Toronto Ontario Place | ?m | ?s | Infrastructure ON

[urbanista#1]

Would be great if OP were added to the UNESCO world heritage list with a reconstructed Forum.

But it does need a new raison d'etre. I think the concept of a free public space possibly greatly expanded with more man-made islands for passive recreation, free concerts etc.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Lol, it all sounds good but, who is paying for all this free stuff @ Ontario Place?

 

[Northern Light]

Lol, it all sounds good but, who is paying for all this free stuff @ Ontario Place?

If the space is passive (so not including the buildings); then there is no new net cost.

The grass is being mowed now.

If additional space were naturalized, that cost would actually decline.

Modest capital improvements to the outdoor space would be immaterial in terms of operating costs (ie, building a destination children's playground or the like)

Free access to the buildings (beyond parkspace washrooms) would really be dependent on how they were programmed; as simple through space, they are free-access now, where applicable.

I imagine some spaces could again be restaurants/concessions and these would be paid, as they were always were, there is no 'Free Fries for Everyone' campaign.

Concerts being free on a sustained basis is unlikely; free concerts for Canada Day or the like have existed before as sponsored events.

*****

FWIW, I really want to see much of what Ontario Place was put back, simply updated for the times.

Children's Village, A waterpark, restos, boating on calm waters etc.

Rides/Waterpark/Movies/Restos would be paid activities, but general access to the grounds, and/or passive recreation would be free.

 

[Torontovibe]

This is the best news in this year, along with COVID 19 vaccine and *rump's loss!

YEP! I am so relieved, for now.
That being said, I can't wait until they bring back the fun and turn it back into a major tourist attraction but hopefully, year-round this time.

 

[The Preservationist]

While architecturally I've always been a big fan of the pods Ontario Place management have struggled to purpose them. For the first few years of operation amusement type activities such as glass mazes were set up within however much of this type of entertainment was moved to the western silos. It's possible the Pods could be revised for other more modern uses such as teen, young adult type entertainment. Glad they are in the plan but they will need more than a coat of paint to play an integral part of the sites future.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

While architecturally I've always been a big fan of the pods Ontario Place management have struggled to purpose them. For the first few years of operation amusement type activities such as glass mazes were set up within however much of this type of entertainment was moved to the western silos. It's possible the Pods could be revised for other more modern uses such as teen, young adult type entertainment. Glad they are in the plan but they will need more than a coat of paint to play an integral part of the sites future.

I wonder how well they would work as art galleries (especially for Modern Art) - with the perimeter space for circulation and galleries inside.

AoD

 

[Automation Gallery]

YEP! I am so relieved, for now.
That being said, I can't wait until they bring back the fun and turn it back into a major tourist attraction but hopefully, year-round this time.

Exactly, a year round Tourist Destination
that other stuff could easily be done anywhere else on our waterfront

 

[jayme2016]

Would be great if OP were added to the UNESCO world heritage list with a reconstructed Forum.

But it does need a new raison d'etre. I think the concept of a free public space possibly greatly expanded with more man-made islands for passive recreation, free concerts etc.

Once it's added to the UNESCO there are rules making it harder to expand or fix up in the future.

 

[interchange42]

I wonder how well they would work as art galleries (especially for Modern Art) - with the perimeter space for circulation and galleries inside.

AoD

AGO Modern on the Waterfront. Giving them two or three of the pods is an intriguing idea: the AGO has way too little space for its modern works at the moment. I say go for it Alvin, just call them up and work something out. Don't take "and you are who now?" for an answer!

42

 

[concrete_and_light]

Given that they're literally over top of water, with walls made of windows, and them being kinda old buildings there might be issues with sunlight, humidity, and climate control that could cause difficulty for an art gallery. It's a cool idea though if possible!

Very glad to see this stuff protected — I hope the silos and at least some of the beautiful landscape design is also protected.

 

[3Dementia]

Great idea for AGO H2O Alvin (yes my trademark lawyers are busy securing the brand).

I know some substantial $$ would have to be secured, but wonder if Cinesphere could be re-purposed as a multi-media venue... keep Imax of course but maybe also a planetarium show (working on interior ceiling/screen design and projection challenges).

Link

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Given that they're literally overtop of water, with walls made of windows, and them being kinda old buildings there might be issues with sunlight, humidity, and climate control that could cause difficulty for an art gallery. It's a cool idea though if possible!

Very glad to see this stuff protected — I hope the silos and at least some of the beautiful landscape design is also protected.

That's why I suggested walling off the interior - and leave the space in between the glazing and the interior wall as circulation elements - like Galleria Italia at AGO. Was wondering humidity/climate control issues, but I don't imagine that's impossible...

AoD

 

[old boy]

That's why I suggested walling off the interior - and leave the space in between the glazing and the interior wall as circulation elements - like Galleria Italia at AGO. Was wondering humidity/climate control issues, but I don't imagine that's impossible...

AoD

A Museum of Toronto would be a great use of the Pods. Start at what the city site might have looked like just after the last ice age , progressing through the Pods until the present day panorama of the downtown reveals itself. A walk through history and what a site to portray that story.

 

[concrete_and_light]

That's why I suggested walling off the interior - and leave the space in between the glazing and the interior wall as circulation elements - like Galleria Italia at AGO. Was wondering humidity/climate control issues, but I don't imagine that's impossible...

AoD

Oh yeah, good idea! Sorry I missed reading that part. And yeah with enough renovation hopefully the humidity/climate control stuff would be doable!

A Museum of Toronto would be a great use of the Pods. Start at what the city site might have looked like just after the last ice age , progressing through the Pods until the present day panorama of the downtown reveals itself. A walk through history and what a site to portray that story.

Museum of Toronto would be great, and I wish such a thing existed. Unfortunately I kinda wonder if a museum of Toronto would be enticing enough to the general public to attract enough people down there to make it viable, given the location's isolation and the hostile pedestrian experience for getting to Ontario Place. This is a general problem with the whole site, of course — its inaccessibility and needing something that's a draw in order to pull people there. The Ontario Line will help, but the connectivity from Exhibition station is still challenging going through the confounding and hostile Exhibition grounds and crossing Lake Shore.

 

[jayme2016]

Oh yeah, good idea! Sorry I missed reading that part. And yeah with enough renovation hopefully the humidity/climate control stuff would be doable!




Museum of Toronto would be great, and I wish such a thing existed. Unfortunately I kinda wonder if a museum of Toronto would be enticing enough to the general public to attract enough people down there to make it viable, given the location's isolation and the hostile pedestrian experience for getting to Ontario Place. This is a general problem with the whole site, of course — its inaccessibility and needing something that's a draw in order to pull people there. The Ontario Line will help, but the connectivity from Exhibition station is still challenging going through the confounding and hostile Exhibition grounds and crossing Lake Shore.

While it sounds neat you need to have something that will attract people from all around Ontario even with in the city i am not sure how popular it would be.