We saw Parksmart certification as a way to redefine parking at Yorkdale. It also complements our overall industry-leading corporate sustainability initiatives which aim to reduce carbon footprints by lowering energy use and improving environmental quality.
-Claire Santamaria, Director and General Manager, Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Throughout its 50-year history, the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto’s North York area has been no stranger to leading the retail industry with innovative new initiatives, including a number of market-leading sustainability efforts as part of its green program.
In July 2018, the mall’s existing G Parkade southwest parking garage achieved Parksmart certification at the Pioneer level, and in August, Yorkdale’s newly constructed E Parkade east structure certified Parksmart Bronze. These are the first Parksmart certified projects in Canada – and the first retail certifications in the world.
Yorkdale Shopping Centre’s existing G Parkade southwest parking garage achieved Parksmart certification at the Pioneer level for existing parking structures by achieving over 90 points, and Yorkdale’s newly constructed E Parkade east structure certified Parksmart Bronze by achieving 119 points. The G Parkade offers two levels of underground parking totaling 740 parking spaces, while the one million sq. ft., five-level E Parkade underground garage provides 2,075 parking spaces.
- Fourteen electric vehicle charging stations
- Dedicated carpool parking spaces
- A complimentary tire inflation station in each parkade that can be used by both drivers and cyclists
- Rainwater collection through four cisterns in Parkade G and one in Parkade E, with a total capacity of 809,000 liters, that is used for irrigation of the mall’s landscaping and green roofs, and to power wash the garages
- Energy-saving programmable lighting system uses occupancy sensors and photocells
- Secure bicycle rooms, bicycle racks and bicycle lockers offer both covered and uncovered bicycle parking
- Internal and external wayfinding signage
- Access to cycle routes and mass transit, including city buses and the subway.
Strategies incorporated at Yorkdale Shopping Centre include: