Ontario Place Counter Proposal Fall 2020 (ARC1041)

ONTARIO PLACE

RE-DISCOVER WHAT’S YOURS Counter-Proposal Design Project

ONTARIO PLACE

RE-DISCOVER WHAT’S YOURS CONSISTENCY (Year Round Program) With more consistent programming that attracts attention, Ontario Place could hire consistent employees who will strengthen the image of the park.

ACCESSIBILITY OP is incredibly inaccessible as it stands. We propose a way over the Gardner to prevent traffic on a road that is already congested and provide a safer means of access to pedestrians and cyclists. We will do this through new infrastructure (the bridge) but also in conversation with the TTC to improve and expand existing infrastructure. Services/program/ accessible spaces throughout that cater to multiple generations (multigenerational accessibility; rerouting a path that is 100% accessible) CULTURAL CAPITAL/PEDIGREE OP needs cultural capital such as trendy restaurants all within the same marketplace, easy access to the site (see accessibility), and a space to promote leisure time (promoting healthy work-life balance).

TRANSPARENCY/ACCOUNTABILITY/SUSTAINABILITY It is important that OP remain transparent through its development.

We wish to communicate a sense of community throughout. The idea of community will coincide with the inception of any development of any area of the site. Our approach is to keep green spaces and remain conscious of the ecological surroundings and to provide well thought out paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

Core Heritage Zone Repurposing the programmatic use of the pods and the villages activates this zone for activities and entertainment.

Buffer Zone Minimal landscaping work is needed on the West zone to activate the Silo Park while the East zone will be left untouched.

Development Zone The major development in this zone is the Trillium Bridge connecting Ontario Place to the city and incorporating more open green space areas.

Existing Site

Ontario Place featured innovative new landforms and structures built on Toronto’s waterfront, reshaping the relationship between the urban landscape and Lake Ontario. It is a cultural heritage landscape which remains a rare and intact expression of architecture, engineering, and landscape that honors and incorporates the natural setting of the site. The goal is to bring Ontario Place back into the city through architectural and sustainability approaches.

Occupancy Agreement with Exhibition Place To access Ontario Place from the other side of the expressway, a bigger bridge will be added landing into Exhibition Place.

Air Rights Over Lakeshore Boulevard Bridges over Lakeshore Blvd. requires permisison from the City of Toronto to gain access to the air space above the expressway.

The Grand Entrance

On Google, the most searched result for Ontario Place is if it is abandoned or closed to the public, one of many examples that questions how welcoming this park is to the public. The Lakeshore expressway cuts off the park from the city and the neighbouring Exhibition Place does not attempt to bring Ontario Place to light with any cooperative circulation systems. The approach for this project is to bring Ontario Place to the city rather than bringing the city to Ontario Place. The idea is to incorporate a monumental entrance that bridges between the park and the city.

Additional Circulation Options Accessibility has always been an issue with Ontario Place as it is already not very close to the downtown core or neighbouring communities. For those on bikes or walking, the lack in circulation at Ontario Place could easily disway people from visiting the park.

In order to have a smooth experience at the park, there should be easy routes in and out of the park.

Terraformation

Ontario Place is a well suited park for a go-to location for any park lovers living downtown. The huge bridge structure functions both as a circulation hub that doubles as a green roof platform to hangout on. Although there is already a lot of green space on the West island, not a lot of it is flat and accessible with many of these areas divided by the walking paths. The East island drive in theatre space combined with the giant bridge makes up for the open green space which activates more events possible on the island. Additionally, the empty East side parking lot will also be repurposed as a separate park to maximize green space at Ontario Place.

Re-Programming

We chose to not touch anything from the Marina and the Budweiser Stage as they both successfully operate as their own entity. The key for this new programming scheme is to bring in extra features to Ontario Place on its two main islands which complement the existing Marina and Stage. The Trillium Bridge plays a huge role of redefining the face of Ontario Place as well as introducing additional programming opportunities underneath the Bridge. This organizational diagram is a simple way on depicting the broad ideas towards the next steps on approaching a finer detail of design.

Biking Trail Biking through Ontario Place has been made in a more dynamic way to adress the one-way-in one-way-out issue.

Skating Route Stating is accessable in the winter time with winter warming huts placed around the circle.

Pedestrian Trail The pedestrian trail is the designated route for people walking throug the park but there are many different opportunities for circulation on the new park.

