Last week was a bit of a homecoming for John Rooke — even though he’s still 150 km from his hometown.
The Calgary native stepped into his new position as general manager of Bower Place Shopping Centre on May 16. That follows several years in Winnipeg, where he managed Grant Park Shopping Centre.
Not only is Bower Place Shopping Centre a bigger property, its location appealed to Rooke.
“The Calgary-Edmonton corridor has so much going for it right now,” he said, adding that Red Deer has “more of a big city feel” than Winnipeg, even though it’s smaller.
The resurgence of the oilpatch and resulting spinoffs into retail also makes Central Alberta a desirable place to be, said Rooke.
“We’re up about 11 per cent year-over-year right now. I think a lot of it has to do with the resurgence we’re seeing back in the (energy sector) capital expenditures.”
Rooke said he was also keen to work in the recently renovated and expanded Bower Place Shopping Centre.
“It’s a very prominent shopping centre and well-known across Canada.”
He expects the south Red Deer mall to continue to bring “first-to-market fashion” to Central Alberta, with its tenant mix emphasizing such shops.
“That’s really our bread and butter.”
Despite the growing presence of power centres in Red Deer and surrounding communities, Rooke is confident indoor malls like Bower Place Shopping Centre will remain popular in cold-climate cities like Red Deer. He thinks more can be done to increase their appeal to consumers.
“I think what we’re trying to do is reinvent the enclosed shopping centre and make it an experience.”
Rooke replaces Roxanne Kirton as Bower Place Shopping Centre’s general manager. The property is owned by British Columbia Investment Management Corp.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com