Ontario Premier Doug Ford says trying to repair the Ontario Science Centre building would be 'foolish.'Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Premier Doug Ford defended his government’s decision to shut the Ontario Science Centre, arguing it would be foolish and unsafe to keep the aging building open.
Mr. Ford, speaking to reporters Wednesday for the first time since the sudden closing of the facility in June, said the government decided to close the science centre in Toronto ahead of schedule because of structural issues with the roof, safety concerns around asbestos and lead paint, and broken heating and cooling systems. He said the information was based on two separate engineering reports received by his government.
“That place is absolutely just a total mess from top to bottom to front to back … every single building,” Mr. Ford said at a news conference in Toronto.
“It would be a foolish decision” to keep it open, he added. “When engineers are telling me this is unsafe, I’m not chancing it.”
The provincial government permanently closed the 55-year-old Ontario Science Centre on June 21. The facility is set to be replaced by a new waterfront centre at Ontario Place that is expected to open in 2028 as part of a large-scale overhaul of the area. Other plans there include a new $350-million spa and waterpark contracted to Austrian-based Therme Group.
The decision to close the Ontario Science Centre early prompted fierce criticism from political opponents, the firm founded by the building’s original architect, and members of the public who have said there should have been public consultation first. The provincial government said the rapid move was based on recommendations from Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure and an engineering report from Rimkus Consulting that outlined structural issues with the roof.
Mr. Ford said on Wednesday that the Rimkus report had now been peer-reviewed to confirm its findings and it would cost a “minimum of close-to 500 million” to fix the building. “It doesn’t make sense to throw money at an old, decrepit building,” he said.
The government plans to release on Thursday the findings of a second technical report about the state of the science centre. “You’ll fall off your chair when you see all the issues we have down there,” said Mr. Ford.
The cost to fix the science centre, as well as the time horizon for when the money would be needed, has been disputed. Toronto’s deputy city manager, David Jollimore, said the number required for repairs in the short-term would be around $106-million. Meanwhile, a number of philanthropists, including acclaimed computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton and former Shopify executives, have stepped up to offer millions in funding.
Jason Ash, a spokesperson for the group Save the Ontario Science Centre, said closing the facility was unnecessary and he disputed Mr. Ford’s comments.
“Professional architects and engineers have independently reviewed the reports and concluded the Ontario Science Centre can be safely reopened today,” he said. “It’s time to set aside Infrastructure Ontario’s misguided advice.”
Marit Stiles, the leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, also had strong words for the provincial government on Wednesday. “Ford’s irresponsible decision-making has left too many kids without summer camp, high-school students without a semester at OSC, and Ontarians without a beloved institution to visit,” said a statement from Ms. Stiles.
When asked about the prospect of people losing their jobs as a result of the science centre’s closing, Mr. Ford said it would be up to the centre’s board to decide their future.
“We’re going to try to keep them employed as long as we can but that will be up to the board; we’re going to move forward with a brand-new science centre,” he said.