This part of the proposed Ontario Place design 'overwhelms' public space: report

Toronto city planners have found some issues with the proposed redevelopment of Ontario Place and say one part of the design is so big it 'overwhelms the public realm.'

Toronto city planners have found some issues with the proposed redevelopment of Ontario Place and say one part of the design is so big it “overwhelms the public realm.”

In a 13-page status report regarding the province’s planned overhaul of the city’s waterfront attraction, officials detailed their thoughts on the proposed 65,000-square metre private entertainment, water recreation and wellness centre.

The biggest issue appears to be with the facility’s main entrance and building, a 22,000 square-metre structure with a maximum height of 26 metres that will connect to the west island.

“The proposed entry building and bridge elements act as barriers, obscuring heritage views to Ontario Place, the pods and Cinesphere and integrated landscape as well as sight lines to water; these detract from the public sense of arrival to the west island,” the report read.

“The height, massing and scale of the main building overwhelms the public realm, heritage features and overall size of the west island landform.”

City planners say the current location of the building on the mainland “prioritizes private uses” and acts as a barrier to non-paying members of the public who wish to access the waterfront.