City
Ontario Place rides and park closed until 2017
The McGuinty government announced this morning that Ontario Place will effectively be shut down until 2017 as the park undergoes some much-needed revitalization.
Apparently, 1970s-era domes and lackluster amusement park rides aren't drawing crowds the same way they used to, and the province can't afford the $20 million annual price tag to keep the park open, according to Finance Minister Dwight Duncan.
While the waterpark, rides, and Cinesphere will be closed, the marina, amphitheater, and Atlantic pavilions will remain open.
Leading the panel on the Ontario Place revitalization is former Progressive Conservative leader John Tory, who is perhaps a wise choice for the Liberal McGuinty government. But Toronto, of course, knows Tory as more than just a walk across the floor, as he campaigned for mayor in 2003, was a wistful hopeful for Toronto's most recent municipal election, and remains chair of the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance, as well as a prominent broadcaster.
Duncan hasn't said whether the revitalization project will include a casino, but chances are there will be at least one supporter on council.
Photo by John Carvahlo in the blogTO Flickr pool
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unless they're closing to begin the redevelopment of it.
What lucky contractor secured that project?
I agree, it would make sense to let visitors enjoy it one last summer in its "old" state before shutting down.
"While the waterpark, rides, and Cinesphere will be closed, the marina, amphitheater, and Atlantic pavilions will remain open."
Build a casino, build an indoor music venue, build a few restaurants, open a few bars and you have a great adult entertainment destination.
I don't get why everything has to suck in this city.
nice.
Re: loss of 20 Million a year. Sounds like they need a good operator in there that can use a calculator. If anyone can figure it out it's John Tevlin!
Tory, please fix it, then please run for mayor and fix Toronto.
First permanent IMAX screen, unique design, IMAX is Canadian, etc.
I'll miss Ontario Place, but Cinesphere is a jewel.
I'm thinking about a sort of Royal Botanical Gardens on water. A greenhouse on water. Aquaponics. A fish farm with a grow-op over top of it.
On the lake, but not connected to the lake per se, except maybe for water filtration/recyling purposes. The vegetation grown there could be both for consumption and beauty. Something that would involve the endorsement of the Ministry of Agriculture, and of Natural Resources (Fisheries). The University of Guelph faculty of Agriculture, and perhaps George Brown Culinary would be involved somehow.
There could be a weekly farmers market there. Weekly all year round farmer's markets are very popular. Ontario place is closely connected to about seven distinct communities, and the bike/walk trail is active all year. Everything around Ontario place continues to grow.
Most certainly a core restaurant could go in there. One that incorporates the fish and produce grown from of the Aquaponic system.
There's a lot of money (hundreds of thousands) to be made from growing fish like tilapia and perch for consumption. Catfish, trout. There's many options with regards to aquatic life. Minnows for anglers?
Perhaps a separate greenhouse area for purchasable co-op lot shares to allow the public more space for growing local produce! Some of our aboriginal communities have something really good gong on: http://inuvikphotos.ca/2008/06/27/inuviks-community-greenhouse-its-doing-well/
Just imagine what it would be like to tour around fish ponds and gardens by the lakeside, that sustain each other. Pictures and diagrams and guides explaining what's taking place and how it all works. The serene sounds futuristic nature fusion atmosphere, and various smells. A sensual experience.
All of this would compliment the Islands nature, that windmill, the surrounding communities, while raising awareness and showing everyone that the government still cares about innovation and agriculture and inspiring people! Oh yes, and sustainability as well.
Where else are city people going to experience this? Tourists would be proud and inspired as well. This is exactly what our city needs to educate and inspire people who rarely see a world outside of the city.
Perhaps the golf ball Cinesphere design turns in to a much more massive golf ball. Big enough to envelop the marina. We could charge more for the hanger style marina. There's no doubt that the Skydome will see its end some day, and it's already becoming enveloped by condos. Ontario Place could be that new landmark.
Should be, that new landmark.
I'd like to see the NDP or the Green Party have a go at running things municipally and provincially-I'll bet that Ontario Place would get great funding, be restored to what it was, and have the cost of admission be just the cost of admission, and nothing else than that. Ontario Place DOESN'T need a casino or any of the things suggested by others, just to continue as it was originally intended by Bill Davis when he came up with it back in the 70's. Those that need the casino or the other junk mentioned can go to Casino Rama or elsewhere for their entertainment-the kids need a place where they can play and do things other than just Centerville, the far-away and super-expensive-unless-you-have-a-season-pass Canada's Wonderland, and the EX (which I think is just dying off slowly anyway, and is the one to be rethought/got rid of more than Ontario Place is.)
That was great in the free-wheeling seventies but doesn't stand up in this day and age.
Ontario Place should have been revamped and redefined years ago instead of draining the public coffers.
I love it. That's a true vision, and it's true to the original purpose of Ontario Place as an educational venue. Let's hope that's what Tory & Co. have in mind!
With poor transit support in the area the only solution is to redesign the area with such a specific purpose that it once again becomes a true destination.
Now if only I had the skills and connections to develop a proper plan and presentation.
Push the idea.
Thanks very much :)
If you need to see a Disney park, GO TO A DISNEY PARK (USA, China/Japan, Europe)-don't ask for one to be brought to Canada.
Also, we can't have one on the land that houses Ontario Place, anyway-a Disney park is usually a lot bigger than that.
If ANYTHING needs to be closed down and changed, as I said before, it should be the Ex, which is past its sell-by date. Joel Convey had the right idea when he wrote about it a while back ('Let's Shut Down The Ex') in the old Eye Weekly magazine.
@rick: Amazing that after all of those renovations, Ontario Places is shut down; I wonder why they don't just keep only Cinesphere open instead (they can still charge admission like they used to for the movie during the old 70 mm Film Festival days.) In fact, I think that they should bring it back, and call it the IMAX Film Festival-now wouldn't that be amazing? Plus, it can/could be run as a public/private deal with Cineplex; win-win all around.
A better idea would be to have the park be run the way it is, with a MINIMAL involvement from a Canadian company like Nelvana/Corus in having it's franchises be used in the park, and smarter fiscal management of the park overall, and also with a change of government (let's get rid of the Libs & the Tories, and get the Greens and the NDP running things, as I said before-they sure as hell wouldn't be closing the park down if they were running Ontario, but finding ways to keep it open!)
If Disney wants to set up shop in Canada, let them buy out Canada's Wonderland and transform that.
I'm talking about a full on fisheries industry with produce to boot! Something that generates year round jobs and feeds a lot of bellies. The money that's made from existing aquaponics fish farms is exorbitant. With 91 acres available there's plenty of room for both tourism and industry.
This could be a major educational and visual wonder, AND an additional food industry resource for Toronto.
So many things being delayed with Ontario Place, Transit Systems (whatever they decide it may be), development in the port lands etc.
This city has so much potential to be better -- Especially with the Pan AM games on it's way, what do we have to showcase aside from the Hockey Hall of Fame, Eaton Centre & Dundas Square?
I want Ontario Place to be open and for the WATERPARK to be open in 2013. They are having 20million in losses because they spent more than that on improving the park like the "New waterslide" and the new pool. Secret Ontario Place documents tell a story of success, not failure: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1239171--secret-ontario-place-documents-tell-a-story-of-success-not-failure
KEEP THE PARK OPEN!
Viktor Elias,
I'm 12 years old.
Ethan lu,
11 years old