Assessing youth-inclusive planning in shopping mall redevelopment

Since its creation in the 1950s, the shopping mall’s role as a vital space in the suburbs has evolved to meet the needs of patrons. Despite exclusionary Rules of Access and Conduct instituted by mall management, youth continue to assert their use of this space as a place for socialization and identity expression. Recent economic and planning discourse trends are facilitating the redevelopment of shopping mall sites, however there is little research into how this change may impact youth. This paper assesses whether and how youth have been involved in shopping mall redevelopment planning through a limited case study of two sites in the Greater Toronto Area. The findings suggest that despite municipalities’ limited adoption of youth-focused engagement policies, planners have worked successfully to secure the provision of new public spaces on these redevelopment sites, with potentially substantial benefits for youth.

Key words: planning, shopping malls, youth, redevelopment, public space