By battlefordsNOW

Discovery Co-Op continues 40th anniversary celebrations

Aug 10, 2018 | 9:00 AM

Discovery Co-Op is continuing to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the mall this week in North Battleford.

The mall opened in 1978, but Discovery Co-Op was originally formed back in 1932. The organization is celebrating the anniversary with giveaways, entertainment, and events through the year heading up into Co-Op Week in October. Mike Nord, general manager of Discovery Co-Op, told battlefordsNOW a bit of the history behind the mall.

“In 1974, the board made a decision to make a $7 million investment to build this mall,” he said. “At that time, this was a swamp. There was nothing out here. At that time the mall was all Co-Op departments; it has changed a fair bit, but our mall is still full. It’s a centrepiece for this part of the Battlefords.”

Nord said the mall gives residents and visiting shoppers the convenience of being able to stop and shop around, creating a place where you can get things in the Battlefords, rather than having to travel to the larger centres like Saskatoon or Lloydminster for amenities.

Nord stressed the importance that the mall has to the community.

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“It’s important for our local economy to have that draw from the surrounding communities and people from the Battlefords to get the things they need here in town,” he said. “I also think because it’s a mall, there’s a different feel, a sense of people enjoying what they’re doing and that they’re relaxed.”

Nord said when the mall was originally opened in 1978, many celebrities visited the new shopping centre including the Prime Minister at the time, Pierre Trudeau.

brady.lang@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @BradyLangCJNB