Westgate Shopping Centre
A former shopping centre in Ottawa, Ontario, and one of the city's earliest purpose-built retail complexes.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Westgate Shopping Centre was a historic retail complex in Ottawa's Carlington neighbourhood, southwest of the downtown core. The centre occupied a strategically visible site bounded by Carling Avenue, Merivale Road and Highway 417, and became associated with the expansion of suburban-style shopping in postwar Ottawa. It opened on May 12, 1955, at 1309 Carling Avenue and was widely described as Ottawa's first shopping centre. At opening, Westgate presented a modern retail format built around convenient automobile access and a broad collection of stores in one location. Its promotional material emphasized parking for more than 1,200 cars, weather-protected shopping and in-centre music. The original tenant mix included Freiman's department store, Steinberg's grocery, Tip Top Tailors, Reitmans, Kiddytown, a cinema and a Royal Bank of Canada branch. Freiman's was the principal anchor and was connected to the Ottawa retail history of Lawrence Freiman, who also operated a department store on Rideau Street. Over subsequent decades, Westgate functioned as a neighbourhood shopping centre rather than a large regional mall. Its tenants changed as Ottawa's retail geography evolved, but the property retained a long-standing role in the Carlington area. A Blockbuster video store operated at the centre until September 30, 2011. The location was locally noted for its strict identification policy. Royal Bank of Canada was the last surviving original tenant and closed its branch in 2022. The centre's later history was shaped by redevelopment pressure and the changing economics of older shopping properties. Plans called for the existing mall to be removed in phases and replaced with a mixed-use project incorporating high-rise commercial and residential buildings. Preparatory redevelopment began in November 2019 with demolition of Monkey Joe's Restaurant on the property's southeast corner. By October 31, 2025, all remaining stores other than Shoppers Drug Mart had closed. Demolition of the property began in April 2026 and was expected to finish by June 2026, marking the end of Westgate's operation as a traditional enclosed shopping centre.
History
Westgate Shopping Centre emerged during Ottawa's postwar suburban growth. The centre opened on May 12, 1955, at 1309 Carling Avenue in the Carlington neighbourhood. Its location southwest of downtown, alongside major roads and near Highway 417, supported a retail model based on automobile access rather than the traditional downtown department-store district. It was regarded as Ottawa's first shopping centre and helped introduce a consolidated, planned shopping environment to the city. The original concept combined a department store with everyday retail, food, services and entertainment. Freiman's, owned by Lawrence Freiman, served as the principal anchor. Freiman already operated a department store on Rideau Street, linking Westgate's suburban format with an established Ottawa retail name. Other opening-era tenants included Steinberg's, Tip Top Tailors, Reitmans, Kiddytown and a Royal Bank of Canada branch. The centre also included a movie theatre. Its launch advertising highlighted more than 1,200 parking spaces, protected shopping areas and music for customers, all features intended to distinguish the complex from conventional street-front retail. Westgate's subsequent role was primarily that of a community shopping centre. It served nearby residents with a mixture of retail and financial services while remaining accessible from several major transportation routes. The tenant roster changed over time as national chains, local businesses and changing consumer habits reshaped the Canadian retail market. The centre later housed a Blockbuster video store, which remained open until September 30, 2011. That store became locally memorable for its rigorous identification requirements. The Royal Bank branch was the final surviving tenant from the original opening group and closed in 2022. As the property aged, its future became connected to a larger redevelopment proposal. The planned scheme called for the mall to be demolished in stages and replaced with high-rise commercial and residential buildings. The initial physical work began in November 2019, when Monkey Joe's Restaurant at the southeast corner was demolished. This started the transition away from the established low-rise shopping-centre format. The later closure program accelerated in 2025. On October 31, all remaining stores other than Shoppers Drug Mart closed. The reduced tenancy reflected the property's movement toward redevelopment rather than continued operation as a conventional mall. Demolition of the property began in April 2026 and was expected to be completed by June 2026. Westgate's history therefore spans the introduction of planned suburban retail to Ottawa, several generations of neighbourhood shopping, and the eventual replacement of the original centre with a denser mixed-use development.
- 2026
Property demolition begins
[1]Demolition began in April and was expected to conclude in June.
- 2025
Majority of remaining stores close
[1]All stores except Shoppers Drug Mart closed on October 31 ahead of the planned redevelopment.
- 2022
Original Royal Bank tenant departs
[1]The Royal Bank of Canada branch closed, ending the presence of the last original tenant.
- 2019
Redevelopment work starts
[1]Demolition of Monkey Joe's Restaurant marked the first phase of the proposed property redevelopment.
- 2011
Blockbuster closes
[1]The centre's Blockbuster video store closed on September 30.
- 1955
Opening of Westgate Shopping Centre
[1]The centre opened on May 12 at 1309 Carling Avenue and was recognized as Ottawa's first shopping centre.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented, automobile-accessible shopping centre serving southwest Ottawa, originally positioned as a modern all-weather retail destination and later as a neighbourhood convenience centre.
Department store · 1955
Freiman's
Freiman's was Westgate's original department-store anchor. The business was associated with Lawrence Freiman, who also operated a department store on Ottawa's Rideau Street. Its presence gave the new suburban shopping centre an established retail anchor at opening.
Multi-tenant retail · 1955
Original tenant mix
The opening tenant mix included Steinberg's, Tip Top Tailors, Reitmans, Kiddytown, a movie theatre and a Royal Bank of Canada branch. Together these tenants provided groceries, apparel, children's merchandise, entertainment and banking within the centre.
Pharmacy and convenience retail
Shoppers Drug Mart
Shoppers Drug Mart was the last remaining anchor or major store operating at the property after the other remaining tenants closed in October 2025. Its continued operation was noted during the transition toward demolition.
Brand decisions
2025
Closure of remaining retail operationsStrategyBackground
The property was being cleared to support the planned redevelopment and replacement of the existing mall.
Action taken
All remaining stores other than Shoppers Drug Mart closed on October 31.
Aftermath
Westgate ceased to function as a substantially occupied shopping centre before demolition began.
2019
Phased redevelopment of the shopping centreStrategyBackground
The aging shopping-centre property was targeted for replacement by a denser mixed-use project with high-rise commercial and residential buildings.
Action taken
Redevelopment began in phases, starting with the demolition of Monkey Joe's Restaurant in November 2019.
Aftermath
The phased process led to progressive tenant departures, the closure of nearly all remaining stores in 2025 and the start of full property demolition in 2026.
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