall responded with extensive renovations near the end of the decade. The work removed the centre’s earlier brick floors and wood-panel finishes, replacing them with a lighter interior palette and adding a fountain. These changes modernized the property while preserving its role as a local shopping destination. The former department-store space passed through several retail identities, including Towers, Zellers, Target Canada and Independent. GoodLife Fitness subsequently contracted to occupy that large space and became the mall’s principal anchor. Regional Group purchased Hazeldean Mall in August 2019. Laura’s Your Independent Grocer closed its mall location on July 22, 2022, and relocated to Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre, leaving GoodLife Fitness as the sole anchor at that point. In July 2023, T&T Supermarket announced plans to occupy the former grocery-store space, with an opening targeted for winter 2024. The proposed grocery tenancy indicated an effort to restore a major food-and-retail anchor to the property. The centre is served by multiple OC Transpo routes, including frequent route 68 and local routes 110, 161, 164 and 168. These links connect the mall with Kanata Centrum, surrounding Kanata neighbourhoods, Bells Corners, Algonquin College, Eagleson Station, Barrhaven and other parts of Ottawa. Hazeldean Mall therefore functions both as a retail property and as a longstanding neighbourhood access point in western Ottawa.

Hazeldean Mall emerged from the planned development of Glen Cairn and the broader reorganization of local government that created the former City of Kanata. The site had been zoned for commercial use in 1962, as Glen Cairn was being planned. In 1978, Goulbourn Township approved a proposal for a shopping centre then called Glen Cairn Shopping Centre. The approval came only months before Glen Cairn became part of the new City of Kanata through the amalgamation of Goulbourn, March and parts of Nepean townships. The project immediately became part of a dispute over where Kanata’s principal commercial and civic centre should develop. March Township supported a competing Kanata Town Centre proposal located closer to the geographic centre of the new municipality. Its council pursued legal action intended to reduce the scale of the Glen Cairn development, arguing that Hazeldean Mall would undermine the market potential of the proposed town centre. The challenge failed. The competing town-centre project ultimately received final approvals in 1980, after Hazeldean Mall had already opened. Hazeldean Mall officially opened on October 30, 1979, becoming Kanata’s first enclosed shopping centre. Its original anchor tenants were Steinberg’s and Towers. The centre also contained a TD Bank branch, liquor and beer outlets, and about 50 additional stores. These tenants gave the mall a broad convenience and general-merchandise role during Kanata’s early suburban expansion. The property’s anchor lineup changed during the 1980s and 1990s. Drug City was a significant tenant in the 1980s before being replaced by Pharma Plus in the early 1990s. Steinberg’s closed as that chain disappeared from the Canadian market, and Your Independent Grocer took over the grocery role. Towers was purchased by Hudson’s Bay Company, which converted the Hazeldean location to Zellers. The former department-store space later became associated with Target Canada and Independent before being taken over by GoodLife Fitness. During the mid-1990s, Kanata Centrum opened along Terry Fox Drive. Its big-box retail format created a direct competitive challenge for Hazeldean Mall and diverted some shopping traffic. Near the end of the decade, Hazeldean Mall underwent substantial renovations. The project replaced the earlier brick floors and wood-panel interior with lighter finishes and introduced a fountain, giving the centre a more contemporary appearance. Pharma Plus also expanded into the former TD Bank premises and received a larger entrance directly accessible from outside. In August 2019, Regional Group purchased the mall. GoodLife Fitness became the principal anchor in the large space historically occupied by Towers, Zellers, Target Canada and Independent. Laura’s Your Independent Grocer closed on July 22, 2022, and moved to Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre. This left GoodLife Fitness as the centre’s only anchor until a new grocery commitment was announced. On July 27, 2023, T&T Supermarket announced its intention to move into the former Independent space, targeting an opening in winter 2024. The mall is integrated into Ottawa’s western suburban transit network. OC Transpo routes serving the property include frequent route 68 and local routes 110, 161, 164 and 168. Their connections include Kanata Centrum, Eagleson Station, the Innovation business park, Bells Corners, Algonquin College, Barrhaven, Riverside South and nearby Kanata communities. Hazeldean Mall’s continuing identity is consequently rooted in local convenience, services and community accessibility, supported by its long operating history and established location at Hazeldean and Eagleson roads.

