Company redesigns proposed Ontario Place waterpark and spa; adds more public space
The Canadian Press
TORONTO — The European company planning a spa and waterpark at Ontario Place says it has completed a redesign to create more public space and give the building a smaller footprint in response to feedback.
Some community members and politicians have voiced opposition to the privately owned facility, particularly the amount of publicly accessible land, and representatives from Therme say they will be submitting an updated design to the city.
They say the new design includes nearly 16 acres of public space, including 3.4 acres of parkland and trails on top of the waterpark building.
They also say the building itself will be 25 per cent smaller than the original design, which is done by shrinking the height and the scale of the building.
Simon Bredin, Therme Canada's senior manager of communications and public engagement, says Ontario Place was always meant to be a "place for active fun, not just naturalistic parks."
The provincial government has said its plan to redevelop Ontario Place includes the Therme facility, a new Live Nation concert venue, a relocated Ontario Science Centre, as well as public space and beaches.
The Opposition New Democrats say the "splashy new designs" do nothing to address their concerns around transparency.
Chris Glover, who represents Spadina-Fort York, says in a statement that Premier Doug Ford has refused to share details of the reported 95-year land lease with Therme and has not conducted an environmental assessment of the impact of the European company's project.
(C) The Canadian Press