[adma]

While id agree for the most part, the only thing id take exception with would be the idea that he wants to demolish it.

I think he wouldnt care what happens to it, just that the science center as we know it moves to Ontario Place. Hes said in the past "i dont care what gets built there, condos schools, more museums by the city."
Condos, museums, parks, he doesnt care, not his problem anymore.

In a funny way, I *can* see him opting to demolish in the name of shutting those yappers up once and for all. Like he was forced into this option. And whether on behalf of condos, schools, museums, parks, etc, he knows that a clean slate is optimum. "Do it", rather than dragging feet--and he "knows" that if the OSC just sat there as a mouldering abandoned hulk, the province would "wear it" even worse than if they simply cleared the site. Same reason why whatever its merits, an abandoned 50s house in the Bridle Path is an undesirable eyesore--clear it away so a Drake can build his McMansion, and it's all *sooo* much better.

In effect, this gesture is Doug Ford's version of Mayor Richard M. Daley's midnight bulldozing of the runway at Meigs Field.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

FYI:

Meigs Field - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TossYourJacket]

Not that it means much given how expropriation-happy this government is, but it is worth noting the land the Science Centre is on belongs to the City and the TRCA. The province only leases it, with the lease saying it's to be used for a Science Centre. So either any redevelopment requires either expropriation, or the renegotiation of the lease.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

...I think it's one of those deals where Doug gave that to The City knowing they probably don't have the budget to repair/maintain it, so it will all look bad on them when they're forced to pull it down. Also see: Given a terminally ill white elephant. /sigh

 

[Johnny Au]

I have read the report linked by @Northern Light .

RAAC is a type of concrete that is lightweight, offers fire resistance, and is inexpensive. However, it is susceptible to moisture. When the Ontario Science Centre was built in 1968 (it opened in 1969), RAAC’s vulnerability to moisture was nnot fully understood at the time.

Autoclaved aerated concrete - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It even mentions the Ontario Science Centre!

 

[sixrings]

...I think it's one of those deals where Doug gave that to The City knowing they probably don't have the budget to repair/maintain it, so it will all look bad on them when they're forced to pull it down. Also see: Given a terminally ill white elephant. /sigh

Mission successful. The city can raise taxes if it wants.

 

[dag]

The science centre suffers from years of neglect from all governments. Lots of blame to go around. But what's next. Hopefully when the land is sold or redeveloped there can be a condition that the building must be repaired and repurposed. Perhaps a library or some other community building. As a condition of added density to the developer this can be achieved. Its is clear the move to OP is going to happen. Now the focus should be on saving the building. Let's hope it can be done.

 

[sixrings]

The science centre suffers from years of neglect from all governments. Lots of blame to go around. But what's next. Hopefully when the land is sold or redeveloped there can be a condition that the building must be repaired and repurposed. Perhaps a library or some other community building. As a condition of added density to the developer this can be achieved. Its is clear the move to OP is going to happen. Now the focus should be on saving the building. Let's hope it can be done.

Correct. All sorts of governments neglected this place. I don’t like Doug. Didn’t vote for Doug. But everything isn’t Doug’s fault.

 

[rdaner]

View this content on Instagram

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[UtakataNoAnnex]

I'm not interested in the politics or the reports.

I am. It tells us why we can't have nice things. /bleh

 

[hawc]

Just came back from the ROM with the kids.

I was struck by how much less run-down the ROM was compared to the OSC.

I'd love a non-cynical, non-bitter, non-conspiracy theory explanation of why the AGO, ROM, ZOO were kept in way better repair than the OSC.

Is it a private, public thing? Is it an adult, kid thing? Is it a location thing?

Why was the OSC left to rot while those other institutions were well maintained. Why were they given care over the decades and the OSC was not?

Did the OSC have a lazy/corrupt board of governors or something?

Constructive answers only. Not looking for "Ford sucks etc..." That's all true, but not helpful to the question. This was decades of neglect and I'm baffled why.

 

[Coolibop]

Just came back from the ROM with the kids.

I was struck by how much less run-down the ROM was compared to the OSC.

I'd love a non-cynical, non-bitter, non-conspiracy theory explanation of why the AGO, ROM, ZOO were kept in way better repair than the OSC.

