Comments on: What was here before? The Kingsgate Mall

By: Maureen Strelau

Maureen Strelau — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:19:19 +0000

Omg I’m drowning in Nostalgia! I grew up on St. George St. between 12th Ave and Robson Park from 1970-1979. I attended Nightingale Elementary K – 7. Lisa, you’re right about the school being on St George and 12th Ave. That was the back side of the property where the “fields” were. The official address is 2730 Guelph St. where the front doors were. It took up the entire block between 12th & 11th Aves.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:09:18 +0000

I’ve been inside the mall maby 3 times. Nice mall. But I attended Mt. Pleasant Elementary from the middle 50s to middle 60s. I started in kindergarden to grade 7 although I’m sure it was one of the last schools that went to grade 12. might be wrong. It was such an interesting, fabulous building. I wished I had pictures of the inside structures especially the middle staircase and dungenous basement lol

By: Alain Henri Archambault

Alain Henri Archambault — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 02:01:31 +0000

In reply to Cathleen Willoughny. I was a pupil of both the old and new Mt. Pleasant school. I wish they had a shot of the grand central double staircase that was inside the old school's main building.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 17:40:24 +0000

I didn’t realize the mall was only built in 1974. I worked in the mall in the mid to late 70’s, first at Sweet Sixteen and then at the Fields Store. Once in awhile, had dinner at Mr. Mike’s Restaurant. It seemed most employees from the various shops knew one another-it was a small “community”.
Although the stores in the mall have changed over the years, the mall itself still looks much the same, just older. The neighbourhood itself has changed dramatically though. So much development!

By: Cathleen Willoughny

Cathleen Willoughny — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 14:36:12 +0000

Mount Pleasant Elementary School was a beautiful building indide and out. It was demolished to make way for Kingsgste Mall. The new school built to replace it was already too small before it opened. Characterless of course.

By: Lisa Corriveau

Lisa Corriveau — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 04:26:14 +0000

In reply to tom roberts. Nightingale Elementary is still a school, but it isn't at that location, it's at St. George & 12th Ave.

By: Mary Cleaver

Mary Cleaver — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 16:50:31 +0000

I love this mall – and not in an ironic way. It’s not really enough to entice me to spend too much money, just enough to fill some core needs (prescriptions, post office, groceries, wine, and just a little fun for the kids at the book/toy store). I’ll miss it when it goes!

By: Crispy

Crispy — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 09:37:24 +0000

Kingsgate Mall has everything you could need in a mall! It has a quirky charm that I find lacking in other “fancy” malls. Shoppers Drug Mart, Mark’s Work Warehouse, Payless Shoes, a florist, jewellery store, dollar store, liquor store, insurance office, ladies’ clothing, and a lottery kiosk – these are just a few of the useful businesses you can visit! How many malls carry sugar cane juice? The bathrooms are a bit sketchy, but usually functional. Go upstairs to Buy-Low, which always seems to have yogurt on sale; the smell of fresh bread hits you as soon as you walk in, and you feel at home. Near the Buy-Low is a Shoppers Drug Mart medical supply outlet! The toy store carries a lot of cool stuff – not just for kids. I’m glad that Kingsgate Mall lacks a Starbucks (well, there is one across the street). It’s a non-pretentious, friendly place to spend an hour or two. I don’t live close by, but I don’t mind making the 30-minute bus ride, ’cause they have everything I need.

By: Jocelyn Moon

Jocelyn Moon — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 04:53:39 +0000

I have never been to Kingsgate Mall, but back in the nineties my sister Kathy Butts had a communications business (“Carrot Communications”) and for some years Kingsgate was a client…..for publishing a community newsletter/newspaper. If I remember right it was full of local stories, event information etc. I remember that she found the management staff there exceedingly friendly and community-oriented, and she enjoyed going there to get the flavor of the place etc. Sadly she passed away in 1999, so she can’t contribute to this. Somewhere I have a box full of samples of some of her work from that time…maybe there are a few samples of the Kingsgate material….

By: Terr

Terr — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 16:59:21 +0000

The Kingsgate Mall is weird AND wonderful, quirky AND quaint, etc., but most importantly, a vital community service. There’s a liquor store, a Shopper’s, the Buy-Low, a florist and a few small shops necessary for a thriving neighbourhood. Haters gonna hate, but after living in the nabe for the last six years, I’ve come to love it’s low-key charm. It also provides someplace safe and dry for those less fortunate. It feels like a “real” place to me and it would be a shame to lose it.

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 05:10:56 +0000

VSB doesn’t get the money from the sale if the land is sold. It goes to the government rather than the VSB. It’s of no benefit to the VSB to sell the property.

I don’t know how anyone could find Kingsgate not memorable. I’ve never seen another mall like it. It’s even inspired a Vice article and a song you can find on Youtube.

Personally, I go there on a regular basis and would be sad to see it go.

By: alex quinby

alex quinby — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:06:14 +0000

i love the mall… very friendly and sorry about all the snobs above… has community events and lots of variety… buy low is great!!! and a place for some small independent business…

By: Campbell Graham

Campbell Graham — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 05:28:21 +0000

There was also a public comfort station
ie : public restrooms at the corner of Broadway and Kingsway, never used it as a kid because I was scared
of the creeps that lurked around them, but as I grew up and went to pubs they a great relief of a belly full of beer.

By: Paula Buckers

Paula Buckers — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 04:43:23 +0000

This mall is important to those who use it , a community that I see everyday.Those who do find a sense of comfort within.I never feel unsafe, or threatened,.a sense of pride, in the midst of poverty and displacement.

By: tom roberts

tom roberts — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 16:02:12 +0000

We used to ride our bikes down to what we called Nightingale School at that location from Charles Dickens elementary off of Kingsway at Glen Drive ,, to take woodworking for an hour and a half and then ride back to finish the days lessons.This was in the mid fifties.

By: Anthony Maw

Anthony Maw — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 08:47:10 +0000

I recall the old Mount Pleasant school was demolished in 1972 or so to make way for Kingsgate Mall. The black and white historic photo of the original Mount Pleasant school was taken from the top of the Lee Building at Main and Broadway. Unfortunately today there is a huge mega condo tower built in the line of sight that blocks the view preventing taking of a then-and-now comparison photo.

By: Loretta Houben

Loretta Houben — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 06:11:24 +0000

Thank you for the post and interesting photos, Eve! I never knew what was there before. When the mall was built I was 14. I think I’ve been inside one time.

By: Skip Savage

Skip Savage — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 04:02:12 +0000

Traffic along Broadway near Kingsway is such a frustration. Still, I say build a better strip mall (surface parking!) with four stories of housing, no higher. I would prefer that to a hulking condo tower with a struggling retail podium on that corner.

By: Doug Parks

Doug Parks — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:17:10 +0000

Ive been in that mall and it is not memorable. This might be the first time my sentimental grip on the past is not working.
The perpetually in need of money VSB should bulldoze and develop or sell and allow developers to build.