What do Edmontonians think of "the mall"?

Thinner6 · #1 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:00 PM**

I'm just wondering the local perception of West Edmonton Mall is. Is it a source of pride? Do you find it overrated? Do you really care at all? Does it needs to be re-done? Why?

Edit:

This thread is not exclusive to Edmontonians, but please specify if you are from elsewhere. All views are welcome.

Xelebes · #2 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:03 PM**

To me, its a mall. Most of my shopping isn't done there (most of the stores could not appeal to me) but it acts as a monolithic transit hub so I end up going to its transit hub often.

nunuangel99 · #3 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:05 PM**

It has done a LOT for the City from a tourist perspective, to employment (when times were tough), to international acknowledgement.

Too many mall bashers who don't see the true benefits!!

feepa · #4 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:15 PM**

The mall definitely needs a major overhaul before it becomes a bragging piece or sense of pride for the City of Edmonton and its regional citizens.

You Need A Thneed · #5 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:17 PM**

It looks great inside, it would be better if it also looked great on the outside, IMO.

Distill3d · #6 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:20 PM**

After going to the mall five times while living there, I was sick of it.

Personally, I think its needs to be imploded, rezoned, and rebuilt closer to the downtown area.

Calgarian · #7 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:24 PM**

are they still getting sued by Disney over the name Fantasy land?

anyway, WEM is okay, the novelty wears off after walking the entire legnth once. I do like bourbon street, and the waterpark though.

nunuangel99 · #8 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyc

are they still getting sued by Disney over the name Fantasy land?

anyway, WEM is okay, the novelty wears off after walking the entire legnth once. I do like bourbon street, and the waterpark though.

They settled and changed the name to Galaxyland, the hotel was allowed to keep the name Fantasyland though.

The mall is more than just a novelty, now especially with an increase of quality stores to shop at recently

Boris2k7 · #9 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:35 PM**

When I lived in Edmonton we seemed to be frequent users of the mall (back in the early 90's). Then, it was more amazing to a 5 or 6 year old. Since then, having still been to the mall so many times (I can't count 'em, but there have been a lot of visits) the effect really has worn off. Now, to me it is just oversized, to the point that I just lose interest after walking through about 1/4 of the mall. I would rather just go to downtown Edmonton...

And really, aside from the amount of money it brings to the economy, I don't think the mall really does that much for the rest of Edmonton. Seriously, last year I went with some my friends, I thought we would at least be going a bit around Edmonton, maybe point out some cool stuff about my birthcity. Nope. It was a day trip just to WEM and back. No river valley, no downtown, no consideration of anything else. And sadly, that is what a lot of people do.

murman · #10 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:37 PM**

That offensive stinking pile of horse-sh!t should be nuked. Worst thing that ever happened to Edmonton, and worst thing that continues to happen to Edmonton. It's the concrete shoes dragging Edmonton down into the briny deep.

Calgarian · #11 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunuangel99

They settled and changed the name to Galaxyland, the hotel was allowed to keep the name Fantasyland though.

The mall is more than just a novelty, now especially with an increase of quality stores to shop at recently

The size of the mall, and the fact that there is an amusement park, water park and a hotel attached, make it a novelty. There are some really good stores, but they take far too long to get to.

sdimedru · #12 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:41 PM**

I really don't care much for it, I think its neat to have, but I realize since starting on this forum, what a drag to downtown it is....

nunuangel99 · #13 Posted **May 2, 2007, 5:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by murman

That offensive stinking pile of horse-sh!t should be nuked. Worst thing that ever happened to Edmonton, and worst thing that continues to happen to Edmonton. It's the concrete shoes dragging Edmonton down into the briny deep.

Give me a break!!, you could perhaps make that arguement 10 years ago when everything else was in the dumper, but to use it as today's excuse for the rest of the City development??!! A lot of things (including other major retail projects, have been built SINCE the building of the Mall) and yet they continue to thrive, downtown is only revitalizing now, not because of retail stores, but due to the influx of residence LIVING Downtown, the retail will follow as the needs for the downtown increase.

Rocket252 · #14 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by murman

That offensive stinking pile of horse-sh!t should be nuked. Worst thing that ever happened to Edmonton, and worst thing that continues to happen to Edmonton. It's the concrete shoes dragging Edmonton down into the briny deep.

Quite beating around the bush.

What do you really think?

murman · #15 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket252

Quite beating around the bush.

What do you really think?

I've been waiting for your reply ever since I wrote my original comment!

murman · #16 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunuangel99

Give me a break!!, you could perhaps make that arguement 10 years ago when everything else was in the dumper, but to use it as today's excuse for the rest of the City development??!! A lot of things (including other major retail projects, have been built SINCE the building of the Mall) and yet they continue to thrive, downtown is only revitalizing now, not because of retail stores, but due to the influx of residence LIVING Downtown, the retail will follow as the needs for the downtown increase.

Imagine if WEM had never been developed, and then compare what that would look like versus how Edmonton ended up. No need for further discourse.

nunuangel99 · #17 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by murman

Imagine if WEM had never been developed, and then compare what that would look like versus how Edmonton ended up. No need for further discourse.

That's an assumption that has been made for years!!

Downtown would, IMO, NOT be thriving with retail or residences if WEM wasn't built the trend was still to build outward in suburbia, retail would have continued to grow mainly in suburban markets FIRST.

adeep88 · #18 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:42 PM**

It employs 20,000 people, brings in 20M + visitors, and is Alberta's number one tourist attraction.

It's not the same thing for me personally since it was when I was a kid - I've been there so many times. For a tourist, or someone who visits much less frequently, it's a place they will enjoy.

I would imagine within 10 years there will be more expansion and renovations.

newfangled · #19 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:50 PM**

I grew up in the west end about a 5 minute drive from the mall. It was a huge focal point of my life, and I have spent way too much time there.

As a kid the mall meant weekend outings. In junior high and high school it was the place to hang out. Even in universtity there were the theatres and stores and some decent bars there. Now I live downtown and go to the mall maybe 4 or 5 times a year.

I still think it's an incredibly interesting place. It's dynamic and alive and is - bizarrely - a community. Even though it's a private space, on a Saturday afternoon it's very much the village square (especially in the middle of winter).

If the mall hadn't been built then some other generic westLondonderry or westSouthgate would have sprung up in it's place...or worse yet a West Edmonton Common with acres of box stores. I think that the mall and its unique, vibrant crazy community is of much more value to the city than that.

Is the mall a drain on downtown retail? Yup. But if the mall hadn't been built would the downtown still have fallen into the doldrums in the 80's? Absolutely.

It's been 25 years, and after all this time I don't think its a zero-sum game anymore. The mall is one hub of activity in Edmonton, and so is Whyte, and the Downtown should be too.

So yeah, I really like the mall.

JamalWhite · #20 Posted **May 2, 2007, 6:59 PM**

I've only been in Edmonton since September, and spent one (VERY long) day at WEM. What can I say? It's a giant mall. I have the same feelings of Minnesota's Mall of America - Everything that is wrong with North American rolled into one.

As for doing much for the city, if you are talking about the real downtown, my view is that it does very little. It is so far west that anyone going to the mall is very unlikely to actually participate in any other activities that might benefit the city as a whole.

And until they let me fire a broadside of a cannonballs into the crowd from that ship I will stay unimpressed!