Billings Bridge Plaza
Encyclopedia
The Billings Bridge Plaza is a shopping centre located in Ottawa
, Canada
. Originally built in 1954, it was the first shopping centre built in the city. It did not become enclosed until 1972. It is located immediately south of the Rideau River
on the corner of Bank Street
and Riverside Drive
, beside a large athletics complex, the RA Centre
. The anchor stores are Zellers
and Your Independent Grocer
. It is a medium-sized mall by modern standards with 85 stores.
When it was built it had only six stores, of which only Reitmans
remains to this day. In 1962 the mall underwent a major expansion to 23 stores which made it the largest shopping centre in Ottawa at the time. Ogilvy's
opened a location at Billings Bridge in the 1962. Later it was replaced by Robinson's, which was itself replaced by Zellers
in 1996. The second major expansion came in 1975, which saw the addition of an office tower housing federal government offices. In February 2008, the Loblaws
store (which had been one of the original stores) was rebranded as Your Independent Grocer
(another of Loblaw Companies
' brands).
The shopping centre was extensively refurbished in 1999. A large new atrium and food court were added. In July 2006 another major renovation programme was started, expanding by 25000 sq ft (2,322.6 m²). Construction was completed in 2007. It consisted of adding many new stores and a renovation of the food court, removing the bridge and replacing it with Ben and Jerry's and Printwell. This construction changed the whole atmosphere on the first floor. There is now significantly more light than before.
6.2 million people visit Billings Bridge annually. At 450000 square feet (41,806.4 m²), it earns C$543 (2003) per square foot (C$5800/m²), up from C$332 per square foot (C$3600/m²) in 1998. Capital City Shopping Centre Ltd. has owned the plaza since 1962, when they bought it from the original developers. It is the 9th largest mall in Ottawa in terms of retail area, and the 6th largest in terms of number of stores.
The shopping centre is located on the Transitway, and serves as a major hub for OC Transpo
bus services. The station
is called Billings Bridge.
Billings Bridge is named after Braddish Billings
, an original settler of Ottawa. The bridge carrying Bank Street over the river, near the site of the current mall, came to be known as Billings' Bridge
as it led to his property.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Originally built in 1954, it was the first shopping centre built in the city. It did not become enclosed until 1972. It is located immediately south of the Rideau River
Rideau River
thumb|Rapids on the Rideau River opposite [[Carleton University]].The Rideau River is a Southern Ontario river which flows north from Upper Rideau Lake and empties into the Ottawa River at Rideau Falls in Ottawa, Ontario. Its length is 146 km...
on the corner of Bank Street
Bank Street (Ottawa)
Bank Street is the major north-south road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs south from Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa, south through the neighbourhoods of Centretown, The Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Alta Vista, Hunt Club, and then through the villages of Blossom Park, Leitrim, South...
and Riverside Drive
Riverside Drive (Ottawa)
Riverside Drive is a major road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that follows along the eastern bank of the Rideau River. From its northern terminus at the Transitway/Via Rail underpass just south of the Queensway, the road proceeds south to Limebank Road where it continues as River Road until the city...
, beside a large athletics complex, the RA Centre
RA Centre
The RA Centre is a recreation and activity centre in Ottawa, Canada.Having been in business for over 60 years, and with a membership that exceeds 25,000, the RA Centre is one of the largest such facilities in Canada....
. The anchor stores are 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....
and Your Independent Grocer
Your Independent Grocer
Your Independent Grocer is a supermarket chain based in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is a unit of National Grocers, itself a unit of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor. Stores are typically operated by a franchise owner. Many of the stores were originally...
. It is a medium-sized mall by modern standards with 85 stores.
When it was built it had only six stores, of which only Reitmans
Reitmans
Reitmans Limited is a Canadian retailing company, specializing in women's apparel, that was founded in 1926 by Herman and Sarah Reitman, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
remains to this day. In 1962 the mall underwent a major expansion to 23 stores which made it the largest shopping centre in Ottawa at the time. Ogilvy's
Ogilvy's
Charles Ogilvy Limited, or "Ogilvy's", was a department store in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, founded in 1887. For much of the 20th century, Ogilvy's was one of Ottawa's higher-end department stores....
opened a location at Billings Bridge in the 1962. Later it was replaced by Robinson's, which was itself replaced by 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....
in 1996. The second major expansion came in 1975, which saw the addition of an office tower housing federal government offices. In February 2008, the Loblaws
Loblaws
Loblaws is a supermarket chain with over 70 stores in Canada, headquartered in Brampton, with stores across Ontario and Quebec. Loblaws is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor...
store (which had been one of the original stores) was rebranded as Your Independent Grocer
Your Independent Grocer
Your Independent Grocer is a supermarket chain based in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is a unit of National Grocers, itself a unit of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor. Stores are typically operated by a franchise owner. Many of the stores were originally...
(another of Loblaw Companies
Loblaw Companies
Loblaw Companies Limited is the largest food retailer in Canada, with over 1,400 supermarkets operating under a variety of regional banners, including the namesake Loblaws. LCL is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario...
' brands).
The shopping centre was extensively refurbished in 1999. A large new atrium and food court were added. In July 2006 another major renovation programme was started, expanding by 25000 sq ft (2,322.6 m²). Construction was completed in 2007. It consisted of adding many new stores and a renovation of the food court, removing the bridge and replacing it with Ben and Jerry's and Printwell. This construction changed the whole atmosphere on the first floor. There is now significantly more light than before.
6.2 million people visit Billings Bridge annually. At 450000 square feet (41,806.4 m²), it earns C$543 (2003) per square foot (C$5800/m²), up from C$332 per square foot (C$3600/m²) in 1998. Capital City Shopping Centre Ltd. has owned the plaza since 1962, when they bought it from the original developers. It is the 9th largest mall in Ottawa in terms of retail area, and the 6th largest in terms of number of stores.
The shopping centre is located on the Transitway, and serves as a major hub for OC Transpo
OC Transpo
OC Transpo is the urban transit service of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. An integrated hub-and-spoke system of services is available consisting of: regular buses travelling on fixed routes in mixed traffic, typical of most urban transit systems; a bus rapid transit system — a high...
bus services. The station
Billings Bridge Station (OC Transpo)
The Billings Bridge Transitway Station is a station on the OC Transpo transitway, adjacent to the Billings Bridge Plaza. It is named for, not only the plaza, but after Billings Bridge itself which is both a nearby bridge and neighbourhood...
is called Billings Bridge.
Billings Bridge is named after Braddish Billings
Braddish Billings
Braddish Billings was an early settler in the Ottawa area.He was born in Ware, Massachusetts in 1783, but moved to the Brockville area with his family when he was 9. He later worked cutting down the white pine along the Ottawa River and transporting the logs down river...
, an original settler of Ottawa. The bridge carrying Bank Street over the river, near the site of the current mall, came to be known as Billings' Bridge
Billings Bridge
Billings Bridge is a bridge over the Rideau River in Ottawa. Bank Street passes over the river by way of this bridge. The bridge was named after Braddish Billings, who settled in this area and established a farm nearby in 1812. The first bridge, originally called Farmers Bridge, was built over the...
as it led to his property.
Anchors
- Your Independent GrocerYour Independent GrocerYour Independent Grocer is a supermarket chain based in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is a unit of National Grocers, itself a unit of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor. Stores are typically operated by a franchise owner. Many of the stores were originally...
(29636 sq ft (2,753.3 m²)) - ZellersZellersZellers 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....
(98950 sq ft (9,192.8 m²))