International Malls: Sparks Street Mall

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - circa 1970s

OK, we're stepping outside for some fresh air today. Welcome to stylish and fashionable Sparks Street Mall, Ottawa's historic outdoor pedestrian mall. If you look on the left side of the photo you can just start to make out that groovy old '70s Woolworth logo, too. From Wikipedia:

"Sparks Street is a street in downtown Ottawa, Canada that was converted into an outdoor pedestrian street in 1966, making it the earliest such street or mall in Canada.

Sparks runs from Elgin Street in the east to Bronson Avenue. The Sparks Street Mall that contains a number of outdoor restaurants and also a number of works of art and fountains only runs from Elgin to Bank Street. The pedestrian only portion continues for another two blocks westward with the final two blocks west of Lyon Street being a regular road.

The mall and most of its buildings are owned and operated by the National Capital Commission."