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

[jayme2016]

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 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.

What i like is make it free for those in Ontario and a small fee say $5 for those from outside of Ontario.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

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

Something with a mandate like MoMA would be perfect - not just high art, but also industrial design, cultural ephemera, etc (too bad DX sold off their collection). I can't think of a more appropriate setting than the OP Pods.

re: Museum of Toronto - I think the plan is to have something like that at Old City Hall when the provincial courts move out.

AoD

 

[old boy]

Something with a mandate like MoMA would be perfect - not just high art, but also industrial design, cultural ephemera, etc (too bad DX sold off their collection). I can't think of a more appropriate setting than the OP Pods.

re: Museum of Toronto - I think the plan is to have something like that at Old City Hall when the provincial courts move out.

AoD

This is a much more dynamic site than old city hall to tell the story of the last 12000 years culminating in this metroplis. Are we still not ready to celebrate Toronto and the natural history of the waterfront , or do we believe it's not flashy enough to attract tourists.

 

[Northern Light]

This is a much more dynamic site than old city hall to tell the story of the last 12000 years culminating in this metroplis. Are we still not ready to celebrate Toronto and the natural history of the waterfront , or do we believe it's not flashy enough to attract tourists.

No matter what is done w/OP, the problem w/the site as is, remains access by means other than car; and in general, its disconnectedness from the broader city.

That's fundamental to increasing utilization.

We definitely need to put a 'there', there; but we also need to make it easy to get to and from; and make it more top-of-mind.

 

[Northern Light]

What i like is make it free for those in Ontario and a small fee say $5 for those from outside of Ontario.

Not sold on this.

First, that creates a gate of some kind; on which money must be spent; it pretty much rules out 24-hour or off-season access to the grounds when tourism would be low; said gate would have to be staffed...........

On top of which delineating people based on place of address means adding an ID requirement.

I see that as highly impractical and expensive.

In general, in reference to parks and attractions, most places have a uniform pricing strategy for locals/tourists.

I favour free.

I favour the same strategy for ROM and AGO w/the province and City adding the requisite operating funds.

It's a comparatively modest loss-leader that draws tourists at the same time it allows low-income earning locals access without the indignity of asking for charity, or limited hours (Free Fridays).

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

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.

Or tl,dr: I want the place back as my childhood remembered it! >.<

 

[kotsy]

Not sold on this.

it pretty much rules out 24-hour or off-season access to the grounds when tourism would be low; said gate would have to be staffed...........

I'm not sure if it was because of Covid restrictions or not, but in the last year I've noticed that access to OP grounds is no longer 24 hours. I think it closes roughly between 11pm-6am.

 

[Johnny Au]

Time to bring back the bouncing mattress to the Children's Village in Ontario Place.

Oh, and there should be a new version of Mega Maze and the log flume.

Better yet, Ontario Place should have two roller coasters: one for young children and one for thrill-seekers. This would allow Ontario Place to compete somewhat with Canada's Wonderland.

I heard that Cedar Point in Ohio across Lake Erie from Pelee Island is planning to remove the Wicked Twister roller coaster. That roller coaster belongs very well in Ontario Place.

Wicked Twister - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Wicked Twister won't take up much space.

If Wicked Twister were to be relocated to Ontario Place, Ontario Place would have more Intamin roller coasters than Canada's Wonderland (though Wonderland has three Intamin rides, none of which are roller coasters).

 

[jayme2016]

Not sold on this.

First, that creates a gate of some kind; on which money must be spent; it pretty much rules out 24-hour or off-season access to the grounds when tourism would be low; said gate would have to be staffed...........

On top of which delineating people based on place of address means adding an ID requirement.

I see that as highly impractical and expensive.

In general, in reference to parks and attractions, most places have a uniform pricing strategy for locals/tourists.

I favour free.

I favour the same strategy for ROM and AGO w/the province and City adding the requisite operating funds.

Its a comparatively modest loss-leader that draws tourists at the same time it allows low-income earning locals access without the indignity of asking for charity, or limited hours (Free Fridays).

The issue is if you have it free it's going to have to be made up some how maybe high taxes or maybe they have a basic park and building nothing extra or special.

 

[Northern Light]

The issue is if you have it free it's going to have to be made up some how maybe high taxes or maybe they have a basic park and building nothing extra or special.

You need to stop now.

I already explained why there is no extra cost to access to the grounds being free; and there is extra cost to charging.

 

[jayme2016]

You need to stop now.

I already explained why there is no extra cost to access to the grounds being free; and there is extra cost to charging.

Yes under your idea you would not need to charge people but the reality that is all people want is slim there will be demands that will cost billions.

 

[Northern Light]

Yes under your idea you would not need to charge people but the reality that is all people want is slim there will be demands that will cost billions.

What evidence do you have for this?

Debate/discussion of quality is supported by evidence, not supposition.

 

[ADRM]

Something with a mandate like MoMA would be perfect - not just high art, but also industrial design, cultural ephemera, etc (too bad DX sold off their collection). I can't think of a more appropriate setting than the OP Pods.

I actually love this idea; when I first read your suggestion, I immediately thought of MoMA PS1; you could do a much more blown-out version of that on the OP grounds.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Great news to wrap up the year. I like the idea of re-purposing the pods for a museum or art gallery-type venue. Taking that idea on, I imagine it could take the form of a series of temporary, rotating exhibits, so that there is always a strong reason to return for repeat visits throughout the year.

Either way, I am mostly glad that there is again room for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking towards re-purposing the structures and the Ontario Place lands at large. I'm strongly of the belief that Ontario Place needs to become a year-round entertainment district (for locals) and tourism hub (for visitors), there is a lot of synergy possible at the OP grounds. The Ontario Line partially resolves the transit issue as well.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Great news to wrap up the year. I like the idea of re-purposing the pods for a museum or art gallery-type venue. Taking that idea on, I imagine it could take the form of a series of temporary, rotating exhibits, so that there is always a strong reason to return for repeat visits throughout the year.

Either way, I am mostly glad that there is again room for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking towards re-purposing the structures and the Ontario Place lands at large. I'm strongly of the belief that Ontario Place needs to become a year-round entertainment district (for locals) and tourism hub (for visitors), there is a lot of synergy possible at the OP grounds. The Ontario Line partially resolves the transit issue as well.

OL will terminate where Exhibition station is - it's bit of a last mile problem that it does not resolve.

AoD