An extant asset
Northgate has to be one of the most overused names for shopping malls. On this site alone, I’ve already drafted five different posts for retail facilities using this name and there are still several others that I haven’t yet written about. This is my first Canadian entry with the ubiquitous moniker.
1 to 6- The north facing front façade of Northgate Centre. 7 & 8- The rear of the complex.
Located just a little more than one and a half miles down 137 Avenue from Londonderry Mall, Northgate Centre is neither as large nor as popular as its companion down the street. But with its raised red roofs and expansive skylights over its center court, I actually found it the more attractive of the two. In a retro way, at least.
Northgate Centre lease plan ca. 2011. View the full PDF version here.
On my one and only visit in June of 2025, I was surprised to find that Northgate Centre was already host to dozens of patrons although it had yet to officially open. The reason why became clear as I ascended to the upper level.
1 & 2- Safeway’s mall entrance next to Safeway’s one of the Northgate Centre’s front facing doorways. 3 to 10- The lower walkway of the double tiered concourse.
While retailers line the corridors of the ground level, the upper concourse hosts a number of medical offices, thus making Northgate Centre a Medical Mall of sorts. Patrons could get their labs taken then immediately raise their blood sugar levels with a syrupy treat from Tim Horton’s.
1 to 6- Northgate Centre pamphlet ca. 2015. View the full PDF version here.
7 to 12- Northgate Centre pamphlet ca. 2017. View the full PDF version here.
The most impressive area, and it was quite nice, was the central court area located to the southwest of the main concourse. Abutting the busy second level food court, it was the liveliest and most remarkable portion of Northgate Centre.
1 to 5- Wal-Mart’s mall entrance and the adjoining common areas. 6 to 10- The corridor leading to the eastern front entrance.
What was then known as Northgate Shopping Centre opened its doors in 1965, pre-dating Londonderry Mall by several years. Anchored by department store Woodward’s, it debuted as a single level, enclosed facility, the only one of its kind in Edmonton’s northeastern outskirts.
Northgate Centre Mallmanac ca. 2018. View the full PDF version here.
Northgate Shopping Centre’s first major changes came in 1986 with the opening of the second level. Initiated as a response to Londonderry Mall’s nearby presence, the facility was renamed as Northwoods Mall at the unveiling along with two double tiered parking decks.
1 to 3- The escalators in front of Wal-Mart. 4 to 8- The upper concourse is home mainly to offices.
Northwoods Mall maintained its draw into the nineties with the opening of a Kmart store in 1994. The US brand’s tenure was a short one as Canadian discounter Zellers took over the space just a few years later in 1998.
1 to 3- Northgate Centre lease plan ca. 2019. View the full PDF version here.
4 to 6- Northgate Centre lease plan ca. 2020. View the full PDF version here.
The new millennium brought new owners as well as a redevelopment. Major tenant Safeway moved its location to a modernized building while Zellers square footage saw an increase. The food court, which was added on the upper tier, was renovated at the same time.
The food court and mezzanines surrounding Northgate’s center court below.
Coinciding with these revisions, the retail destination saw another name change, this time to the present day Northgate Centre. However, more changes were coming with the most significant being Zellers departure in the early 2010s, followed by Wal-Mart’s addition to the tenant list.
Northgate Centre lease plan ca. 2025. View the full PDF version here.
As Wal-Mart only took possession of the former Zellers bottom level, the upper floor was converted to medical and office space. In subsequent years, Canadian retail stalwarts Ardene, Dollarama and Rexall also found their spots in what was becoming a hybrid facility.
The expansive center court area, the most impressive portion of Northgate Centre.
Today, as Londonderry Mall loses its luster, Northgate Centre seems to have found its niche as a combination work and shop hybrid commercial facility. Though it will never be as renowned as West Edmonton Mall or even Kingsway Mall, at least it isn’t anywhere near experiencing the same fate as City Centre Mall.
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