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If Jack Layton ever becomes Prime Minister and makes good on his pledge to implement Bill 101 for federal activities in Quebec, we can look forward to the day when it's simply Downsview Park, with Parc Downsview underneath and in a much smaller font. As Mulroney used to say, what's good for Quebec is good for Canada.
 
Soil samples were being taken this morning east of the GO tracks and north of Bombardier. Does anyone know if this is anyhow related to a potential development on this site?
 
As much as i would love to see all these awesome planes and aviation history stay in Toronto, The most likely relocation would be the Warplane Heritage Museum in (near?) Hamilton.
 
That's a big unknown at this point. If the museum is closed, artifacts of the permanent collection could end up in Ottawa or go abroad. Other pieces may be retrieved by those who donated them. Some could eventually end up in the trash.

This is truly an unfortunate event since it could pretty much end having an aviation museum in the city. And given the long history of aircraft manufacturing in Toronto, the loss is an immense blow to the possibility of telling that very interesting story.

Parc Downsview Park has had it in for the museum for quite some time.
 
TOareaFan said:
Is there room there for old planes and replica planes?
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I would think so - and if not they have plenty of space to build out into. I haven't been there in a few years but the last time I was I noticed that much of the exhibits haven't changed much since I was a kid 30 years ago.
 
gristle said:
That's a big unknown at this point. If the museum is closed, artifacts of the permanent collection could end up in Ottawa or go abroad. Other pieces may be retrieved by those who donated them. Some could eventually end up in the trash.

This is truly an unfortunate event since it could pretty much end having an aviation museum in the city. And given the long history of aircraft manufacturing in Toronto, the loss is an immense blow to the possibility of telling that very interesting story.

Parc Downsview Park has had it in for the museum for quite some time.
Click to expand...

The problem with the Park is it's mandate to be financially self sufficient. There was a time when they were "friendlier" towards these types of projects but the core of it is they have to make money to survive and grow. It's a shame the museum closed but it really needs to be in a more accessible location. The Science Centre, The Portlands even if it became an exhibit out at Pearson. I would admit Hamilton would make the best candidate but even that museum is not the easiest to get to.

Interesting was that I had been told a couple months back by the Waterfront Secretariat that the relocation of the old Island Airport Terminal to Downsview was a "done deal" but I suppose that the museum being evicted pretty much kills this initiative. Does anyone know anything more about this effort?
 
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I would have thought Parc Downsview Park would have been keen to have an aviation museum on their property, because of the history behind Downsview Airport and the Avro Arrow. However, I guess the federal Conservatives would rather make money with the park lands than history.

Déjà vu again with the Avro Arrow connection with the Conservatives. Maybe that is why?
 
W. K. Lis said:
I would have thought Parc Downsview Park would have been keen to have an aviation museum on their property, because of the history behind Downsview Airport and the Avro Arrow. However, I guess the federal Conservatives would rather make money with the park lands than history.

Déjà vu again with the Avro Arrow connection with the Conservatives. Maybe that is why?
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I know it is pretty much a standard thing to do to link financial decisions to the evil Tory's but the management structure of the park, and presumably its self sufficient nature, was established by the Liberal government. This is not a Tory v Liberal (or right v left) issue it is just a management board fulfilling their mandate.

If you believe that this museum is important then what you should strive for is a change in mandate for the park to allow for tenants who don't/can't pay their rent or, more likely, direct taxpayer support for the museum so that they can pay their rent.

Somehow trying to link the demise of the museum to the fact there is a Conservative government in place at the time it hit the wall is, neither, an accurate depiction of the problem nor is it all that productive.
 
someMidTowner said:
As much as i would love to see all these awesome planes and aviation history stay in Toronto, The most likely relocation would be the Warplane Heritage Museum in (near?) Hamilton.
Click to expand...

Either that or the RCAF museum in Trenton.

My husband is a member of the Air and Space Museum and adds a rather troubling note: Apparently the museum's holdings are not in public trust, so if the museum does fold (not just shut down--actually fold) the likely result would be to sell the museum's holdings at public auction. This would include (among others) the Arrow replica, the Lanc under restoration, and the museum's archives--which includes a decent collection of documents donated by families of people who worked in the aviation industry, including on the Arrow. In fact, my father-in-law's papers from his time with A.V. Roe, including on the Arrow, are in their holdings.

There is also the element that the museum's former administration burned a lot of bridges with the museum and heritage community, including with the Federal Government.
 
It's sad to see this go, considering Downsview's history I would have thought this would be there forever..

I want to see the Arrow and a few others go to Hamilton, or maybe they could relocate the museum to a new spot in the new Portlands (I know it probably wouldn't happen)
 
gristle said:
That's a big unknown at this point. If the museum is closed, artifacts of the permanent collection could end up in Ottawa or go abroad. Other pieces may be retrieved by those who donated them. Some could eventually end up in the trash.

This is truly an unfortunate event since it could pretty much end having an aviation museum in the city. And given the long history of aircraft manufacturing in Toronto, the loss is an immense blow to the possibility of telling that very interesting story.
Click to expand...

I agree, it's very unfortunate. Too often, interesting and valuable history is allowed to disappear from the public memory in Toronto with inadequate memorialization through the common channels such as public spaces, monuments and the preservation and display of artifacts to keep the history prominent in the minds of the people who live here. Early parliaments, the invasion of the city by Americans, the Rebellions of 1837, and feats in culture, industry and science are often belittled or forgotten through inadequate or completely missing commemoration. As a result, residents and visitors may get the impression that there are no interesting stories to tell the world, and we're left perpetually assuming that such stories will only happen in the future.
 
I would just like some condo news on the parc already... Its been approved just like lawrence heights yet no sales centres no plans... It would be nice to see the change sooner then later... It is nice to see the buildings go up across from downsview station tho.
 
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