Ongoing public engagement and feedback from Toronto’s planning process inform recent design enhancements to Therme Canada’s plans for a new wellbeing destination at Ontario Place.
For more than a decade, what used to be an Ontario treasure has been sitting in decline. But plans are underway to breathe new life into the western shore of Toronto’s waterfront. Ontario Place is being redeveloped – and Ontarians are invited to be part of the process.
Therme Canada answered the Ontario government’s international call for proposals to redevelop Ontario Place and was selected as one of the successful participants. “In 2019, we responded to the call and we were honoured to be chosen for such an exciting project,” says Therme spokesperson Simon Bredin, Senior Manager of Communications & Public Engagement. “Our plans are to create a destination attraction for folks from across the province, country, and the world, where they can come and spend time with their family in all sorts of different ways, and also to really improve the surrounding public realm.”
At the heart of the project is an exciting new landmark wellbeing destination, a fully sustainable thermal resort, the first of its kind in North America. Located on the West Island of Ontario Place, this glass-enclosed facility will offer visitors a new way to experience Toronto’s waterfront, with thermal-water pools, waterslides, a wave pool, wellbeing therapies, swim and fitness programs, relaxation areas set against the backdrop of botanical gardens, art and cultural installations, and dining experiences for all tastes.
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But beyond the glass walls of this indoor oasis will be almost 12 acres of reimagined public space, built and maintenance supported by Therme, with a brand-new beach, enhanced walking and cycling trails, biodiverse parklands and large public gathering spaces, welcoming people for free, year-round.
The project is currently well into the planning stages. “We’re working with the provincial government, city staff, and other stakeholders,” explains Bredin.
“We’ve been going through the process of engagement with City Hall, and other organizations like the waterfront design review panel as well as doing our own engagement with local groups., As a next step in this process we’ve launched another phase of public engagement to better understand how people want to use a new waterfront destination, solicit and gather feedback and answer questions on our plans.”
As Therme continues to meet with stakeholders and get feedback from the public, the plans continue to evolve. “There have been many changes made to the plans as we’ve had these conversations,” says Joseph Troppmann from Diamond Schmitt Architects, lead architects for the project. “Overall, we’ve increased the size of the public realm and scaled down the size of the building to allow for larger public spaces and to improve the public experience. The north side of the building towards Lakeshore Boulevard was pulled back for more public access, seating, and viewing space.”
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Another design enhancement to the original plan is better integration with the Martin Goodman Trail, which runs continuously along the waterfront, with improved access points for an uninterrupted experience along the trail around the West Island.
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Therme Canada is welcoming continued community input through ongoing public engagements and consultation. Therme is also inviting questions from people across Ontario and offering answers through an expanded frequently asked questions section on their website. “We’re continuously adding to our ‘ask us anything’ page as we get new questions to make it easier for people to find the answers they’re looking for. We’ve also launched a multi-language survey to ask folks about what activities and amenities they would like to see in the public spaces of the West Island.”
To sign up for updates on Therme Canada | Ontario Place and to find out more about public engagement opportunities, visit https://thermecanada.com/project-updates.
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