Ontario Science Centre lease could stand in way of Ford's plans

Premier Doug Ford’s plan to relocate the Science Centre to Ontario Place as part of the waterfront space’s redevelopment may have hit a roadblock.

In an email to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for the City of Toronto confirmed while the old Science Centre can be torn down, there is a catch.

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The current lease, which was negotiated back in 1965 on a 99-year term, only allows for the construction of structures “for purposes of operating as a science centre.”

That will likely be unwelcome news for the premier, who said earlier this week he wants to build new housing at the Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue site.

“We are in desperate need of housing,” Ford told reporters on Tuesday. “There's going to be thousands of units there.”

The announcement was the latest development in the Ford government’s plans for Ontario Place, which sits at Toronto’s waterfront and has been decommissioned since 2012.

While still in the approvals phase, the province says it hopes to reimagine the space with 42 acres of public land, an all-season concert stage, and a 22,000 square-metre structure that has been described as a “mega spa.”

A rendering of the proposed Ontario Place redevelopment is seen here. (Therme)

The land at the current Ontario Science Centre location is owned by the City and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), and was jointly leased to the museum for $1 a year.

That lease stands until 2064 and the Ontario government would need to renegotiate the terms before any shovels go into the ground to build housing at the site, the TRCA told CTV News Toronto in an email.

CTV News Toronto reached out to the Ontario government to see how it plans to build housing at the current Science Centre site under the conditions of the lease agreement, but did not receive a response.

• IN PICTURES: Updated Ontario Place renderings unveiled. Here's a look at the new public spaces

On top of that, on Thursday, a motion was passed at city hall to defer the consideration of a land swap from the city to the province – of which 16 acres is needed to produce the Ontario Place overhaul.

According to Coun. Gord Perks’ motion, the land exchange won’t be considered until the development application is approved by council, the provincial government provides its lease agreement with Austrian resort developer Therme Canada, and the federal government expresses its “interest or disinterest” in taking over the land.

Meanwhile, the firm of architect Raymond Moriyama, who designed the science centre, says the "landmark" facility should be regenerated in a way that builds on its heritage, celebrates its architecture and affirms it as a neighbourhood amenity.

In a statement, Moriyama Teshima Architects writes that the mission and footprint of the science centre can also be expanded if there's a need for a new public institution along Lake Ontario.

Consultations on the future of Ontario Place are open to the public and started last weekend. Those discussions are expected to continue over the next several months. 

With files from the Canadian Press.