During its construction from 1981 to 1982, the construction of the Rideau Centre is speculated to have been largely controversial and widely opposed by local residents and business owners, as a whole block of stores south of
Hudson's Bay Company's "The Bay" on Rideau Street would have required demolishing, solely to make room for the new building, and vehicle traffic was most likely to increase substantially upon its completion. The
Eaton's department store chain, one of the partners in the development, faced intense local opposition when it attempted to rename the mall the "Rideau Eaton Centre" while it was under construction, eventually backing down as a result of the backlash. The mall was officially opened on March 16, 1983. On September 26, 2013,
Cadillac Fairview began the expansion of the 30-year-old shopping centre. The redevelopment project expanded the Rideau Centre by 230,000 square feet and renovated retail and dining spaces. A key feature of the redevelopment project was a 35,000-square-foot dining hall offering 16 eating establishments, seating for 850 people, and reusable dinnerware, glassware, and metal cutlery. Large retailers added during the redevelopment included a 153,725 sq. ft.
Nordstrom and a 103,874 sq. ft.
Simons. Across the street, the
Hudson's Bay Company announced plans for major renovations following the announcement of Nordstrom's opening; the 335,000 sq. ft. downtown flagship will be completely overhauled. This expansion has prompted many retailers already in the Rideau Centre to pursue renovations. Stores such as
Harry Rosen have undergone major renovations, capitalizing on the Ottawa area's density of high income salaried government employees. Aside from the retail and interior space additions and renovations, the redesigned centre included significant façade enhancements along Rideau Street including a refurbished
Charles Ogilvy heritage façade. The interior renovation included new quartz flooring, enhanced lighting, glass guardrails and improved amenities. Nordstrom announced in March 2023 that it would close all of its Canadian stores in the summer. ==Gallery==