40 years of well-intended decisions have drained the life out of Ontario Place. There's a way to restore its original magic.

1. architects: Craig, Zeidler, Strong
When Ontario Place opened in 1971, it was celebrated
internationally as an architectural masterpiece.

2. architects: Craig, Zeidler, Strong
It captured our bold, optimistic spirit...

3. source: Wiki Commons
...and offered abundant landscaped areas,
combined with refreshing links to the water.

4. Architect Eb Zeidler’s original vision
was to create an elegant, unified and
enduring image for this
“urban parkland” setting.

5. photo: Mike Babcock
Zeidler’s design
connected us
with nature and
our highest
hopes for the
future.

6. “We felt there was a need in Ontario for
something akin to a spiritual home.”
John Robarts, former Premier of Ontario,
speaking on November 3, 1970 at the
Ontario Place Countdown Reception

7. What has happened to Ontario’s “spiritual home”?

8. City of Toronto Archives
Solutions to the wrong questions began to appear
in 1980 with the addition of these silos...

9. City of Toronto Archives
...followed by a frantic downward spiral of de-natured add-ons...

10. image by Mike Babcock
...until we were left with nothing to
nourish our Ontarian spirit.

11. images by Mike Babcock
Today we see disconnected pieces of boring, generic,
high maintenance, overbuilt, carbon-eating habitat...

12. photo: Dan Cronin
...instead of the original serene, uplifting urban parkland.

13. architects: Craig, Zeidler, Strong
There’s a way to restore the extraordinary
magic of Ontario Place...

14. ...while changing how people think about their
health for the 21st century.

15. This is no time to think small about the
root cause of our deficit dilemma.
Let’s face the fact that lifestyle based ill-health
consumes 40% of Ontario’s annual $50 B health
care budget. To change our destiny, we can make
Celebrating and restoring a heritage site originally created to embody Ontario’s optimism for the future.
Ontario Place an internationally recognized
exemplar of active health research and practice—
a “spa for the brain and body” where nature,
creative play, relaxation, physical activity, healthy
social interaction and lifelong learning flow together.
An eye-opening showcase for healthy building techniques…such as reimagining the parking lot.
“Take bold action to promote
healthier lifestyles...”
-TD Economics’
Top 10 Health Reform Proposals
“Creating a Path to Sustainable Health Care in Ontario”,
co-authored by Don Drummond.
Demonstrating advanced urban farming practices...promoting brain health…and calling all ages to action.
sources: Solar panel parking concept by Neville Mars, Urban Farm by Bruno Viganò & Florencia Costaon , iStock brain synapse photo

16. Instead of mindless, passive amusements
which ultimately lead to boredom,
let’s re-create an Ontario Place that
stimulates the brain.

17. architects: Craig, Zeidler, Strong
The decision to charge admission to public waterfront parkland
was the first in a series of ill-advised choices that drained the life
out of Ontario Place. Numerous studies over the years were built
on self-limiting assumptions. Let’s not use such narrow thinking to
make irreversible decisions that destroy connections with our past
and a healthier vision for our future.

18. Photo by Tom Podolec from the
Torontoist Flickr Pool.
To read a further analysis of these ideas please visit:
http://www.farrowpartnership.com/images/stories/Ontario_Place.pdf