Province seeks much smaller home for temporary Science Centre

Ontario is searching for a temporary home for the Ontario Science Centre at a fraction of the size of the building the province abruptly closed last week due to structural concerns.

Government officials announced mid-day Friday that the science centre would permanently close in its east Toronto location at the end of the day after the province received an engineering report on the state of the roof.

The government was already planning to relocate the science centre to the waterfront Ontario Place attraction, but that is not slated to open until 2028, so officials said they would look for a temporary space to house some of the programming and exhibits in the meantime.

Infrastructure Ontario has now released its request for proposals for retail or commercial space to accommodate a temporary Ontario Science Centre, and it is seeking about 50,000 to 100,000 square feet — much smaller than the original building's 568,000 square feet.

Opponents of the science centre relocation were already critical of the fact the new building at Ontario Place is set to be half the original building's size, and the temporary location would be less than half of that smaller facility.

"We have consistently termed the Ontario Place plan as a half-size, mini OSC," said Jason Ash, co-chair of the group Save Ontario's Science Centre.

"We would easily term this a micro Ontario Science Centre and I would personally go so far to say as Premier Ford is offering the people of Ontario a Chuck E. Cheese-size facility for the next four to five years."

The government has said the science centre at a redeveloped Ontario Place would have more exhibit space than the original building due to a more efficient use of space, but a report from the auditor general said there would actually be 18 per cent less.

The request for proposals for the temporary space says the Ministry of Infrastructure is working with the Ontario Science Centre to "expeditiously" find an interim site, and that there is a "degree of flexibility" in the specifications if it would allow the facility to open sooner.

The government is seeking a start date of "no later than" Jan. 1, 2026 and is looking for a property centrally located and no more than one bus ride away from a major public transit station such as subway or rail, and within 500 metres of public transit. It should also have up to 500 parking spaces, and a food court or restaurant within 500 metres, the request for proposals says.

Cost is a critical issue, officials write in the document.

"Please specify any concession package to be provided by the Landlord (e.g. free rent, Tenant Improvement Allowance, etc)," the request for proposals says.