The current Ontario Science Centre on Don Mills Road, in Toronto. Photo by BuBZ at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php"curid=3056582
On June 21, 2024, the provincial government announced that the Ontario Science Centre?s landmark 1969 building, by Japanese-Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama, would be closed immediately, for an indefinite period of time.
It cited an engineering report by Rimkus to justify the closure, saying that the report found ?serious structural issues with the Ontario Science Centre building.? While these issues would not be expected to materialize until the winter, according to Infrastructure Ontario, the intervening months were needed ?for staff to safely vacate the building.? However, a deep dive into the report reveals a different story. It suggests that the building?s key exhibition areas could continue to operate safely for years to come?even if the Ontario government chooses not to invest in any structural roof repairs this year.
For some time, the government has had plans to move the science centre from its location in east Toronto to a redeveloped Ontario Place that will be located on the city?s waterfront.
The closure that was recently announced, however, has been deemed “unnecessary” by Moriyama Teshima Architects, the firm of the architect who designed it.
Several others have also voiced their concerns about the closure including the...