5 Things Square One Can Improve On

I love Square One. It has always been a huge presence in my life and a place that stands out in memories of my childhood, teen and adult years. Although the mall holds a special place for me, I know there are things that could make it even better. It’s only natural to think of improvements for one of your favourite places.

So, here are some things that could make Square One even better.

5 – More Variety in the Food Court

The new food court has indeed improved Square One’s culinary scene. It’s also given it a chic new look and feel.  It replaced garbage receptacles with a waste station that’s manned by a person who manages the garbage and trays. If you are dining in the court, your meal will be served on non-disposable dishes with non-disposable utensils. It’s pretty fancy! In terms of food, the court has improved, but the selection isn’t particularly unique. Anything that you’ll find at Square One, you’ll find at other malls. While it’s great to have four options for Chinese food, it would be even better to have some restaurants that no one else has. Let’s get something original up in here. 

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4 – Outdoor Walkable Areas

Square One must be one of the only malls that doesn’t allow shoppers to enter stores from outside. Before you say it’s because of the weather, think of modern malls like Yorkdale (owned by same dudes who operate Square One) and the Eaton Centre.  I bring this up because, if there were outdoor store entrances, there would be reason to walk outside of the mall. So let’s start building these entrances so I can go through the new Muji store to get into the mall. It’ll be absolutely fantastic in the warmer months. Landscape it a little, Square One. You guys did a great job with the new Forever 21 section, so do that for the rest of the mall.

3 – Parking

Square One attracts more than 21 million people a year. That means the mall needs a lot of parking — especially since Mississauga is a driving city. Until that new parkade is built on the southwest corner of Square One, the mall parking is going to be a disaster.

2 – More things for Kids

With all the (welcome, for the most part) upheaval the mall has going on with the new Holt and Rolex stores, the operators forgot to consider the feistiest, wildest demographic of all: kids. Like Helen Lovejoy from The Simpsons would say, “won’t somebody please think of the children?” Square One’s hip facelift has done away with the merry-go-ground, Ferris wheel and kids areas. The only thing kids can do to amuse themselves is take pictures with the mannequin family at Old Navy. Shoppers have kids and kids need some entertainment. Let’s bring back that merry-go-round!

1 – Bridge or tunnel to the bus terminal

For the love of god, please build a bridge or a tunnel from the third most populated mall in Canada to the biggest public transportation hub in the western GTA! At the moment, we have tens of thousands of people crossing a street to get to this hub while mad drivers are looking for parking. Not a good combo. Every day, families with small children and day-dreaming pedestrians with ear buds almost get hit because they are rushing to get the bus. I hope the Square One and MiWay brass reads this and calls for a meeting to create this tunnel or bridge that should have been built when Eaton’s was still around.