Iconic Ontario Place sign demolished as wholesale destruction continues
Another recognizable vestige of Ontario Place has been reduced to scrap as the provincial government presses forward with its controversial redevelopment of the former waterfront attraction.
Demolition crews recently tore up the iconic welcome tower and sign at the former entrance to what was once a bustling hive of activity.
The demolition comes just a month shy of the 54th anniversary of Ontario Place's May 22, 1971, opening.
Local photographer Kotsy has documented the demolition of Ontario Place via aerial drone-captured footage and stills since the wholesale destruction began in earnest last October.
In the months since, Ontario Place's west island has been cleared of buildings along with connecting bridges as crews continue to erase the former attraction from the map ahead of a controversial redevelopment.
Doug Ford's Ontario PC government has pushed ahead with the contentious project amid bombshell allegations about Therme, the Austrian proponent behind a luxury megaspa that will swallow up much of the formerly public lands.
The Ontario Place project has faced resistance at nearly every step of the process, although new bombshell allegations surfaced in April via The New York Times, bringing renewed attention to Therme's selection process.
The exposé alleged that Therme successfully misrepresented itself and exaggerated its reputation to the Province while only having $1.1 million in equity and one single wellness facility under its portfolio.
Ontario Place was again in the news this week when it was discovered that Doug Ford's government snuck some new laws into legislation to quietly grease the wheels of the project.
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