Circulation

The existing park does not have designated trails for pedestrians and bikes. By organizing the way people circulate through Ontario Place, there is more order at the park which makes all people have a designated route to take. Additional routes incorporated onto the site should benefit from more frequent visits by bikers as it is much easier for them to bike all the way around Ontario Place and not take a huge detour. Runners would also be able to take a much shorter route through the park so that everyone could experience Ontario Place without the hassle of the confusing routes.

Consistent Year-Round Program

Our approach to Ontario Place focuses on Ontario Place as an accessible year-round park. For this to be successful we looked at integrating amenities that would facilitate year-round activity. These interventions are low-impact but allow visitors to explore the park safely and comfortably.

Emergency Blue Light Boxes

Public Washrooms

Pedestrian Crossing Zones

Year-Round Site Amenities

Our goal is to allow and encourage people to rediscover Ontario Place. The current site lacks clear paths that circulate around activated areas (The West Commons and the Pods). It was important to us that Ontario Place remain open to roam freely but still have clear paths of circulation that could ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Low-interfering amenities like pedestrian crossways, public washrooms and emergency posts are ways we can make the site more functional without it feeling regimented.

Emergency Blue Light Boxes

Public Washrooms

Pedestrian Crossing Zones

Winter Warming Huts

Amenities Supporting Winter Specfic Program

For outdoor programs we are mostly working with what is already there naturally. In Winter, a skating rink that runs between the East and West Island provides a large skating area for those who do not want to fight the crowds at Nathan Phillips Square. The wind from the lake can make the islands especially cold during the season. To keep the space comfortable for its visitors we looked at the success of the Warming Huts: Architecture and Art Competition that takes place annually in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is an opportunity to bring innovation and publicity to the site.

Emergency Blue Light Boxes

Public Washrooms

Pedestrian Crossing Zones

Beach Volleyball

Lifeguard Post

Amenities Supporting Summer Specific Program

In the Summer, the program is focused on creating safe swim areas and expanding the area of beach on the West Island. The areas around the silos are to be untouched by new buildings but landscaped to further build on the success of Trillium Park.

Self Sustainable Pods

Works Cited

Anderson, David. (2008) “Private and PuOblic Memories of Expo 67: A Case Study of Recollections of Montreal’s World’s Fair, 40 Years After The Event” ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228635194_Private_and_ Public_Memories_of_Expo_67_A_Case_Study_of_Recollections_of_Montreal’s_World’s_Fair_40_Years_After_The_ Event ArchDaily. (2020) “Warming Huts: An Art + Architecture Competition On Ice 2021” https://www.archdaily.com/942934/ warming-huts-an-art-plus-architecture-competition-on-ice-2021 Bateman, Chris. (2019) “What’s Next For Ontario Place, a Treasured Toronto Amusement Park” Bloomberg CityLab. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-06/the-uncertain-future-of-toronto-sontario-place Greenberg, Ken. (2020) “My interview with Eric Klaver…” Ken Greenberg. https://www.kengreenberg.ca/field-notes/ my-interview-with-eric-klaver-on-the-enormous-value-of-ontario-place-and-why-we-need-to-preserve-and-enhanceit-especially-at-this-crucial-time Ontario Place. “2018 Annual Report” http://ontarioplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/OPC279_-_2018_OPC_Annual_Report_ENGLISH_-_02112020_ Final-Feb_12-2020_-_FINAL-s.pdf Ontario Place. “Ontario Place Business Plan 2019” http://ontarioplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2019_OPC_Business_Plan_-_October_2019_FINAL_updated_ font_FINAL-s.pdf Rider, David. (2019) “Ontario Place must remain ‘family friendly’ and accessible to all, experts say. Here are their ideas”.

The Toronto Star Time Out Group, (2016 - 2019), Time Out Group Annual Report, London. https://www.timeout.com/about/investors/corporate-documents Waywell, Chris. (2019) “Time Out Market: from magazine to foodie dream” TimeOut. https://www.timeout.com/time-out-market/from-magazine-to-foodie-dream World Monuments Fund. “Ontario Place”, World Monuments Fund. https://www.wmf.org/project/ontario-place#:~:text=Ontario%20Place%2C%20a%20Modernist%20 Icon&text=Sheltered%20by%20a%20breakwater%2C%20in,showcasing%20the%20history%20of%20Canada.

The Team

George Wang Gemma Savage Anthony Mattacchione Maggie Macphie