There is already passive parkland on both sides of Ontario Place, as well as much of the waterfront in that area. It's almost surrounded by parks, so I fail to see why we need more of the same in this area. Ontario Place needs to have a higher purpose than just more passive parkland. It needs to be a major, year round attraction that brings in crowds from all over Ontario, as well as tourists. Toronto needs more major attractions to compete with other top tier cities. I don't understand why so many people have such low expectations for not only Ontario Place but for the whole city in general, including architecture! (no more grey, glass cubes, please!)
Ontario Place should go back to its original concept, except bigger, more creative and year-round. It should function like a world's fair, showcasing our province but also including FUN! You mix tourism with entertainment, add in some unique rides, leisure activities like the the water slides and a sun tanning beach, with a focus on Ontario innovation in tech and you've got something. Have touring music/entertainment/cultural shows and even trade shows, markets, fairs and keep the fun going all year round. Multiculturalism could be used to celebrate foreign cultures and bring in huge crowds for Bollywood events or Chinese New Year. There are tons of very easy ways to bring in large crowds year round because our population comes from all over to world and many of those people are still very attached to their ethnic culture. Take full advantage of that and have massive ethic/cultural events, you just need a large indoor space to hold those big celebrations. Build a new, large complex for Winter/indoor events and festivals. It can be a convention centre like stricture with a central gathering area that includes restaurants, bars, stores, museum/art gallery/event space and a central gathering space for large events. The convention venues at the Ex could be used but I would prefer a different layout than a regular convention centre. A hotel could be used to anchor it, obviously, a few years after Covid has left town and tourism has grown.
Bring back something like the original Children's Village but make it even bigger and add some tech/video games to the mix. In fact, get video games makers to help sponsor it. Make it an area exclusively for active play (exercise for kids, yet FUN) but mixed with high tech gadgets, with video games, so kids can actually learn, while they play and get exercise. Theme much of the play around Ontario. The options are really endless, all you need is to hire some smart tech people with exceptional creativity.
The same thing goes for rides. You don't focus on the same kind of rides Canada's Wonderland has. I think the focus should be on man powered rides like zip lines and more physical things, with a focus on water. Water bumper boats are great but put in paddle boats, that get humans moving and it's even better. Focus on rides that make people more active and you kill 2 birds with one stone. It's probably more fun for competitive, younger people anyway. How about a massive climbing wall or a Thunder Bay mine that people have to navigate in the dark. Keep the focus on Ontario, just like it was in the old days. Promote Ontario tourism, business, technology, multi-culturalism, entertainment, education, culture, outdoor activities, leisure activities and fun in general. That's basically what you find in a great world's fair. The internet can never replicate the value you get at a great world's fair and yes, I have been to a number of them and loved it!
I would like to have it free to enter Ontario Place and then people pay for the attractions they want to enter. You can have some events/activities that are free to the public but sponsored by corporations or maybe even foreign governments to promote travel to their country, like China paying for a huge Chinese New Year event and the cultural show/entertainment is paid by China to promote travel to that country. Add in a Chinese food festival and the line-ups will be LONG! Ethnic festivals will not only bring in people from Toronto but from all over the world. Put on a Diwali festival, bring in Salman Khan and stand back for the huge turnout. I posted a video of Salman Khan 6 years ago on my Youtube channel and it's still always in my most viewed list every month. Indian people love Indian culture, as do Chinese people, Jewish people, British People, French People and yes, even some Canadian people! We have the market for it, just promote it properly and they will come.
Bring back the forum and help promote new Ontario talent, as well as international (ethnic) acts from all over the world. Bring in artists, public speakers, tech experts and broadcast it live on the internet. Use technology to make the Ontario Place experience even more exciting and fun! Focus on the FUN!!! Make Ontario Place a place where people come to gather, share ideas, learn, experience Ontario innovation, eat, dance, play, exercise, hang-out and enjoy life. Bring back the restaurants and the bars/nightlife. Keep the party going until late at night. Make Ontario Place a great nightlife destination. There is so much more of a purpose for Ontario Place than what it is now. Will our current government have the ability to see the amazing potential? That remains to be seen.
Last but not least, bring in some out-of-the-box thinkers who are much smarter than myself, who can come up with new/experimental ideas that mere mortals like myself, could never imagine. Who knows what kind of crazy /fantastical ideas people could think up. In fact, make it a yearly competition for all Ontarians to get in the act. Make it another huge festival of creativity with cool prizes for the brilliant Ontario minds. Involve the whole province in Ontario, as much as possible.
I'd also like to see a subway station that is located between the Exhibition grounds and Ontario Place. Make OP and EP seem as one cohesive district. Put those Ontario Place parking lots underground or hide them in some new buildings. That land is too valuable to be used for car parking. At the very least, they could reroute the streetcar to make a stop at the front of Ontario Place, possibly coming from Dufferin or Bathurst.
I don't think my ideas would be very difficult to do at all and it could benefit the whole province of Ontario, not just Toronto. All it takes is some serious investment from the Ontario government and some long-term planning. Hire the very best people and think BIG! Don't cheap out on the details because if it's 3rd rate, it won't fly. In Toronto you have to go big or go home!
