[Coolibop]

I guess repairs are tied into the province's land lease deal with the city having to keep the OSC in good condition? Which makes this more apparent that the roof issue was ultimately an excuse to close down the centre (which I think is ultimately tied to the Ontario Place redevelopment plans).

I think the OSC saga is done for now, but there is still an opportunity if the city were to take control over the buildings to open a new institution inside of them.

Workers say goodbye to an almost-empty Ontario Science Centre as repairs get underway | Globalnews.ca

As the sun shone on an unusually warm day at the end of October, Emma Meadley Dunphy took one final, emotional stroll through the Ontario Science Centre.

globalnews.ca

I read this article last week and initially though the same..

However, I challenge the suggestion that they are doing full-on repairs. Just because there is presence of scaffolding, and they fixed a heating system does not imply they are dumping money into this. While it may be the case, the evidence is lacking...

 

[hawc]

I can't believe there are no shots anywhere of the inside as everything gets dismantled. Nothing has leaked out on X. Haven't seen anything anywhere.

I'm really, really, really hoping that another institution takes it over and sets up an auxiliary campus there. Like maybe a U of T or a York or George Brown or something. Or maybe some other museum or something.

Don't care too much about the big warehouse buildings at the bottom. but the pods at the top and the big main buildings just can't get destroyed it would be totally insane.

Speaking of, I'm not going to lie, if the building ever do get demolished I am 100% hoping the demolition fences one night and stealing some of the rubble like people grabbed pieces of the Berlin wall.

 

[generalcanada]

Infrastructure Ontario ‘worked with’ engineering firm ahead of science centre closure report | Globalnews.ca

The government said the decision to close the science centre was made by its board of directors but a news release announcing the plan was written a week earlier.

globalnews.ca

 

[AlexBozikovic]

A conference at U of T this weekend that should be of interest:

https://www.daniels.utoronto.ca/events/1732318200/preservation-modernist-heritage-and-modern-toronto

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Infrastructure Ontario ‘worked with’ engineering firm ahead of science centre closure report | Globalnews.ca

The government said the decision to close the science centre was made by its board of directors but a news release announcing the plan was written a week earlier.

globalnews.ca

Quelle surprise.

AoD

 

[hawc]

Weird they had to paper over all the windows.

Haven't seen ANY shots inside since they closed it down. Nothing.

Well, this is as close as I could get with the drone.

Miss this place so much.

 

[jxmyth_]

Weird they had to paper over all the windows.

Haven't seen ANY shots inside since they closed it down. Nothing.

Well, this is as close as I could get with the drone.

Miss this place so much.

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Oh well, I mean look at all those gaping holes in the roof. Those obvious areas where water pooled and caused collapse, the bare wooden rafters exposed to the elements, the squirrels nesting. Just an absolute wreck.

 

[picard102]

I mean, as you can see, there is no snow. Which is what the concern was, snow loads on the roof.

 

[hawc]

Ford = Idiot for closing whole place forever based on 2 - 6% of the roofs that actually weren't safe under potential large snow loads

40 Years of Other Provincial Governments = Not doing nearly enough to maintain and upkeep this incredible building and allowing it to deteriorate to the point it needs $400M of repairs

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

While the latter is unfortunate, it has no real equivalency with the former.

 

[kotsy]

New Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place to open in 2029, auditor general says

Ontario is planning to have a temporary science centre open in the interim, but has not provided any public updates on that process since it issued a request for proposals

www.thestar.com

paywall bypass: https://archive.is/yGInW

 

[hawc]

The magic of the Science Centre was the building as much as the contents inside. That can never be replicated. It's like they ripped all the organs out of a body and transplanted them in someone else. It's not the same person. 5 years from now will be more like 7 or 8 years from now. The Science Centre is effectively killed off.

 

[PL1]

New Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place to open in 2029, auditor general says

Ontario is planning to have a temporary science centre open in the interim, but has not provided any public updates on that process since it issued a request for proposals

www.thestar.com

paywall bypass: https://archive.is/yGInW

From the article:
"The cost estimate for building and maintaining a new science centre at Ontario Place has increased by nearly $400 million from the government’s spring 2023 business case for relocating it, the auditor said, meaning it will cost approximately $1.4 billion — higher than the $1.3-billion estimate for maintaining the attraction at its east Toronto location."

 

[hawc]

Wait, the current OSC needs $1.4B in maintenance? Couldn't they tear it downs rebuild it exactly as it was for $1.4B?

 

[HometownPride]

Ontario Place, the McLaughlin Planetarium and The Science Centre were my go-to places as a teen in the 70s. Why does the provincial government have to get rid of all the good stuff?