Decades of neglect mean the Science Centre is beyond repair

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The Ontario Science Centre is a dump and has been for years.

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It is a building that the former Wynne Liberal government was told to abandon due to neglect and the high costs of repairs in 2016.

For some reason, a group of people in Toronto driven by Doug Ford derangement syndrome have decided to make the closure of the Science Centre a personal failing of Ford. The reality is, this facility was neglected for years, long before Ford was elected premier.

“With shrinking attendance, mounting critical building maintenance costs, an aging facility, declining revenues and stagnant operating subsidies, the current operating model of the OSC is challenging,” read a 2016 report submitted to the Kathleen Wynne government.

That report encouraged the Liberals to relocate the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place as part of Wynne’s pledge to redevelop the area into “year‐round, vibrant waterfront destination.” The Wynne Liberals never acted on this recommendation, nor did they act to repair the Science Centre, which in 2016 was already in a state of deep disrepair.

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The 2016 report was devastating in terms of the ability of the Science Centre to continue to operate and attract an audience. The report noted that most of the 568,000 square feet of the facility were not usable for exhibits and that the area open to the public was in need of serious repair.

“Undertaking the required repair and asbestos abatement will likely require partial or complete closure of the OSC for an unknown period of time,” the 2016 report stated.

How bad are things eight years later?

Well, the roof is now in danger of collapse due to water seeping in and weakening the RAAC panels. Disturbing those panels for repair would release asbestos, currently contained, into the facility and make it unusable for the public or staff.

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The electrical system needs replaced, as do windows and mechanical components. During a briefing with the media on Thursday, officials said that the heating and cooling systems are faltering. In fact, one of the two boilers to heat the facility has already failed.

“I cannot guarantee that the air conditioning and or the heat for any of the buildings will be fully operational,” said Jane Domenico, president of asset management at Infrastructure Ontario.

Critics of the Ford government are determined to keep the Science Centre open. They have made claims that repairs can be made, that it won’t cost that much, that programming could continue.

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That’s something Domenico disputed.

“What is really, really important to be very clear about, we cannot rehabilitate this asset unless the entire buildings are vacant. There’s no spot repair that will be sufficient or safe,” she said.

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Images shared of roof panels disintegrating, boiler systems rusting out, scaffolding in place to ensure areas under danger of collapse remain safe were provided as a testament to how bad things are. It didn’t matter to the opposition that there is nearly a decade of documentation showing the decline of the Science Centre, including two reports from engineering firms saying the buildings are unsafe, they want the place to stay open.

“Everyone sees through this. The abrupt closure of the Science Centre could have been avoided,” said NDP critic Jill Andrews.

Perhaps if we went back more than 20 years to halt the decline, but where was the NDP in advocating for the Science Centre when they were propping up the Liberal government a decade ago? That was the time to make repairs, not when the place has become rotten to the core.

The Ford government is building a new Science Centre at Ontario Place, a move that will bring about new and better exhibits and help revitalize another Ontario treasure the Liberals let decline. Rather than trying to hang on to the dilapidated past, get on board and make sure the new Science Centre lives up to the potential of the province.

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