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

Kind of disappointed that there's no attempt at planning for development on the parking lots. As long as they exist, they continue to add another layer separating Ontario Place from the rest of the city.
 
Agreed. Indeed, I'd go further and suggest that it may actually be one of the few places I'd support condos on the site if they can be done in a way to urbanize Lake Shore and unify the OP grounds with Exhibition Place.
 
jje1000 said:
Kind of disappointed that there's no attempt at planning for development on the parking lots. As long as they exist, they continue to add another layer separating Ontario Place from the rest of the city.
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Why don't they replace the parking lot with a parking garage AND a streetcar loop?
 
Red October said:
Also I'm really glad they'd be saving the pods and the Cinesphere.
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Agreed completely; a huge relief! I came looking for a thread about Ontario Place to discover the fate of those two things. Hopefully, the pavilions can find a real use other than hosting lavish weddings. Wasn't one of them formerly a nightclub in it's later years?

As a theme park and coaster enthusiast, I was hoping that the place would move toward the vision of a true 2nd theme park for Toronto... but I knew that was always only a dream. :) Ontario Place reminds me a bit of Futuroscope in Poitiers, France.
 
The pods in Ontario Place once housed a sports museum and a performing arts theatre, which had great shows for children. They were part of the attractions, until the government decided to lease the spaces to private businesses. From that point on, it was off limits to the general public and those attractions were just closed down, giving people fewer options. The great Children's Village was also abruptly closed down, (as was the Forum concert venue) without any explanation. The government was fully responsible for the dismantling of Ontario Place's attractions. The newer attractions that they built, were all paid attractions, while the three I mentioned were free with general admission. (and very, very popular with the public)

Public attractions like OP don't go down hill by themselves. It's usually bad decisions by management that leads to the decline. Is it any surprise that once the attractions started closing down, attendance started falling? There was little to do for kids over the age of 12 and adults. (after closing the bars, nightclubs and many restaurants) My first real job was working at Ontario Place, at very lively German restaurant called the Zume Rhine. They had live bands playing German music every night and the lineups were crazy back then. (late 70's) It was a fun place to work.

Ah, the good old days of Ontario Place.
 
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Ya I remember our once a year trip to the Ex and Ontario Place back in the 70s. Back then it was novel and was a lot of fun but times, demographics, and people's choices change and Ontario Place didn't.

It will never be a "family place" again and that's OK but maybe it should build on it's strengths instead of trying to morph into something that it's not. The one thing that Ontario Place has that is unique is that, despite it's age, it is still a visually engaging and recognizable building. Outside of the CH Tower, Parliament, and City Hall, it is probably the most recognizable building in the province. Even if they have never been there, most people in the province if shown a picture would know what it is so why not build on that?

It is an interesting piece of architecture that has survived the test of time. It's the architecture of the building that set it apart and gave Ontario Place visual recognition. Maybe as an architectural landmark it could become an architectural or design museum that could showcase all the different designs, varying building types, construction methods, that are reflected throughout the province. They could bring the Ontario back to Ontario Place.
 
The old Ontario Place was a little bit like Montréal's Habitat 67. It was to be a model of the home of the future... not.

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Torontovibe said:
The pods in Ontario Place once housed a sports museum and a performing arts theatre, which had great shows for children. They were part of the attractions, until the government decided to lease the spaces to private businesses. From that point on, it was off limits to the general public and those attractions were just closed down, giving people fewer options. The great Children's Village was also abruptly closed down, (as was the Forum concert venue) without any explanation. The government was fully responsible for the dismantling of Ontario Place's attractions. The newer attractions that they built, were all paid attractions, while the three I mentioned were free with general admission. (and very, very popular with the public)

Public attractions like OP don't go down hill by themselves. It's usually bad decisions by management that leads to the decline. Is it any surprise that once the attractions started closing down, attendance started falling? There was little to do for kids over the age of 12 and adults. (after closing the bars, nightclubs and many restaurants) My first real job was working at Ontario Place, at very lively German restaurant called the Zume Rhine. They had live bands playing German music every night and the lineups were crazy back then. (late 70's) It was a fun place to work.

Ah, the good old days of Ontario Place.
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I agree.

I like a lot of what's here, but at the same time I wouldn't mind seeing an area with a few attractions. Ontario Place was very popular at one point, and with good reason.

At the very least, I hope they can find somewhere for the Wilderness Adventure Ride. ;)
 
The nightclub in Ontario Place is called Atlantis. It's still used. They had an event there on NYE according to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AtlantisToronto
I went to a few raves there in the early 2000s. Was an awesome venue. Has a rotating dance floor!

I remember one of the pavilions had a Lego centre in it too.
 
In the old days Ontario Place sometimes got so crowded, that they closed the gates and refused people admission. I went to go see Cool And The Gang at the Forum (free with admission back then) but never got in. The park was at capacity, so they stopped admission. People were jumping over the fences and swimming across the lagoon to try to get in. It was pretty crazy but it shows how popular OP was.

I think Ontario Place is probably the most iconic structure in Toronto, besides the CN Tower. (only because of it's height) It's over 30 years old and it still looks futuristic and spectacular today. It's one of the most under rated structures/parks in Toronto. People in this city don't appreciate what they have. People should be screaming bloody murder for the government to reopen this park, bigger and better. This is one of the few major attractions on our waterfront and it seems to just get ignored. Along with the CNE, this should be developed to be our main attraction.
 
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Whatever they do it is very important that it not become another Toronto attraction.

This is an ONTARIO building built by and for the people of ONTARIO, not just Toronto and Ontario Place must reflect this. This must be a place that is for Ontarians and represents the province and just making it another entertainment building along a Toronto park is a slap in the face to all Ontarians outside Toronto.

Once something is built by and for Ontarians as an Ontarian showpiece it must always have that as it's primary mandate. Ontario Place should never be viewed or used as a Toronto attraction no different than should Queen's Park.
 
Agreed. I like much of what they've come up with, but I feel it needs more.
 
I always said that if we want to be a world-class city, than we would have to make Ontario Place a world class attraction.

It needs to be somewhere where tourists can spend the entire day there and not be bored, somewhere where Torontonians and Ontarians can spend the day or evening year-round, it needs to have events and attractions simultaneously for several demographics, it needs to have access to the now clean Lake Ontario water, it needs to have an excellent and vibrant restaurant scene and complimenting art and urban spaces, and it needs to have rapid transit (WWLRT) connecting it to downtown.

Being younger than most of you I don't remember Ontario Place the way it was in the 80s or 90s, but I spent many summers as a child there in the 2000's and I remember it being a very great time. I would love it for future generations of Torontonians/Ontarians and the many many tourists that come to Toronto to experience the same and more. To me, Ontario Place symbolizes the world class city Toronto can become.
 
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