The problem is (in my mind), this area has very little residential around it, and without some kind of draw I don't see a lot of people visiting. Ontario Place was popular because there were a lot of great activities going on. Without something like that this park is going to be even emptier Canada and Ontario squares, no matter how pretty it ends up being, and I'm afraid that whatever is built here is going to be used as a template for the rest of the park. It doesn't have to be rides and water-slides, but maybe a fountain and splash pad that turns into a huge outdoor skating rink in the winter... add in a large public square with a farmers market, outdoor cafes and sculpture/art that plays off the cinesphere and pods.
That's exactly it, you've hit the nail on the head. Why would someone travel the distance to get here, when there are probably closer parks that offer the same thing? East and west of this park you have Coronation Park, Battery Park and Marilyn Bell Park. All those parks offer grass, trees, a walking/cycling path, benches and waterfront views/access. So what does this new park at OP offer that the others don't? From the looks of it, it offers some art pieces and some rock installations. After you have seen the art and rocks once or twice, what will keep people coming back to this park? Why would somebody who lives in Fort York make the trek here, when Coronation Park is right across the street? Coronation Park also offers baseball diamonds and washrooms, so it actually has more amenities.
This new park doesn't offer access to the water or any water features at all. So in the summer time, when it's really hot, you are right beside a cool, giant lake but yet you have nowhere to cool off. ALL new parks should have some kind of cooling water feature, where kids and adults can get relief on really hot days.
If you want to attract more then a few people, you need to give people a reason to come here. This is the exact same problem with Canada/Ontario Square. They built it as cheaply as they could and nobody goes there. Even in the summer, when the Harbourfront promenade is animated with people, these squares remain empty. The only time those squares have significant usage is when they are programmed with events, which is probably less then 1% of the time. For the most part, at the present time, those parks go mostly unused. I fear pretty much the same thing will happen with OP, unless some serious attractions go into the park.
It's good to build passive parkland where it's needed but Toronto's waterfront is not that place. Our waterfront is lined with passive parkland. People who go there and use that parkland, already realize this. That being said, turning this land into parkland is a good thing, I just wish there were more amenities and indoor places to go along with it. I'd certainly like to see those huge parking lots put underground with something interesting put on top. (and no, not just more passive parkland) Give me a planetarium, museum, restaurants, music venue, festival centre, art gallery, sporting centre, amusements or something!
They better at least bring back the Cinesphere!