Caitlin Yardley

Activists and elected officials are calling for a value-for-money audit of the redevelopment plans for Ontario Place, with some saying the project has been shrouded in secrecy.

The proposal to open a private spa at Ontario Place has faced criticism since Therme Canada, the Canadian arm of the Austria-based developer, was selected for the project.

An official zoning application for the project was submitted to the City of Toronto in November. The proposal involves leasing much of the West Island on Toronto's waterfront to build a nearly four-acre spa-themed waterpark as well as roughly 12 acres of public space.

Plans for the spa include waterslides, restaurants and "natural spaces to relax," said Therme spokesperson Simon Bredin in an emailed statement.

As for the public space, the plan is to create a new public park with places for people to walk, run and bike, as well as a public beach, said Bredin.

On Feb. 24, Ontario NDP MPPs Kristyn Wong-Tam and Chris Glover held a press conference to call for public consultation on the redevelopment plan.

Wong-Tam expressed concern about the lack of public consultation leading up to the zoning application.

“Much of this land deal is cloaked in secrecy,” they said.

The press conference came one day after NDP Leader Marit Stiles submitted a letter in support of a request from advocacy groups to Ontario's Financial Accountability Office for compliance and value-for-money audits.

While the province has yet to officially publicize the estimated project cost, based on other projects of its size, it could require an estimated $450 million to build a five-storey underground parking garage with a capacity for more than 2,000 cars, said Norm Di Pasquale, co-chair of Ontario Place for All, an advocacy group that aims to protect Ontario Place. In addition to $200 million for site servicing, it's estimated the project will cost $650 million in public funds, said Di Pasquale.

“We are subsidizing this private spa,” said Di Pasquale. “It doesn’t feel like a good deal for Ontarians.”

As the site will be accessible via the Ontario Line subway when construction is complete, advocates have also questioned the scale of the parking garage.

Critics have also been outspoken about the lack of transparency from the government and the sidelining of heritage and environmental obligations, such as those under the Environmental Protection Act and the Environmental Assessment Act. The project will result in the clear-cutting of around 850 trees.

And, "a 13-storey glass spa on the West Island is not going to be too good for those migratory birds that use that part of Lake Ontario as a bird runway," added Di Pasquale.

Wong-Tam said the government has also “seemingly exempted itself” from creating a strategic conservation plan as required by the Ontario Heritage Act.

Ontario Place opened in 1971 and was built on 155 acres of publicly owned land. Wong-Tam said the NDP is concerned with the disruption to publicly accessible land that the large facility will create.

Glover echoed Wong-Tam's concerns and said the government was playing “fast and loose with the rules.”

Bill Greaves, a spokesperson for the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, urged the province to reconsider the plan and said Ontario Place is among the most important expressions of late mid-century expressionism in the history of the province.

He said the site also represents a celebration of Ontario, as it was designed to be.

"This public character is integral to its cultural heritage value," said Greaves.

The government reports that Ontario Place currently attracts around one million visitors per year. Supporters of the Therme project say the West Island could use an upgrade.

In 2019, the government put out a call for development of Ontario Place in which Therme Group, Live Nation and Écorécréo Group were selected.

Kinga Surma, the Ontario minister of infrastructure, said in an emailed statement that the government continues to follow the city's process as it redevelops the site with partners like Therme to restore Ontario Place.

The project would be the first North American site for Therme, which currently has three spas in Germany and its latest in Bucharest, Romania. As all four are suburban and exurban, the project would also be the company's first urban spa.

Surma said the park is underutilized and aside from Trillium Park and the William G. Davis Trail, there have been no material upgrades to the site for more than 20 years.

In 2017, Trillium Park on the East Island underwent revitalization efforts, completed within a $30-million budget.

Wong-Tam also called on Queen’s Park representatives to disclose how Ontarians will benefit from the deal, including the terms and conditions of the leases and how public funds will be spent if the project is cancelled.

In privatizing Ontario Place, the project runs the risk of failure if it is not a commercial success, said Di Pasquale, who is concerned that public interest in spas and wellness could be a passing fad.

“What happens if the spa fails?" he asked. "Does it become a casino?”

The plan to open a private spa at Ontario Place has some activists and elected officials saying the project has been shrouded in secrecy.

Ontario Place redevelopment not a good deal for Ontarians, critics say

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