The Ontario Science Centre will be closed immediately after an engineering report said its roof was at risk of collapsing, provincial officials said.
According to reports, the building, which is more than 50 years old, is at risk of having its roof panels damaged by heavy snowfall this winter.
“A recent engineering assessment indicates that some roof structures at the facility were constructed using now outdated building materials and systems, and certain roof panels are deteriorating,” an Ontario government news release said.
Officials said they have stepped up monitoring to ensure staff leave the premises safely and that the building should remain safe through the summer.
Engineering firm Linkas Consulting Group said that to completely eliminate the risk, that type of roof panel would need to be replaced at a cost of $22 million to $40 million each, which would take more than two years to complete with the facility closed.
“The measures taken today will protect the health and safety of Ontario Science Centre visitors and staff, while supporting the centre’s eventual reopening in its state-of-the-art facility,” Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said in a statement Friday.
Ontario Infrastructure will issue a “request for proposals” to help identify alternative sites for the science centre as work continues at Ontario Place, with the centre expected to be completed as early as 2028.
Previously scheduled private events will be allowed to go ahead over the weekend, while the province will reimburse Ontario Science Centre members and summer camp participants for 30 days of fees.
Provincial officials said they are doing everything they can to avoid disruption to the public and allow the Ontario Science Centre to “continue to fulfill its mission through interim facilities and alternative programmatic options.”
They also identified nearby schools that would offer similar programs as alternatives to summer camps, free of charge to already-registered campers.
Opposition state lawmakers slammed the measure on Friday afternoon.
Adil Shamji, Ontario Liberal member of parliament for Don Valley East, where the Ontario Science Centre is located, said the announcement was a “convenient” attempt to justify the controversial redevelopment of Ontario Place.
“how [the report] “Is it justifiable to shut down the entire Ontario Science Centre on a whim?” he asked, adding that the roof problems are not widespread.
Butira Karpoche, Ontario NDP’s GTA issues critic and Parkdale-High Park member of parliament, called the decision “shameful.”
“Why close it after less than a day?” she said, questioning the lack of maintenance at the facility thus far.
Mayor Olivia Chow said the closure of the science centre was a “painful loss for the city, for both old and new generations”, and that she was deeply disappointed that successive provincial governments had “allowed the science centre to fall into disrepair over the years”.
“I have seen the amazement and joy on my grandchildren’s faces as they explored the exhibits at the Ontario Science Centre – a special place that sparks their imaginations and curiosity and fosters a lifelong love of science and learning,” said Chow.
She added that she supports a motion at next week’s city council meeting to consider the province’s responsibilities regarding the Ontario Science Centre.
The Ontario Science Centre first opened in Don Mills in 1969 and was the world’s first interactive science centre.
Advocates have been fighting to keep the Ontario Science Centre in Don Mills after Premier Doug Ford announced it would relocate to Ontario Place during the redevelopment of the waterfront district.
The new facility planned for Ontario Place will be half the size, although the government says it will have more exhibition space — the current facility has “redundant space,” including long hallways and areas not used by the public.
The business plan concluded that moving the science center from its current location would save approximately $250 million over 50 years due to its size.
The building will need $369 million in deferred significant maintenance over the next 20 years, according to an April 2022 building condition report, which found “multiple significant deficiencies” in the roof, walls, mechanical, electrical and elevator systems, interior finishes, site features and fire and life safety equipment.
Ontario Infrastructure also ordered the science centre to close the pedestrian bridge connecting the main entrance to the exhibition hall in June 2022 after it was deemed unsafe.
The business plan estimated it would cost $16 million to repair the bridge, but no timeline was released.
With files from The Canadian Press and Nick Westall
