Ontario Newsroom, JULY 2021
The Ontario government has announced details of its plan to revitalize Ontario Place into a world-class destination.
Author: admin
The Globe and Mail, JULY 2021
Ontario Place is going private – and that’s a problem
Toronto Star, JUNE 2021
Doug Ford wants you to think Ontario Place isn’t worth saving. He needs to take a walk.
Toronto Star, MAY 2021
Ontario Place is no place for secret deals on development.
Ontario Place Turns 50!
ONTARIO PLACE TURNS 50!
We want to thank the hundreds of you who signed on for our online rally last week kicking off the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Ontario Place.
For those who missed the rally or had trouble signing in at the beginning, you can view the entire event here.
Many more Ontario Place videos can be viewed on the Future of Ontario Place YouTube channel.
The government is expected to soon make a major announcement about the future of Ontario Place. Here are some ways that you can help ensure that it is a future that includes all of us:
- Send this letter to Premier Ford, Minister MacLeod and Mayor Tory demanding that the public and heritage values of the site be respected.
- On May 22nd, join with us to celebrate Ontario Place’s 50th Anniversary. Here are some ideas:
- Make a safely distanced visit to Ontario Place and post a selfie with the hashtag #HappyBirthdayOP.
- Photoshop yourself into an image of Ontario Place and post it on Instagram.
- Share your ideas for Ontario Place on Twitter and Instagram.
- Tweet your favourite Ontario Place memory.
- Watch for Minister MacLeod’s announcement later this month and see if it respects the core principles developed by Ontario Place for All, The Future of Ontario Place and the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.
- Ontario Place must be for ALL and kept publicly accessible.
- There must be a thoughtful, comprehensive public review before any changes, with a full and robust public consultation that:
- conforms to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report’s call for informed, respectful and meaningful consultation with Indigenous peoples over economic development,
- recognizes the diverse communities that use and contribute to Ontario Place.
- Public interest, not commercial interest must drive the new vision.
- Future plans must:
- acknowledge the waterfront’s Indigenous heritage and incorporate meaningful Indigenous consultation.
- maintain Ontario Place as part of Toronto’s waterfront park system.
- be integrated with the revitalization of Exhibition Place.
- celebrate Ontario.
- be guided by a collaboratively developed Conservation Management Plan that sustains Ontario Place as a recognized cultural heritage landscape.
- Make sure to use #HappyBirthdayOP as a hashtag.
CBC, Jan. 2021
The architect who designed Ontario Place would be ‘horrified’ by current proposals, daughter says.
Blog TO, DEC. 2020
This daring Toronto group swims in Lake Ontario all winter long.
Congratulations – You Did It!
Congratulations – You Did It!
Ontario Place for All (OP4All) wants to thank all its members and supporters for the important victory they won yesterday – the Ontario government’s announcement that there is not going to be any wholesale destruction of Ontario Place.
Thousands of you joined OP4All in demanding the government preserve Ontario Place’s unique heritage landscape, including the Cinesphere, the Pods, Trillium Park and the William G. Davis Trail.
Yesterday, Lisa MacLeod, the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries agreed, and in a White Paper, promised that “key heritage and recreational features will remain, such as the Cinesphere, the pods, Trillium Park and the William G. Davis Trail.”
Bill Greaves, with the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, says the government has come a long way from its “nothing can be saved” talk of 2019. “We look forward to working with the Ministry to develop a Conservation Management Plan to manage change and build on the value of what is already there. That’s what governments around the world have done in similar circumstances.”
While yesterday’s announcement is an important victory, the fight for Ontario Place isn’t over yet.
The Minister says there will be some announcements in the New Year, even though there have been no public consultations on the future of Ontario Place. OP4All’s Cindy Wilkey says it must remain as a park and open public space. “The Minister said yesterday her government recognized the tourism potential of Ontarians’ new embrace of nature and the outdoors during the COVID lockdown. Ontario Place offers an opportunity to capitalize on that momentum.”
OP4All believes yesterday’s announcement was a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go. The Ontario government needs to recognize that Ontario Place is an essential public space and that there needs to be meaningful public engagement in determining its future.
Fight for the Right To Swim at Ontario Place
Fight for the Right To Swim at Ontario Place
Ontario Place for All (OP4All) is calling on the Ontario government to permanently restore swimming at Ontario Place.
