A crane and scaffolding are already onsite to kick off early works for the Ontario Place redevelopment project on the Toronto waterfront as the clock ticks ever closer to the determination of finalized plans.
On Oct. 27 consultants for the provincial government asked for public input on preliminary design concepts for the public sector spaces during an online consultation session. Two more sessions next spring and late summer will result in a recommended final design concept, part of a Category C environmental assessment of the public realm component of the project.
Project implementation and construction will follow.
As for the three private- sector proponents introduced in July 2021, there are only two left standing.
As confirmed by Infrastructure Ontario spokesperson Ian McConachie, in early September it was learned that Ecorecreo Group has withdrawn from the project. The Montreal firm was going to develop an all-season adventure park with such attractions as aerial obstacle courses, ziplines, climbing walls and kayak rentals.
“While Ecorecreo will no longer be a part of our vision, we continue to proceed with the revitalization project with our partners at Therme Group and Live Nation,” said McConachie. “The future uses of the portion of land previously proposed for lease by Ecorecreo have yet to be determined and will remain open for future opportunities.”
Christina Bagatavicius of Bespoke Collective, Benjamin Hoff of Urban Strategies, Emma Henderson of Jacobs and Tim Nawrocki of MSP walked online participants through proposals and approvals processes for Ontario Place during the recent session.
The attraction, a popular regional destination when it opened in 1971, has been underutilized lately with some sites vacant for over a decade.
“We really have the opportunity to modernize and to enhance the public spaces,” said Bagatavicius.
“The design concepts are not in any way final. You can almost think about them as a hand-drawn sketches. They’re really conceptual ideas.”
It is planned that 70 per cent of the 155-acre space will be open and free to the public. Of the lands allotted to the private investors, Live Nation intends to redevelop the existing amphitheatre into a year-round indoor-outdoor music and performance venue with an expanded capacity, and Therme will build Therme Canada, a waterpark and wellness facility with cultural programming, botanical spaces and sports performance and recovery services.
The EA process currently being undertaken applies to the public sector spaces while the private installations will be subject to the Planning Act. Both Live Nation and Therme will require City of Toronto official plan amendments and zoning and site plan approvals.
The consultants outlined that the vision for the public realm includes upgrades to public spaces with new parks, promenades, trails and beaches.
Familiar heritage and recreational features of the site will be retained and integrated, including the Cinesphere, the pod complex, the marina, Trillium Park and the William Davis Trail.
The province will also work with the Ontario Science Centre to consider incorporating science-related programming at the Cinesphere and pod complex.
Design concept identities that have been established include the marina, the Water’s Edge, the Forum, Brigantine Cove and the Mainland. The concepts have several levels of programming under consideration ranging from passive and natural to active and commercial.
Site infrastructure was installed over 50 years ago and thus there is a comprehensive design program currently taking place to determine how extensive upgrades will have to be. Issues with the Water’s Edge, for example, including aging infrastructure, flooding and an inaccessible shoreline.
All services are being reviewed and replacement construction is targeted to start in spring 2023. Expected project elements include the addition of watermains; a second water service connection; refurbishment, replacement or addition of sewage pumping stations; new service connections to the municipal sewage collection system; new stormwater management servicing; electrical servicing and telecommunications; gas main expansion; and addition of a supervisory control and data acquisition system.
The Cinesphere and pod complex are considered heritage structures.
Most pods have been vacant for decades and need extensive interior and exterior renovation.
Maintenance and repair work are planned to stabilize and prevent further deterioration of the Cinesphere and adjacent bridges as well.
A cultural heritage expert, Steven Burgess Architects, has been retained to oversee that work. Elite Construction is undertaking repair work on the exterior of the pods and Cinesphere with completion planned for 2024.
Nawrocki explained Ontario Place was constructed using fill material which has resulted in some poor soil quality and groundwater issues. A baseline study and risk assessment has already been completed.
“That work will identify necessary mitigation measures that will be incorporated into our landscape design to ensure public safety,” Nawrocki said.
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Renovating the beautiful Ontario Place grounds has become as much an Albatros to the Provincial/Municipal/Federal governments as renovating Sussex Ave. Just do it and keep the Condo, Residential, and low-income developers away with a necklace of garlic, regardless of incentives. Make it the jewel it already is— for the people — entitled elitists need not apply…..don’t sell any soul to make it realized. Art and light installations would be a nice touch and don’t forget a grand water feature. There will be areas of paid admission and if you can tie it in with the Ex grounds, you might have something here.