Boxed In: the place of the public good in the retail landscape by Pamela Jean Shaw BA University of Alberta 1987 MA University of Alberta 1992 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Department of Geography © Pamela Shaw, 2009 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This dissertation may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopying or other means, without the permission of the author. 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While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. •+• Canada Boxed In: the place of the public good in the retail landscape by Pamela Jean Shaw BA University of Alberta 1987 MA University of Alberta 1992 Dr. Lawrence D. McCann, Supervisor (Department of Geography, University of Victoria) Dr. Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, Outside Member (School of Public Administration, University of Victoria) Dr. Don Stone, Professor Emeritus (Vancouver Island University) Dr. Denise Cloutier-Fisher, Associate Professor (Department of Geography, University of Victoria) 111 Supervisory Committee Dr. Lawrence D. McCann, Supervisor (Department of Geography, University of Victoria) Dr. Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, Outside Member (School of Public Administration) Dr. Don Stone, Professor Emeritus (Vancouver Island University) Dr. Denise Cloutier-Fisher, Associate Professor (Department of Geography, University of Victoria) ABSTRACT The retail landscape has changed significantly since the mid 20th century, evolving from a city centre focus dirough strip malls, shopping centres, shopping malls, mega-malls, big box stores, and to the newest form of retailing — the lifestyle commercial centres. One constant dirough this evolution has been the permissive role of land use regulations in shaping the form and location of retailing. At issue is whether local governments, and in particular land use planners, have abandoned a holistic approach to evaluating the public good and instead focused solely on the economic benefits gained from new development. This study offers a new approach to understanding the "boxed in" relationship between the retail landscape and the public good: that is, boxed in by the form of available retailing, by the paradoxical lack of choice brought on by an obsessive belief in "larger is better", and by permissive decision-making that focuses too strongly on the economic benefits of more and larger retail stores. A case study of the retail landscape of Nanaimo, British Columbia is included to illustrate a practical example of this relationship. Drawing on primary research on the impact of shopping locations on individuals combined with in-depth interviews and archival research, the retail landscape is examined. The intended outcome of this research is to challenge local governments, and in particular land use planners, to more fully consider the question of the public good when evaluating land use proposals. Key Words: Big box, commercial, consumption, land use regulations, planning, public good, retail, suburban, and sustainability. TABLE OF CONTENTS page Supervisory Committee ii Abstract iii Table of Contents iv List of Figures and Maps v List of Tables ^ List of Photographs v11 Acknowledgements Prologue Nanaimo's Evolving Retail Landscape c.1860-1970 l Woodgrove: Where Retailing, Land Use Planning, and the Public 15 Good Intersect I The Study Defined 39 Question 1: How has retailing geography and the landscape evolved since the 1950s? 46 Question 2: What is the role of land use planning as a profession that shapes the retail landscape, and how do planners balance their pragmatic role with the search for ,o an ideal? 50 Question 3: How is the public good reflected in the retail landscape? 52 Organization of die Study II The Link Between Retailing Geography & Land Use Planning 55 Discourses in Retailing Geography and Land Use Planning 55 Conclusion ' ° HI The Link Between the Public Good & Land Use Planning 83 ADefinition of the Public Good 83 The Problems of the Public Good The Public Good Within Land Use Planning 94 The Public Good and Land Use Plans 104 The Public Good and Process 107 The Public Good and the Planning for Retail Ill Conclusion. V IV The Link Between the Public Good & the Retail Landscape 132 Leaving Downtown "2 Strip Malls and Shopping Centres 136 Malls and Mega-Malls 140 Arrival of the Big Box Stores 149 Lifestyle Commercial Centres 155 Conclusion *" V Searching for the Public Good I66 Selection of Methods 167 Archival Research 1°° Depth Interviews 1' 5 Questionnaire Survey 190 North-end responses 208 South-end responses 209 213 Conclusion VI Boxed In: the Place of the Public Good in the Retail Landscape 220 Boxed In: Reflections on the Public Good 236 Reflections on Future Research 248 251 The Future of the Retail Landscape Bibliography 258 Appendices 296 Appendix I: Questionnaire 296 Appendix II: Interview Questions 302 Appendix III: Results of Depth Interviews 303 Copyright License 314 VI LIST OF FIGURES AND MAPS Figure/Map page number 1 Population and Shopping Complex Growth in Nanaimo 6 2 News clipping- Nanaimo Daily News 13 3 Regional Mall Development Sites 17 4 1974 Proposal for the Woodgrove Town Centre 20 5 Opening day at Woodgrove Town Centre 23 6 Relationship among Woodgrove, Downtown, and Sandstone 29 7 Three Questions 46 8 Chapin's Planning Process 108 9 Relative Size of Big Box Formats 151 10 Map of Postal Code Areas 199 11 Map of Shopping Centres 203 12 Matrix of the Public Good: siting a regional shopping centre 233 13 Boxed In: the place of the public good in the retail landscape 255 LIST OF TABLES Table page number 1 10 Largest Malls by Gross Leasable Area (GLA) in the World 144 2 Census Profile- north and south Nanaimo 196 3 Questionnaire Responses 197 5 Statistical Profile of Survey Respondents 201 6 Respondent Information 201 7 Shopping Behaviour 202 8 Location by Retail Complex 204 9 Shopping Frequency 205 10 Mode of Travel 206 11 Responses to Opinion Questions 207 12 Responses to the Question on the Public Good 211 vn LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photo page number 1 MapofNanaimol864 2 2 Downtown Nanaimo 1891 2 3 Post Office 1884 4 4 Queen's Hotel 1908 4 5 Dominion Realty Building 5 6 Nanaimo 1920 5 7 Nanaimo 1950 8 8 Harbour Park Mall 8 9 Terminal Park Mall 10 10 Northbrook Mall 10 11 Harewood Mall 11 12 Country Club Mall 11 13 Eaton's Refurbishing 14 14 Photo mosaic- Woodgrove 1974 19 15 Rutherford Mall 24 16 Woodgrove Town Centre 25 17 Downtown Nanaimo 1983 28 18 Sandstone Development 28 19 Front Street 1940 31 20 Front Street 2003 31 Key Map A Historic Map of Nanaimo 32 Key Map B Nanaimo 1928 33 Key Map C Nanaimo 1972 34 Vlll ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to my family — Jim, Lindsay, and Lauren for their ongoing support and participation in this grand adventure. To my Committee, Dr. Jim Simmons (External Examiner, University of Toronto), Dr. Don Stone (Professor Emeritus, Vancouver Island University), Dr. Denise Cloutier-Fisher (Associate Professor, University of Victoria), and Dr. Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly (School of Public Administration, University of Victoria), my heartfelt thanks for your comments and time spent on my work. And to my Supervisor, Dr. Larry McCann, thank you for your guidance, wisdom, and expectations. You have caused me to be a better researcher, writer, teacher, and student, and changed my life journey. I am forever grateful. Prologue This dissertation examines the relationship between retailing, urban land use planning, and the place of the public good in shaping the retail landscape of smaller Canadian cities as exemplified by Nanaimo, the leading commercial centre of mid- Vancouver Island. To establish context, this Prologue offers a visual gallery of historical photos and a description of the spatial and temporal evolution of retailing in this city of some 80,000 people. The photos are chiefly of retail shops and shopping malls; the commentary focuses on trends in retailing. The first part of the Prologue focuses on Nanaimo's changing retail landscape from the late-nineteenth century through to the 1970s.