I dropped by this SmartCenter in Etobicoke a few months ago. I was here to check out Nando's.
The Index part of the name refers to Index Road, which runs parallel to highway 427. This road forms a border for this SmartCenter. This road is in front of Best Buy, Winners, Walmart, Mark's, and Home Depot.
North Queen Street runs parallel to The Queensway to the north. It's an interesting street in that it starts east-west and then curves to run north-south. It's west of Index Road.
Nando's is in the far corner where the 427 and North Queen Street meet. There are a number of eateries around Nando's, such as Freshii, Tim Hortons, Sunset Grill, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Five Guys, and more.
I like the selection of businesses in this plaza. It's a great mix for those who don't want to visit Sherway Gardens across the street, and would sooner hit a few stores without being a mall rat.
The downside is the design of this plaza. If you are visiting businesses in this 427-North Queen Street corner, driving in is easy. Exiting is a nightmare.
You basically have one lane to exit, where you are converging with another lane with customers who have shopped at larger box stores, such as Marshalls and PetSmart. I was trying to leave this plaza on a Saturday afternoon. It took me twenty minutes to finally drive away and get on with my day.
To the designers: You missed the mark with your parking lot design. Horrible.
Pack your patience coming here if you are driving. There are lots of parking spots, but it'll take a while for you to exit due to poor planning and design of this plaza.
(12) read more