• 2023

  T&T Supermarket announced as prospective anchor

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  T&T Supermarket announced plans to occupy the former grocery-store space, with an opening targeted for winter 2024.

• 2022

  Independent Grocer location closes

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Laura’s Your Independent Grocer closed and relocated to Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre.

• 2019

  Regional Group acquisition

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Regional Group purchased Hazeldean Mall in August.

• 1990

  Major anchor and pharmacy changes

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Steinberg’s closure and the transformation of Towers stores into Zellers locations, the mall’s grocery and department-store identities changed; Drug City was also replaced by Pharma Plus.

• 1990

  Interior renovation

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Near the end of the decade, renovations replaced brick and wood finishes with lighter materials and added a fountain.

• 1980

  Competing Kanata Town Centre receives final approvals

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The competing town-centre project received final approvals after Hazeldean Mall had begun operating.

• 1979

  Official opening

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Hazeldean Mall opened on October 30, 1979, anchored by Steinberg’s and Towers.

• 1978

  Glen Cairn Shopping Centre proposal approved

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Goulbourn Township approved the shopping-centre proposal shortly before the municipal reorganization that created the City of Kanata.

• 1962

  Commercial zoning established

  [1]Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The future mall site was zoned for commercial use during the planning of the Glen Cairn community.

A longstanding enclosed neighbourhood shopping centre serving Kanata and western Ottawa, with convenience-oriented retail, services, fitness and grocery uses rather than a destination luxury or regional fashion positioning.

• Fitness centre

  GoodLife Fitness

  GoodLife Fitness occupies the large former department-store premises that previously housed Towers, Zellers, Target Canada and Independent. Its presence gives Hazeldean Mall a service-oriented anchor focused on memberships, exercise facilities and personal wellness rather than conventional department-store retail.

• Asian supermarket · 2023

  T&T Supermarket

  T&T Supermarket announced plans to take over the space formerly occupied by Laura’s Your Independent Grocer. The planned tenancy was intended to restore a major grocery anchor to Hazeldean Mall and broaden its food-retail offer, with an opening targeted for winter 2024.

• 2023

  Recruit T&T Supermarket as a replacement grocery anchorProduct launch

  Background

  Laura’s Your Independent Grocer had closed and left the mall without its grocery anchor.

  Action taken

  T&T Supermarket announced plans to occupy the former Independent space, targeting an opening in winter 2024.

  Aftermath

  The announcement positioned the planned store as a potential replacement anchor and a new source of food-retail traffic.

  Source

• 1990

  Modernize the mall interiorGeneration change

  Background

  The centre faced changing suburban retail patterns and later competed with the big-box-oriented Kanata Centrum.

  Action taken

  Hazeldean Mall replaced its brick floors and wood-panel finishes with lighter materials and added a fountain; Pharma Plus also expanded into the former TD Bank space.

  Aftermath

  The renovation refreshed the enclosed mall’s appearance and reconfigured part of its service and pharmacy offer.

  Source

• 1978

  Proceed with the Glen Cairn shopping-centre developmentStrategy

  Background

  The proposed centre was approved during a contested period of municipal restructuring, while March Township was promoting a competing commercial centre closer to Kanata’s geographic middle.

  Action taken

  The Glen Cairn Shopping Centre project proceeded despite the legal challenge seeking to reduce its scale.

  Aftermath

  The project opened in 1979 as Hazeldean Mall and became Kanata’s first enclosed shopping centre.

  • Kanata Town Centre — March Township promoted the competing development and pursued legal action against the Hazeldean project, but the challenge was unsuccessful.

  Source

1. 1Hazeldean Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hazeldean Mall official websitehazeldeanmall.com