Golden Mile (Scarborough)
Encyclopedia
The Golden Mile in the Scarborough
district of Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada, is a stretch of Eglinton Avenue
East that is the site of intensive industrial and commercial development. It was one of Canada's first model industrial park
s. The original Golden Mile of Industry ran along Eglinton from Pharmacy Avenue east to Birchmount Road.
The area was farmland prior to World War II with settlement by Scottish
immigrants beginning in the 1820s (notably by the likes of the McCowans and Thompsons) and prior to settlements by Europeans in the late 1700s was mostly covered by forests. In the 1940s 250 acres were acquired by the federal government to build munitions plants. In 1941 General Engineering Company of Ontario (GECO) a massive munitions plant was constructed covering the area northwest of Eglinton and Warden. The facility was located in the area, which was then far from the city, to protect against accidental detonations. At its peak 5,300 people worked at the plant and 256,567,485 munitions were produced over the course of the war. Following the war, the area and 14 buildings was purchased from the federal government by the Township of Scarborough. The township built municipal office, library along Eglinton and sold the rest to private industry to develop the area as "The Golden Mile", patterned after the Golden Mile
in London, England. In the 1950s and 1960s, numerous factories producing mostly consumer goods operated along the Golden Mile.
s.
The original strip mall on the north of Eglinton Avenue was anchored with a Famous Players movie theatre located at Pharmacy Avenue and Eglinton. The west section of the strip was severely damaged by a fire in the 1980s, which hastened the beginning of the transformation of the area into one of Toronto's largest concentrations of power centres and big box stores.
Currently the newer Golden Mile Mall is struggling with both the downturn of the economy and the departure of many mainstay tenants. In 2009, Zellers
, which represented a full half of the square footage of the mall, left for a new stand-alone location 2 km farther east. Earlier in 2008, Fabricland, which is considered a bottom-feeder of strip-malls, also left for greener pastures.
Toronto Employment and Social Services opened a new office at the Golden Mile Mall in 2010, moving the mall furthur down market, and opening talks to redevelop the property into highrise condos.
Current tenants of Golden Mile Mall
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
district of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada, is a stretch of Eglinton Avenue
Eglinton Avenue
Eglinton Avenue, originally known as the Richview Sideroad within Etobicoke, is an east-west arterial thoroughfare in Toronto and Mississauga, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Within Toronto, Eglinton Avenue is the only road which crosses through all six former boroughs...
East that is the site of intensive industrial and commercial development. It was one of Canada's first model industrial park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
s. The original Golden Mile of Industry ran along Eglinton from Pharmacy Avenue east to Birchmount Road.
The area was farmland prior to World War II with settlement by Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
immigrants beginning in the 1820s (notably by the likes of the McCowans and Thompsons) and prior to settlements by Europeans in the late 1700s was mostly covered by forests. In the 1940s 250 acres were acquired by the federal government to build munitions plants. In 1941 General Engineering Company of Ontario (GECO) a massive munitions plant was constructed covering the area northwest of Eglinton and Warden. The facility was located in the area, which was then far from the city, to protect against accidental detonations. At its peak 5,300 people worked at the plant and 256,567,485 munitions were produced over the course of the war. Following the war, the area and 14 buildings was purchased from the federal government by the Township of Scarborough. The township built municipal office, library along Eglinton and sold the rest to private industry to develop the area as "The Golden Mile", patterned after the Golden Mile
Golden Mile (Brentford)
The Golden Mile is the name given to a stretch of the Great West Road north of Brentford running west from the western boundary of Chiswick in London, United Kingdom.It was so called due to the concentration of industry along this short stretch of road...
in London, England. In the 1950s and 1960s, numerous factories producing mostly consumer goods operated along the Golden Mile.
Golden Mile Mall
Golden Mile Plaza was added west of the industrial "mile" in the mid 1950s and was visited in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II marking the further transformation of the area into a series of strip mallStrip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
s.
The original strip mall on the north of Eglinton Avenue was anchored with a Famous Players movie theatre located at Pharmacy Avenue and Eglinton. The west section of the strip was severely damaged by a fire in the 1980s, which hastened the beginning of the transformation of the area into one of Toronto's largest concentrations of power centres and big box stores.
