"I can't believe no one is investigating why in the world Premier Ford is sooo obsessed with putting this spa in at #OntarioPlace. There MUST be some kind of shady, suspicious 'under the table' reason. Otherwise why in the world would he care so much?
Does he honestly look like someone who cares about Ontarians going to the spa? Does he honestly think an overpriced sap for wealthy people is the best thing for voters?"
NEW: Premier Ford's secret “Phase 2” plan for #OntarioPlace includes paving over 25 acres of Lake Ontario.
This new development area is sandwiched between the Budweiser Stage and Trillium Park at the centre of Ontario Place’s east island. The plans propose filling in or paving over Brigantine Cove.
Speaking of Ontario Place.. remember Premier Ford's plan to demolish the Ontario Science Centre?? He hasn't forgotten.
#DougFord has furtively transferred responsibility for the museum from the Minister of Tourism to the Minister of Infrastructure who is none other than MPP Kinga Surma -- aka Premier Ford's #OntarioPlace tsarina.
Premier Ford was angry that "folks" were constantly writing protest messages on the hoarding he'd constructed to hide the destruction of the trees & wildlife at #OntarioPlace. To solve the issue, he wrapped the entire project in images of... trees & wildlife.
Not surprisingly, #DougFord neglected to include a single image of the massive luxury spa that he's planting on the waterfront for a century.
Remember Premier Ford's plan to demolish the Ontario Science Centre?? He hasn't forgotten.
While you were sleeping, #DougFord furtively transferred responsibility for the museum from the Minister of Tourism to the Minister of Infrastructure who is none other than MPP Kinga Surma -- aka Premier Ford's #OntarioPlace tsarina.
Together with Ford's powerful #Bill69 Ms. Surma now has complete control over both sites.
Here's the latest example of #DougFord's addiction to passing laws that restrict Ontarians from using our legal system to challenge things that may or may not be illegal.
Premier Ford's govt has filed a notice of motion to quash the advocacy group 'Ontario Place For All'' in their try for a judicial review aimed at impeding the Therme spa at #OntarioPlace
His govt cites a law they just passed in Dec 2023 as grounds for quashing the challenge in a recent court filing.
Premier Ford shut down Queen's Park, left for vacation, then gave the order to bulldoze the forest of mature trees at #OntarioPlace. Guess he'll holiday at his cottage or down in Florida until the deed is done.
"Here they are chopping up the trees in the parking lot. This is hidden behind a blacked out fence as I guess the corrupt #Ontario Government doesn't want the public to see." cc @ptoone
Kinga Surma is still spouting the ridiculous and outlandish lie that #Therme spa will host 6 MILLION visitors a year.
That's 16,438 people per day, meaning the luxury spa capacity needs to be about 5000+ people, all the time. No word yet on whether the private spa plans to stay open 'round the clock', similar to a casino.
Just ONE DAY before the Ontario #AuditorGeneralReport dropped the Ford government rammed through #Bill154 which grants them all blanket legal immunity and overrides nearly every piece of legislation or planning policy that should apply for a project like #OntarioPlace.
Today, while standing in a 130 year old stone heritage building, the Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma, repeatedly stated that the solid concrete, Moriyama-designed Ontario Science Centre is "end of life" at 53 years.
MPP Surma then continued with a straight face and claimed that her government will oversee the construction of a towering glass and steel structure on the shores of Lake #Ontario that will last 100 years.
"In short, [the Ford govt] is expecting that 50% more people will visit a facility that is 45% of the size of the current Science Centre, with a significantly reduced staff managing it all"
This article blows Kinga Surma's business case out of the water.
On Ontario Place, Doug Ford is ‘getting it done’ at the cost of democratic norms
OPINION: The PCs’ new law would allow them to ignore environmental protections, zoning restrictions, public consultations, best practices for building projects, and more
Who is behind Therme, the company that wants to build a spa at #Ontario Place? Maybe its time to let them know directly that #OntarioPlace is a bad idea. One, it's really not popular. Two, traffic hell for people getting there.
This article has some background. But I wonder where the best place to send complaints would be? Below in a comment is a link to the company that owns Therme.
Gah!!
"The Ford government has tabled legislation that would give itself significant new powers to fast-track the redevelopment of Ontario Place and exclude it from environmental laws."
Doug Ford is blowing up every normal process and procedure to build a private waterpark? WHY???
"The changes would also let the province build #OntarioPlace WITHOUT having to comply with Provincial Policy Statements, a list of provincially written rules that define good practice for building projects, as well as environmental & heritage laws”
BREAKING: The advocacy group, 'Ontario Place for All' sues the #DougFord government alleging the province broke its own environmental assessment laws in approving the private #Therme
mega-spa. The group is seeking an injunction, public release of the 95-year lease and a judicial review.
Landscape architect Walter Kehm stepped down from the #OntarioPlace project due to concerns over the clearing of trees on the waterfront site to accommodate a waterpark and private spa. 👏 👏
“It’s time for telling the truth”: Ontario Place landscape architect steps away from #DougFord’s private #Therme spa project to speak out against the tree clearing. Walter Kehm stressed the importance of protecting “urban forests,” such as West Island.
“Nature is calming for the soul,” he reasoned. “You don’t need a spa for that. You need trees.”
The prominent landscape architect, known for designing Trillium & Tommy Thompson parks, has walked away from the redevelopment of #OntarioPlace after describing his recent experience working with the province as unlike any before it.
"Now we’re dealing with a cast of 30, 40, 50 people in government,” he said. “Left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. There’s dissension. We’re in the midst of this imbroglio within the government.”