TORONTO – Two years after Doug Ford abruptly closed the Ontario Science Centre, Councillors Josh Matlow and Jon Burnside, Save Ontario's Science Centre, and Moriyama Teshima Architects are releasing a report which proposes next steps toward reopening the building based on the outcomes of community consultations.
While the Province closed the Ontario Science Centre site on the premise that its roof is irreparably damaged, the roof withstood the largest single-day snowfall in Toronto's history this past winter. The Province's own engineering consultants said the building can be repaired, and the risks of keeping it closed are significant.
The report recognizes that the Province will be moving forward with their plan to build a new $1.4 billion OSC at Ontario Place, and instead of relitigating that decision, the report proposes an exciting opportunity to reimagine the site as a new public space dedicated to learning and discovery.
"The people of Toronto never accepted that the Science Centre's story was over, and neither did we," said Councillor Josh Matlow. "Residents from Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park, and across the city have now done the work the Province refused to do. They've offered a real vision for this site's future. All the Ford government has to do is come to the table."
Participants in the consultation were consistent in their priorities. They want the site to continue to fulfill its mandate as a public centre for scientific education. They want access to the ravine and surrounding green space protected. They want the building's heritage and architectural significance respected. And they want programming that serves the needs of surrounding communities, the City, and the region.
The report recommends a process that brings the Province together with the City, the federal government, the TRCA, community stakeholders, and institutional and philanthropic partners to determine the site's future use, governance, and funding.
The success of this initiative requires the Province to come to the table in good faith. This report gives them the opportunity to do so, with a positive, community-grounded vision to support.
The consultation findings demonstrate that 770 Don Mills Road is a significant public asset, valued for its learning, landscape, architecture, and community. The use of the site may change, but its public purpose should endure.
The full report is available at: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM43.73
Four months after Doug Ford announced his intention to bring jets to Billy Bishop Airport, the Federal Government published a letter on July 24 stating they would not be supporting the project at this time.
And Carney’s Liberals made some important commitments: they will not pursue any plans that infringe on public spaces such as Little Norway Park or Hanlan’s Point Beach, result in elevated noise, have significant environmental impacts, or hinder Toronto’s ability to build much-needed new housing such as in planned neighbourhoods like Ookwemin Minising.
This was a big victory that was achieved by tens of thousands of Torontonians who made it clear that Doug Ford’s voice isn’t the only one that matters. However, while we celebrate this win, we must also read Ottawa’s letter with sober eyes. It wasn’t an announcement that an expansion will never happen — it was meant to set the grounds for a conversation. We must prepare for what’s next.