Construction machinery is now tearing down more parts of Ontario Place

Doug Ford and Therme Group’s widely-hated vision for Ontario Place is coming closer to fruition, and fast, with a swath of the island clear cut overnight last week as onlookers watched in horror from land.

As residents have continued to rage about the sudden desolation of the green space, there have been further developments, most notably the dismantling of the four-decade-old silos that define the property’s skyline that started Thursday.

At first, some feared that the construction crews on site were beginning to tear down the iconic Cinesphere, which, along with its pods, is due to be protected throughout the revitalization project.

But, it seems to be the neighbouring silos that are instead meeting their permanent end — at least, today — as the property is converted mostly into a private spa complex, as well as an expanded Budweiser Stage and the new Ontario Science Centre that experts say didn’t need to be moved, except perhaps to justify Therme’s $800 million, 2,500-spot parking garage.

(That parkade may or may not end up on the Exhibition Grounds rather than on the waterfront site itself — we will find out in time, because of course, nothing about this project has been transparent, nor has it taken into account community feedback or included the usually-requisite assessments. But I digress.)

As advocacy group Ontario Place for All wrote on X while the demolition work takes place, the eight interconnected structures were opened in 1980 to house art and other exhibitions.

Though out-of-use, the sight of them being razed serves to further dishearten those hoping that the revitalization project could still be stopped, or the plans changed to be more in line with what constitents actually want for the land.

Many also doubt that the province needed to bulldoze the 155 acre site just yet, wondering if this was a case of, as one local wrote, “smash it all before they find a way to stop us.”

As the visuals of the “progress” are shared across socials, some have noted they feel like they are part of a collective grieving “a deeply loved place, destroyed,” calling it “sickening” and in the interest of private entities like Therme rather than the public.