Ontario Place is getting a $100 million make-over from the province that will transform the former entertainment venue into a brand new waterfront park.
The Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Michael Coteau, said the first phases of the project–a waterfront promenade with shops and restaurants, expanded outdoor music facilities, and an large outdoor space named Celebration Common.
The famous Cinesphere and pods will be saved from demolition, he said, though it’s not clear when they will be re-opened.
The Molson Amphitheatre will continue to operate as a live music venue, though it the future is less certain for Echo Beach, which doesn’t appear in the latest renderings. The province said it is “exploring options to bring live music acts to the site year-round” in a news release.
Among the other features announced today is a landscaped pedestrian bridge that will connect the western part of Ontario Place with Lake Shore Blvd.
The plan does not include a residential component. The province said the park, which first opened in 1971, “should remain public.”
