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

That doesn't make sense.... The largest community centre in Toronto is being built at the same intersection (Don Mills Recreation Centre). Are they stupid to build 2 community centres at the same intersection lol?
The building already exists, so they wouldn't need to build a community center, just repurpose the current building.
 
That doesn't make sense.... The largest community centre in Toronto is being built at the same intersection (Don Mills Recreation Centre). Are they stupid to build 2 community centres at the same intersection lol?

What are they gonna do with the land?

Lets acknowledge that there is a ton of density proposed in this area, so there will be lots of program demand. The south end of Flemingdon is a considerable distance from the Don Mills Recreation Centre site. (roughly 2km to the Don Mills/Eglinton intersection).

That said, I don't think you would see OSC repurposed as a 'Community Recreation Centre' and if you did, the existing Flemingdon site would likely close.

There are multiple public use options though.

The Flemingdon Library is quite small and no new branch is contemplated in the area; a re-lo here could triple the branch size with lots of room leftover.

There's only one ice pad at the nearby arena, I'm not sure you could refit a rink into the OSC, but its an option, in theory.

There's lots of choices, if the desire is to save the current building.

To be clear, that choice has not been made, instead, the province has simply said, they will give the site and building to the City to do with as they please.
 
DoFo logic would be: if the City had any sense, they'd know that people don't give two hoots about the architecture or Raymond Moriyama or Brutalist heritage or what have you. Scratch him where it's sore, and that's what he'll tell ya.
 
Details on the OSC move apparently coming tomorrow:

1701210607359.png
 
Is this a far from perfect agreement? You bet it is, but in the real world, most usually are. In principle, it does relieve the city of the burden of maintaining two ageing highways, one of which is seemingly crumbling before our very eyes, and promises ongoing funding for the maintenance/operation of two nearly complete transit lines as well as the purchase of new rolling stock for an existing third line, certainly nothing to sneeze at in an era of ever spiralling transit costs. Am I disappointed that the OSC will be moving to Ontario Place instead of remaining at its original purpose-built home? You bet I am, but Ontario Place has sat neglected, unused and unloved for more than a decade, so any redevelopment of this premiere waterfront attraction, however ill-suited it might be, that preserves the award-winning structures, draws people in and simultaneously reminds them what a treasure it really is, can only be a good thing. Am I disappointed that a private spa will occupy part of the site? You bet, but spas, like politicians, will come and go, and OP will hopefully be with us for much, much longer. From a cursory glance at Mr. Ford, one might be forgiven for concluding that he wasn't the type of guy in the least bit interested in spas, be it patronizing or promoting them, but clearly, he is. It is rather unfortunate that everywhere this premier goes and everything he touches does seem to leave behind the stench of collusion, graft and/or bribery, but I'll leave all that for some future commission of inquiry to sort out. However, it is equally unfortunate that any municipal leader who must necessarily deal with him from time to time, no matter how noble his or her intentions, risks getting tainted with that stench.
 
Last edited:
To be clear, OSC won't be moved under the new deal. Rather the old site will be retained to a degree, while plans for a new SC are a foot to my understanding....or least what I've read from what was being reported about this. I think this was one of the concessions the Province made with Mayor Chow here...

...as also in the real world, compromise can cut but both ways.

Edit/Amendment: To be clear also, there isn't much being reported about this outside of the media still considering this as a move. So please don't take my word for it here, as I could be just reading tea leaves all wrongly. >.<
 
Last edited:
From a cursory glance at Mr. Ford, one might be forgiven for concluding that he wasn't the type of guy in the least bit interested in spas, be it patronizing or promoting them, but clearly, he is.

From a cursory glance, if anyone's likely interested in spas, it's the K's (Karla Ford & their daughters). They're for the crass, vulgar wives and daughters of crass, vulgar former hash dealers turned premiers, if one wants to put things in *very* unvarnished, derogatory terms.
 
There's lots of choices, if the desire is to save the current building.

To be clear, that choice has not been made, instead, the province has simply said, they will give the site and building to the City to do with as they please.
Put me in the camp of skepticism when it comes to how well the city will manage this asset. If anyone believes that Toronto will somehow maintain the OSC better than the province…

As an example, the Toronto Zoo feels like it’s in a state of disrepair, with buildings clearly requiring maintenance, some areas sorely needing a redo, and more. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the infrastructure deficit with OSC to continue.

(Random side-note: the Philadelphia Zoo, though smaller, feels better maintained, more walkable and more engaging.)
 
Put me in the camp of skepticism when it comes to how well the city will manage this asset. If anyone believes that Toronto will somehow maintain the OSC better than the province…

As an example, the Toronto Zoo feels like it’s in a state of disrepair, with buildings clearly requiring maintenance, some areas sorely needing a redo, and more. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the infrastructure deficit with OSC to continue.

(Random side-note: the Philadelphia Zoo, though smaller, feels better maintained, more walkable and more engaging.)

I think its incumbent upon our Mayor, after she finishes wrangling money out of the feds, to properly, structurally raise property taxes, and to impose a parking tax.

Once the City has sufficient financial resources, there is the matter of filling the City's senior ranks with people who aren't merely competent or good enough, but are bold, ambitious, take pride in what they do, relish accountability and inspire the same in those they lead.

The City has an opportunity with the new head of Parks to be hired; and there will be, in all probability a couple more substantial openings; that's enough, if the right people are hired to shift organizational culture.

One domino has fallen, but many more must for things to be better.
 
From a cursory glance, if anyone's likely interested in spas, it's the K's (Karla Ford & their daughters). They're for the crass, vulgar wives and daughters of crass, vulgar former hash dealers turned premiers, if one wants to put things in *very* unvarnished, derogatory terms.
It's a water park. Is wonderland for crass women?
 
To be clear, OSC won't be moved under the new deal. Rather the old site will be retained to a degree, while plans for a new SC are a foot to my understanding....or least what I've read from what was being reported about this. I think this was one of the concessions the Province made with Mayor Chow here...

...as also in the real world, compromise can cut but both ways.

Edit/Amendment: To be clear also, there isn't much being reported about this outside of the media still considering this as a move. So please don't take my word for it here, as I could be just reading tea leaves all wrongly. >.<

Your reading is not correct here.

The proposal is the wholesale move of the OSC as an institution to Ontario Place.

What has been mooted is the possible retention of some OSC programming at the original site, if the City wishes, (and I would read if the City foots the bill). Specific mention is made of not leaving a low-income area deprived entirely of access to specialized science programming.
 
Your reading is not correct here.

The proposal is the wholesale move of the OSC as an institution to Ontario Place.

What has been mooted is the possible retention of some OSC programming at the original site, if the City wishes, (and I would read if the City foots the bill). Specific mention is made of not leaving a low-income area deprived entirely of access to specialized science programming.
I mean, sorta not correct....because they're not planning on nuking with original OSC site this time around and leaving it as "legacy" site, to my understanding. And for what's that's worth here.
 

Back
Top