OP4All’s Cynthia Wilkey says, “Four beaches were planned for Ontario Place when it opened almost fifty years ago. Now there are none. This is unacceptable, as swimming is not only popular but also the least expensive and most immediate way for people to experience one of Canada’s Great Lakes.”
Ontario Place for All believes COVID-19 has made it even more urgent to preserve Ontario Place as a park and open public space. While most amusement facilities were shuttered, hundreds of thousands of people continued to flock to Ontario Place, enjoying everything the park offers. Many of them swam at the beach on the West Island this summer, even though it is not an authorized swimming area.
Some were still swimming there until almost two weeks ago when Steve Mann and six friends were told the beach on the West Island was closed off for a film shoot. “I was shocked to be told I couldn’t go there,” says Mann. “I have been swimming there nearly every day this year, winter, spring, summer and fall. It should not be closed off to the public.”
OP4All’s Suzanne Kavanagh says Ontario Place should not be off-limits to swimmers, as it is the province’s greatest lakeside attraction. “The government should start planning now to restore swimming at Ontario Place not just for next summer, but forever.”
Joe Cressy, the Toronto City Councillor for Ward 10 (Spadina-Fort York), agrees. “Ontario Place is a key part of our community that provides much-needed access for people to the waterfront, for many activities including swimming. With the current pandemic, it’s more important than ever that we preserve open outdoor spaces where people can exercise, play, and explore safely,” he said. “The beach and swimming at Ontario Place should be open and accessible for everyone.”
Make sure Premier Ford. Minister MacLeod and Mayor Tory hear our voice. Send them a letter, your own or the one available below, demanding it increase the number of beaches at Ontario Place.
Ontario Place for All also salutes Steve Mann and his group, SwimOP. They have done what the government should have and made swimming at the West Island safer by cleaning up the beach and removing old construction debris from the landfill that created Ontario Place.
2021 will be critical for Ontario Place
2021 will be critical for Ontario Place
Ontario Place for All hopes you are well and staying safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 was a brutal year for all of us, and we can only hope things will be better next year.
Next Year
2021 will be the most important year for Ontario Place since its inception. It’s the 50th anniversary of its opening and we should finally see the government’s redevelopment plans. The government continues to refuse to meet with Ontario Place for All, despite our numerous requests to the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Lisa MacLeod. The Premier has committed to consulting with Mayor Tory, but that is not good enough. While the pandemic has delayed the process, it has not eliminated the need to engage the public.
The COVID pandemic has underlined the public importance of Ontario Place. While numerous facilities have been shuttered around the world, hundreds of thousands of people continue to flock to Ontario Place, to relax on the lawns, walk or ride a bike, and enjoy everything the park has to offer. Some are still swimming, despite the approach of winter. The drive-in movies are still on, and some of them are holiday-themed. It is so important for our physical and mental health to get out as often as allowed, and Ontario Place is a perfect place to take a winter walk.
Minister’s Statement
The Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries said in a speech in October that the redevelopment of Ontario Place is her first priority. “Ontario Place will be central to the recovery of heritage, culture sport and tourism for all Ontarians as we move through the pandemic.” Lisa MacLeod did not spell out exactly what that means but promised that “the historical components of Ontario Place will be protected.” An article by CBC News said MacLeod’s priorities will be to maintain the parkland at Ontario Place and ensure the site reflects the province’s diverse population. Ontario Place for All is waiting to see more details.
Support is Growing
There is some good news amidst all this uncertainty: A new group has joined the coalition fighting to protect Ontario Place. The World Monuments Fund, Architectural Conservancy Ontario and Daniels Faculty at the University of Toronto have come together to form The Future of Ontario Place Project. The project is working to build the public’s understanding of the heritage values of the site. It has compiled the first consolidated public archives of Ontario Place and called for counter-proposals in a Canada-wide design challenge. Urban Toronto recently wrote about their efforts in an article “Call to Action: Protecting the Future of Ontario Place”.
Those Were The Days
And finally, we want to make sure you have read the recent article in BlogTO, “That Time When Ontario Place Was The Most Fun Amusement Park in Toronto”. It’s a wonderful piece about Ontario Place at its most popular and attractive, with photos and videos showing the Children’s Village, the Forum and people everywhere enjoying the groundbreaking park.