Is it a private, public thing? Is it an adult, kid thing? Is it a location thing?

Why was the OSC left to rot while those other institutions were well maintained. Why were they given care over the decades and the OSC was not?

Did the OSC have a lazy/corrupt board of governors or something?

Constructive answers only. Not looking for "Ford sucks etc..." That's all true, but not helpful to the question. This was decades of neglect and I'm baffled why.

I'll put in my top of head comments...

There was talk a while back about how the OSC was struggling financially for years in prior comments. This could be explained by its location (more difficult to access from downtown) - but then I thought so is the zoo... I suggest these two have the most in common, just by the state of buildings and general look/feel (versus comparing to ROM which has a more modern take to it and easily accessible to tourists). I would just guess it comes down to management without actually looking at hard numbers...

As someone with memberships to both, I can say that the OSC and the Zoo both show age and are tired looking, yet the Zoo has started (just in the past 5 years) renovations of their new Master plan...new pedestrian bridges, new zoomobile, new washrooms, new habitats (Orangutan), animals, as well as a new entrance. So there is hope. OSC hasn't done a thing except add items to food menu, and their usual rotation of varying exhibits on the first/main/top floor.

Now, the Zoos exhibits are not the primary attraction, so that could explain the type of crowd it would draw...visitors are there for the animals which change/update. Many (most?) of the OSC exhibits are the same from when I was a child...

I think the one thing OSC was getting right, was the food selection at the cafeteria. They had quite a range of selection including (what I appreciate the most) healthy options. The latter is not as easy to achieve at the Zoo or even the limited selection at the ROM (but who benefits location wise with selection outside the venue). But I gather that doesn't really draw crowds...

 

[sixrings]

Just came back from the ROM with the kids.

I was struck by how much less run-down the ROM was compared to the OSC.

I'd love a non-cynical, non-bitter, non-conspiracy theory explanation of why the AGO, ROM, ZOO were kept in way better repair than the OSC.

Is it a private, public thing? Is it an adult, kid thing? Is it a location thing?

Why was the OSC left to rot while those other institutions were well maintained. Why were they given care over the decades and the OSC was not?

Did the OSC have a lazy/corrupt board of governors or something?

Constructive answers only. Not looking for "Ford sucks etc..." That's all true, but not helpful to the question. This was decades of neglect and I'm baffled why.

Bloor and Avenue road VS Don Mills and Eglinton.

 

[jje1000]

Just came back from the ROM with the kids.

I was struck by how much less run-down the ROM was compared to the OSC.

I'd love a non-cynical, non-bitter, non-conspiracy theory explanation of why the AGO, ROM, ZOO were kept in way better repair than the OSC.

Is it a private, public thing? Is it an adult, kid thing? Is it a location thing?

Why was the OSC left to rot while those other institutions were well maintained. Why were they given care over the decades and the OSC was not?

Did the OSC have a lazy/corrupt board of governors or something?

Constructive answers only. Not looking for "Ford sucks etc..." That's all true, but not helpful to the question. This was decades of neglect and I'm baffled why.

I wonder how much of this might be attributed to different organizational structures? It always has felt like ROM is more of its own organization rather than a creature of the province like the Ontario Science Centre.

Makes me wonder why beyond the early 2000s-spurt of investment that got us a few updated exhibits at the OSC, there hasn't been much since the 2010s. How far back do the plans for shuttering it down stretch to?

 

[rbt]

I'd love a non-cynical, non-bitter, non-conspiracy theory explanation of why the AGO, ROM, ZOO were kept in way better repair than the OSC.

Is it a private, public thing? Is it an adult, kid thing? Is it a location thing?

Both ROM and AGO receive significant private funding for large-scale renovations every couple decades. Structures built to modern code almost always have much lower energy and maintenance costs than older structures of the same size.

In addition, revenue for ROM and AGO was considerably higher in 2022 than OSC at $120M and $77M respectively versus $38M. Simply put, the organization with the highest energy and maintenance costs due to oldest structures also has much lower revenue.

It would be interesting to see what a combined ROM/OSC organization would be able to do. I think there is enough overlap for it to work. Either the ROM team would be able to fund-raise for multiple ever-improving locations or both might go bust.