Ontario Place’s West Island closed without notice ‘shows the carelessness’ of provincial government: advocacy group

The closure of Ontario Place’s West Island has sparked the attention of an advocacy group vying to change the site’s future development plans.

Earlier this week, the province gated the entrance to the island and announced its closure by way of a hand-written sign without prior notice to the public as part of the government’s plan to redevelop the site into a mega spa.

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According to Ontario Place for All co-chair Norm DiPasquale, the sign “showed the carelessness” of the government with regards to its plans for the future of Ontario Place.

“No one had the chance to say goodbye to a site that they love and cherish so much,” DiPasquale said in an interview with CP24’s Leena Latafat. “This is the wrong way to handle this site, and it just continues to show the carelessness that this Ontario government continues to show as they’ve tried to redevelop Ontario Place with a giant glass mega spa.”

In a statement provided to CP24, a spokesperson for Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma confirmed that “critical site servicing work” began on the Ontario Place site in September as crews work to replace the “50-year-old water, electrical and gas services throughout the island.”

The spokesperson said “additional areas” related to that work were closed on Jan. 8.

“These closures will help protect the health and safety of everyone on the site as the project moves forward. At this time, Trillium Park, Budweiser Stage for Live Nation events, and a portion of the parking lots will remain open, as long as it remains safe to do so,” the spokesperson said. “Once complete, Ontario Place will feature over 50 acres of public spaces and parks across the island, anchored by three world class attractions: Therme’s waterpark and wellness facility, a brand new concert venue, and a modern Ontario Science Centre

Ontario Place for All has been advocating that the site’s redevelopment plans be reconsidered by the province due to concerns over the natural ecosystems in the area. In particular, they are concerned with the removal of approximately 840 trees -- some of which have already been cut down -- all vegetation, the levelling of the internationally recognized Michael Hough landscape contouring, and filling the lagoons and small waterways on the West Island.

In November, the group filed an injunction to stop the Ford government from developing on the West Island until an environmental assessment is conducted. The application is still underway.

This happened after the province continued to move forward with the project, seemingly ignoring the criticism raised by both community groups and some local politicians.

In response, the Doug Ford government asked the courts to prevent the federal government from using the Impact Assessment Act to delay or stop them from moving ahead with the Ontario Place construction.

DiPasquale says that this just highlights the ways in which the group doesn’t feel heard by the government.

“We feel sad that the Ontario government isn’t listening and closing parts of a cherished waterfront site with absolutely no notice. They put up a hand-scrawled sign, the website was updated maybe a couple of minutes later.”

The website lists six locations that have been closed due to the construction, including:

• Ontario Place marina
• West Island, including the west entrance located at the intersection of Lake Shore Blvd. West and Ontario Drive
• Path through the marina that connects the West Island to Trillium Park
• The east entrance at the intersection of Lake Shore Blvd. West and Ontario Place Blvd.
• The west bridge over Lake Shore Blvd. West that connects Ontario Place to Exhibition Place.
• The centre bridge over Lake Shore Blvd. West that connects Ontario Place to Exhibition Place will be closed seasonally.

-With files from CTV’s Katherine DeClerq