Rideau Centre

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name =Rideau Centre


caption = The Rideau Centre at Christmas
location =Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
opening_date =March 16, 1983
developer =Viking Rideau, Eaton's
number_of_stores =171
floor_area =1,021,827 ft² (91,965 m²)
floors =3
manager =Cindy VanBuskirk
owner =Viking Rideau Corporation
website =http://www.rideaucentre.net/
parking =1,590 spaces in two indoor lots and a surface lot

Rideau Centre ("Centre Rideau" in French) is a three-level shopping centre on Rideau Street in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It borders on Rideau Street (and the Byward Market), the Rideau Canal, the Mackenzie King Bridge, and Nicholas Street. At the time of its construction in 1981 and 1982, the Rideau Centre was somewhat controversial: when a whole block of stores (such as the Metropolitan department store, the Del-Mar restaurant, etc.) was torn down to make room for the Rideau Centre, many people were opposed to their destruction. Others feared the impact of increased traffic and buses on the area. The Eaton's department store chain, one of the partners in the development, caused further controversy when it attempted to rename the mall the "Rideau Eaton Centre" while it was still under construction; the company backed down in the face of local opposition to the name change. ["Sens, Habs rivalry may have to do", National Post, April 16, 2006 [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=c97b5669-12ba-4d0a-8266-8052f0c2013f&k=23374] ] The Rideau Centre opened on March 16, 1983, and today it is a major transport and shopping hub in downtown Ottawa. The centre's proximity to the shops in the Byward Market and on Rideau Street, and its location near most of the City's main attractions, contribute to its status as one of the region's top shopping and tourist destinations.

The Rideau Centre complex also includes approximately 180 other retailers, the Westin Hotel, a rooftop park, a movie theatre and the Ottawa Congress Centre. With 740,757 square feet (66668 m²) in size it is the fourth largest shopping centre in the Ottawa-Gatineau area (behind the St. Laurent Centre, Les Promenades de l'Outaouais and Bayshore Shopping Centre). Significant expansions of both the Rideau Centre and the Convention Centre are planned for the near future.

The Rideau Centre also has a rooftop garden with views of part of the Byward Market, the Rideau Canal, the Château Laurier, and the Parliament buildings. During the annual Tulip Festival, the garden is filled with tulips. The Rideau Centre and the adjacent National Defence building are both served by OC Transpo's Mackenzie King Transitway station, which is served by a number of major bus routes and may one day be a stop of the extended O-Train line.

Rideau_Centre(left)_connected_to_The_Bay_by_a_bridge_over_Rideau_Street.Image:RideauCentreO.jpg|One_of_the_buildings_containing_Rideau_Centre_at_the_corner_of_Rideau_and_Colonel_By_streets.Image:Ojazzfest.jpg|Courts_of_Rideau_Centre_used_as_a_venue_for_the_2005_Ottawa International Jazz Festival.

ee also

*Eaton Centre
*A list of Canada's largest shopping malls

Notes