Bower Place-goers are hoping to see more stores, more restaurants and more activities become part of a proposed redevelopment.
Bruce McKay, a Red Deer resident, said he likes the idea of an expansion.
“I hope they put a restaurant up there, whoever comes in,” said McKay.
Read also: Red Deer’s Bower Place aims to demolish Target, redevelop east side of mall
Take our poll: Would you like to see Bower Place redevelop?
City of Red Deer has received an application to redevelop east side of the mall by constructing a new two-storey addition. The addition would see the now-empty Target demolished. Since the store’s closure back in 2015, the space has been vacant.
With another departure of Sears this year, the mall has two large spaces to fill.
Red Deer resident John Reid is disappointed to see stores close in the mall.
“I don’t want to see any more stores close, and I would like to see more retail stores here as part of the expansion,” said Reid.
Brian Knutson, a Red Deer residen,t said adding more stores would give shoppers a wider selection and more variety. He also hopes a “decent” restaurant would become part of the redevelopment.
Three young shoppers echoed similar thoughts, saying they would like to see more brand-named stores become part of the mall.
“It would be nice to have more stores because it’s a little bit small. It would be nice to have more brands like Hollister,” said Gabríela Francisco, 17.
Her friend, Abbrielle Binay, would like to see a Victoria’s Secret at Bower Place, while Anaëlle Dardenne said a bowling alley would be a good idea for the mall or any other activities they could take part in.
Carol Hug, a sales clerk at Calendar Club kiosk at Bower Place, said she hopes recreational activities will be added to the mall as a result of the redevelopment.
“There are a lot of people who do a lot of walking in the mall on a regular basis — day after day — so if they could expand it for that kind of thing, it would be great,” she said.
The proposed redevelopment application also includes new parking stalls. That would benefit shoppers especially on busy days like Black Friday, said another mall employee.
“I would rather see a parkade instead of a two-storey building. A parkade would serve the mall better,” said Liz Davis, sales clerk at Bamboo Pillows kiosk at Bower Place.
She has to park in the outskirts of the parking lot in order to provide the space for customers, which she doesn’t mind, but she would like to see more stalls for customers.
If she were to have a choice of stores, she prefers something local giving local businesses a boost.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
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