Confusion and communication issues continue to trail the Ontario Science Center’s closing

The Ontario government is facing more criticism regarding the closure of the previous Ontario Science Centre building after record snowfall last month. More details are being revealed about maintenance of the building both before and after the closure.

Originally, roof issues were cited as the reason for closing the building, but locals and advocates are skeptical after the province experienced its largest single-day snowfall in history, with the structure appearing to remain intact. Don Valley East Member of Provincial Parliament Dr. Adil Shamji shared several severe weather events the institution has withstood since its closing in June 2024.

“The City of Toronto endured its largest single-day snowfall in its entire history. And of course, the Ontario Science Centre stood strong. Since the Science Centre was closed, there have been two once-in-a-century rainstorms, and the Science Centre has withstood that without any difficulty,” Shamji said.

The building’s ability to withstand such weather conditions is no surprise, considering it was constructed to last 250 years with regular maintenance. The cultural and educational landmark, designed by architect Raymond Moriyama, was built into the side of the Don River ravine and created to blend with its natural surroundings.

Despite the design’s longevity, the government’s explanation for closing the center cited debilitating conditions that posed significant safety risks, largely involving the roof.

Following the January storm, several inquiries were made to Infrastructure Ontario, the provincial agency responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the building, in attempts to verify the state of the roof following the heavy snow. The agency issued statements claiming that snow removal was “deemed unsafe” however they released another update shortly after that stated “following an additional review, limited snow removal” would proceed under “strict engineering controls”.

Shamji called the response “disingenuous.”

“To hear Infrastructure Ontario say that they couldn’t go on the roof to perform any sort of snow maintenance, and the very fact that they’re able to return just a few days after saying that and perform snow removal and maintenance just underscores that everything that they’ve been doing has been to fabricate a reason to close the Ontario Science Centre,” he said.

The response has left many doubting the provincial government’s reasoning for closing the building and Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma’s claim that she did not want to “jeopardize anyone’s safety with the science center’s roof at risk of collapse.”

One person questioning the government’s statements and decisions is Jason Ash, co-chair of the Save the Ontario Science Centre initiative, who highlighted an earlier engineering report that did not reflect the ministry’s claims.

“The professional engineers that the government hired to assess the building a few years back, particularly the roof, came back with a report that recommended repairs on the roof, and there was a very small percentage of roof panels that required urgent attention at that time prior to the closure,” Ash said.

Ash also pointed to what he described as a longstanding history of the provincial government denying funding for maintenance requests.

“For close to 10 years, we also know from the auditor general the Ontario Science Centre put in a series of requests for repair and replacement. And the auditor general came back and reported that almost all of those repairs and replacements — the decision was no, we’re not going to fund that,” he said.

Neglect of building maintenance, lack of transparency and inconsistent communication have frustrated those opposed to the closure and relocation of the center.

Toronto City Councillor Josh Matlow is holding the government accountable for not maintaining the building and is calling for further verification of the building’s structural integrity through a recent city council motion.

“I moved a motion at city council to request that the city make an effort to get into the building now to ensure that the government isn’t allowing it to deteriorate even further because of willful neglect,” Matlow said.

Matlow’s motion is one of several efforts by local advocates aimed at saving the center. Save the Ontario Science Centre’s letter-writing campaign has surpassed 97,900 letters and includes messages from supporters in Buffalo, New York, and the western New York area.

Ash said the “state-side love” has been felt, noting that the Ontario Science Centre was frequented by western New York families and students since its opening.

As winter draws to a close, inquiries from advocates about heating inside the building remain unanswered. Opponents of the closure continue to push for transparency, accountability and the reopening of the Ontario Science Centre at Don Mills Road.