Currently the newer Golden Mile Mall is struggling with both the downturn of the economy and the departure of many mainstay tenants. In 2009, Zellers
Zellers
Zellers Inc. is Canada's second-largest chain of mass merchandise discount stores, with locations in communities across Canada. A subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company , it has 273 locations across the country....
, which represented a full half of the square footage of the mall, left for a new stand-alone location 2 km farther east. Earlier in 2008, Fabricland, which is considered a bottom-feeder of strip-malls, also left for greener pastures.
Toronto Employment and Social Services opened a new office at the Golden Mile Mall in 2010, moving the mall furthur down market, and opening talks to redevelop the property into highrise condos.
Current tenants of Golden Mile Mall
- ScotiabankScotiabankThe Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
- No FrillsNo Frills (grocery store)No Frills is a chain of deep discount supermarkets in Canada, owned by Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited...
- Everything for a Dollar Store
- Bulk BarnBulk BarnBulk Barn Foods Limited is a Canadian retailer that specializes in bulk food. It is Canada's largest bulk food retailer, with 170 stores across Canada. The company was founded in 1982 by Carl V. Ofield, with its first store opening and headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario.Bulk Barn carries a...
- Hip Hop Nails
- Golden Mile Shoe Repair
- Bill's Bargain Basement
- Sama Home Furnishings
- Epic Hair Salon
- Joe's House Of Wood
- King Dental Centre
List of businesses on the Golden Mile
- Golden Mile Chevrolet 1953-2007 - In 2008 Toyota Canada built a new dealership (Scarborough Toyota move further west from 2000 Eglinton Avenue East)
- Frigidaire (GM) plant 1952-1968 - became Delco (GM) plant
- Delco (GM) plant 1968-1974 became General Motors full size (G) van plant
- General Motors CanadaGeneral Motors CanadaGeneral Motors of Canada Limited is General Motors' Canadian division. Its national headquarters office, Canadian Regional Engineering Centre, and main manufacturing plants are located in Oshawa, Ontario. GM Canada is 100% owned by GM.As of Apr...
Van AssemblyScarborough Van AssemblyScarborough Van Assembly was a General Motors Canada plant in Scarborough, Ontario, which opened in 1952. It once stood on the current Eglinton Town Centre retail complex, located in the Golden Mile between Victoria Park Avenue and Warden Avenue...
1974-1993 - closed - now site of Eglinton Town Centre mall - Eglinton Town Centre - mall features Canadian Tire, Cineplex Odeon multi theatre
- Alcan 1950s to 1990s - manufacturing plant now part of Eglinton Town Centre site
- Eaton's 1960s to 1980s - later became Sears Outlet during the mid 1980s, 1997 rebuilt as Walmart and became a Lowe's in 2009
- SKF - moved to north Scarborough, site now Visa processing centre
- Thermos Canada - office moved downton (370 King Street West) old office torn down and site rebuilt for a new Zellers store in 2009
- Warner-Lambert - merged with Pfizer and moved to Kirkland Quebec; office building now home to Aviva
- Rona - old location of Scarborough Toyota
- Scarborough Toyota - relocated from 2000 to 1897 Eglinton Avenue East
- Scarborough Nissan
- Kingscross Hyundai
- Eglinton Crossing
- Eglinton Square Shopping Centre
- Canadian General Electric - former site of John Inglis Company and English Electric Canada later Knob Hill FarmsKnob Hill FarmsKnob Hill Farms was a supermarket chain in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by Steve Stavro, and operated from 1951 to 2001.-Community grocery stores:...
warehouse and later as Walmart store (2007) - Bell Canada - shared with Teleglobe Canada 1980s
- FMC - closed Canadian office; office now a pharmaceutical warehouse
- Ontario Ministry of Corrections East Detention Centre
- Scarborough Municipal Offices - demolished
- Ontario Provincial Courts
- Donway Ford
- Mandarin Buffet
- Fabricland
- Kelsey's
- Golden Mile Motors
- Scarborough Mitsubishi
- Volkswagen Canada (1944 Eglinton) - moved to 777 Bayly Street West, Ajax, building now home to HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
- Walmart Supercentre
- Frigdaire Canada
- John Inglis Company