Park Royal Shopping Centre, West Vancouver

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Reminiscent of the Whistler Village, Park Royal's Village is an architectural delight with dozens of shops with unique structures fitting of higher end stores and chains.

Park Royal Shopping Centre located in West Vancouver was Canada's first shopping mall and is still in operation today. Whether food, clothing or books, this mall along with its historical appeal makes it a popular shopping destination

Park Royal Shopping Centre, Canada's first shopping mall opened in 1950 heralded in a new experience for the affluent City of West Vancouver in its Ambleside neighbourhood.

It is identified also as the first covered shopping mall with the addition of a roof in 1962 and has proven itself to be an architectural experience through its continued expansions and renovations such as the Village (which mimics Whistler Village) to keep it the most visited in Metro Vancouver.

The exterior of the mall, appropriately named the Village, opened in 2004 and caters to higher end stores is an outdoor experience with brick walkway, water features and distinctive designs for separate store spaces. This outdoor area is reminiscent of Whistler Village and emphasizes West Coast living as the mild temperate climate (aside from the occasional rain or drizzle) allows for level temperatures at all times of the year.

Park Royal consists of two physical locations, the building south of Marine drive and the Northern side. The South is the original mall, shadowed by the Lion's Gate Bridge, whereas the North is part of the newer renovations. The two sides are connected by two overhead bridges spanning over Marine Drive.

The mall is a major transportation hub for the Vancouver region supplying most of the transit through West Vancouver and alternately to the downtown core as well as to the ski areas in the winter season.