Demolition

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

The closure of the Ontario Science Centre under Premier Doug Ford's administration reveals neglect and controversial redevelopment plans, raising concerns about transparency and prioritizing private interests over public heritage and community benefit.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday, June 25, 2024

* Find an animated version of this cartoon through this link!

The Science Centre is the latest casualty of Doug Ford’s policy of neglect 

Premier Doug Ford faces scrutiny over the controversial relocation of the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place, as an Auditor-General's report questions the transparency of cost analyses and consultations, raising concerns about potential benefits for developers and his connected associates.

December 7, 2023

The abrupt closure of the Ontario Science Centre is a glaring reflection of Premier Doug Ford’s administration’s approach to public infrastructure and governance. This situation, marked by strategic neglect and controversial redevelopment plans, echoes the handling of other public assets like the Greenbelt, raising significant concerns about transparency, priorities, and potential cronyism.

The Ontario Science Centre, opened in 1969, has been an integral part of the province’s cultural and educational landscape. However, years of deferred maintenance and underfunding have left the facility in a state of disrepair. An engineering report revealed that the centre’s roof was at risk of collapsing, necessitating immediate closure to ensure public safety.

News: Ontario Science Centre to close immediately: province

November 8, 2022

Despite the obvious need for regular maintenance and timely repairs, successive Ontario governments, including Ford’s administration, have repeatedly deferred necessary projects. Since 2017, 42 maintenance projects were deferred, highlighting a pattern of neglect that ultimately led to the current crisis. This neglect aligns with a broader trend seen in the handling of other public assets, where lack of investment is used as a pretext for drastic measures.

The decision to relocate the Science Centre to Ontario Place is part of a larger redevelopment plan that includes a privately owned Therme spa. This move has been highly controversial, with accusations of arbitrary decision-making and lack of public consultation. Critics argue that this relocation is a thinly veiled attempt to justify the closure of the current facility, allowing private developers to benefit from prime real estate.

May 30, 2023

Opposition politicians and community leaders have expressed skepticism about the government’s intentions, suggesting that the move is more about benefiting Ford’s allies than about genuinely improving public services. The timing and nature of the closure have further fuelled these suspicions, with many viewing it as a premeditated strategy to pave the way for private development.

The handling of the Science Centre’s closure bears striking similarities to the Ford government’s approach to the Greenbelt development. In both cases, there have been allegations of backroom deals and favouritism towards developers with close ties to the Progressive Conservative party. The Greenbelt controversy involved plans to open up protected lands for development, benefiting a select group of developers, many of whom were significant donors to the PC party.

January 17, 2023

This pattern of governance raises serious concerns about the integrity and motivations behind such decisions. It suggests a governance style that prioritizes the interests of a few well-connected individuals over the broader public good.

The closure of the Ontario Science Centre is not just a loss of a physical space but a significant blow to the community, particularly in neighbourhoods like Thorncliffe Park. The Centre has been a vital resource for education and cultural enrichment, and its loss will leave a void that virtual programs and pop-up experiences cannot fully replace.

Editorial: The Science Centre is the latest casualty of Doug Ford’s policy of neglect

August 5, 2023

Furthermore, the lack of transparency and perceived cronyism erode public trust in the government’s stewardship of public assets. The secrecy surrounding the financial details of the redevelopment deal, including the terms of the lease with Therme and the long-term plans for Ontario Place, exacerbates this distrust.

The closure of the Ontario Science Centre under Doug Ford’s government is a stark example of “demolition by neglect,” where strategic underfunding and deferred maintenance are used to justify controversial redevelopment plans. This approach not only undermines the preservation of public heritage but also raises significant ethical concerns about governance and accountability. As taxpayers and citizens, it is crucial to demand greater transparency, prioritize the maintenance and enhancement of public assets, and resist policies that disproportionately benefit a select few at the expense of the many.

In the end, the Ontario Science Centre’s fate should serve as a wake-up call to scrutinize and challenge the decisions made by those in power, ensuring that public resources are managed with integrity and foresight for the benefit of all Ontarians. (AI)

 

Saturday February 11, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday February 11, 2012

Board trustees want to hear Hamilton’s Education Centre plan

The public school board hasn’t closed the door on keeping its headquarters downtown.

Several trustees said Thursday they are open to hearing a plan that would allow its Education Centre to remain in the core. But it’s still too soon to know if the city can bring a feasible — and financially realistic — option to the table.

“We’re still waiting to hear from the city with regard to the motion that was brought forward by Jason Farr last night, so we have no idea what the intent is or how they would help us out,” said board chair Tim Simmons. “It’s really too early to go there.”

City council backed a motion Wednesday night to officially petition the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board to locate its new headquarters in a second tower to the south of City Hall.

Farr, the downtown councillor behind the motion, acknowledged the pitch is coming late in the game, with the board having already decided on the former Crestwood school grounds on the Mountain as the preferred site for its new home.

Nonetheless, “now is better than never.”

“Things do happen last minute and better deals do come along. This very well might be one,” he said. “I still think there’s an opportunity.”

Farr is hopeful city staff can come up with a plan that would allow the board to build the new tower within its $31-million budget. The partnership would also include an “extremely cheap” long-term land lease.

In order to boost the downtown economy and keep the board’s 400 workers in the core, “we’re willing to make adjustments and concessions,” Farr said. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Thursday June 15, 2006

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday June 15, 2006 Council Votes to Demolish the Lister Block Judgment day has arrived for Hamilton's Lister Block. Councillors voted Wednesday night to demolish the building to make way for a $30-million office building with a replicated facade. The majority of councillors supported the demolition request by the Labourers' International Union of North America and partner Hi-Rise Group. The wild card, however, remains in the province's hands. Councillor Brian McHattie has asked the government to intervene and designate the Lister as a provincial heritage building. The Minister of Culture plans to weigh in now that council has voted. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Hamilton, heritage, Lister Block, preservation, Brian McHattie, Demolition

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday June 15, 2006

Council Votes to Demolish the Lister Block

Judgment day has arrived for Hamilton’s Lister Block.

Councillors voted Wednesday night to demolish the building to make way for a $30-million office building with a replicated facade.

ListerBlockThe majority of councillors supported the demolition request by the Labourers’ International Union of North America and partner Hi-Rise Group.

The wild card, however, remains in the province’s hands.

Councillor Brian McHattie has asked the government to intervene and designate the Lister as a provincial heritage building. The Minister of Culture plans to weigh in now that council has voted. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Thursday March 22, 2001

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 22, 2001

Demolish Hamilton City Hall: report

Municipal bureaucrats are recommending Hamilton councillors tear down City Hall and build a $74-million replacement.

At a time taxpayers are faced with a $2-billion bill to replace Hamilton’s crumbling sewer and water system, civil servants have suggested demolishing the 40-year-old downtown municipal building.

But councillors are already balking at the idea that is certain to draw a political firestorm.

“It would be impossible to sell,” said Flamborough Councillor Dave Braden.

“That doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

Said Ward 4’s Sam Merulla: “They are dreaming in technicolour. Any expenditure of that nature is incredibly absurd at this stage of the game. I won’t even entertain the possibility of discussing that issue.”

A draft report on the new city’s accommodation needs shown to a council sub-committee recommends flattening the eight-storey building and erecting a new structure on the same site.

Staff rate the $74-million solution as the best of six options they looked at for accommodating the city’s 1,000-plus office workers.

They say it is the most economical over the long term.

The cheapest option comes in at about $37 million and involves moving staff out to various locations around the new city and continuing to lease space downtown.(The Hamilton Spectator)