Here’s what Ontario Place will look like after rebuild

The final designs for the new Ontario Place public space have been unveiled.

Premier Doug Ford announced the plans in a press conference in Toronto on Tuesday. Ford also announced a new, publicly owned parking structure at Ontario Place.

The designs include five distinct areas across Ontario Place including the Water’s Edge, Brigantine Cove, the forum, the marina, and mainland area.

“We’re rebuilding Ontario Place into a world-class destination for families and tourists, with convenient connections for visitors coming by car, GO train or the Ontario Line’s nearby Exhibition Station,” said Ford. “The investments we’re making will help keep 5,000 workers on the job, despite the economic uncertainty caused by President Trump’s tariffs, and will help protect and grow Toronto and Ontario’s tourism sector for decades to come.”

These designs include new trails and parkland, beaches and waterfront areas with expanded access to Lake Ontario, an updated marina, a one-acre splash fountain, picnic areas, children’s playgrounds, lookout points, event and celebration spaces, public art, including those part of the Government of Ontario Art Collection and newly-commissioned works, and space for festivals and markets.

A one-acre splash fountain is in the plans for Ontario Place.

The site will be rehabilitated with new shoreline protection features, flood mitigation measures and soil remediation.

A new onsite, above-ground parking structure will have up to 3,500 spaces for vehicles.

Once complete, the rebuilt Ontario Place will be open to the public 365 days a year, with free public access and an improved waterfront experience.

A public beach is in the plans for Ontario Place.

The new Ontario Science Centre, Live Nation’s revitalized year-round amphitheatre and Therme Canada’s waterpark and spa are also part of the plans.

Just over a year ago, the province announced that the Ontario Science Centre at its original, east Toronto location, would permanently close citing an engineering report on the state of the building’s roof.

The decision to sign a 95-year lease agreement for land at Ontario Place with Austrian-based Therme has been controversial.

But the province is optimistic about new plans for the park.

Brigantine Cove will feature an all-new, four-season Indigenous cultural pavilion and expanded green space.

The reimagined Ontario Place will offer more than 50 acres of free public trails, expanded green space, playgrounds, interactive fountains, new beaches, event spaces and an updated marina, all designed to create a world-class waterfront destination that will attract up to six million visitors every year, the province said.

Live Nation Canada will revitalize the existing amphitheatre into a modern, sustainable venue for exceptional live music and entertainment experiences.

“For too long, Ontario Place was neglected and without a vision, falling into disrepair,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “Now, 54 years after welcoming its first visitors, our government is returning this iconic park to the people of Ontario. During these unprecedented times, it is more important than ever that we protect Ontario by investing in places of identity and culture and help keep workers on the job, no matter what.”

Plans include a revamped southern shoreline with a sequence of terraces that lead toward the lake and form an expansive park area designed with safety in mind.

Running across the entire site, the extended William G. Davis trail will hug the shoreline along the water’s edge, with key updates to address flooding and wave uprush risks while improving public access to the waterfront.

The southern shoreline.

The marina area will feature open-air park pavilions for rest and weather projection, modernized slips for boats for both visitors and seasonal users, and versatile plazas for public events.

A  boardwalk will connect the eastern and western marina expanses along the water’s edge. The lighthouse pier will be reinvented into an enhanced plaza with a panoramic view of the waterfront. The Ontario Place Sunken Ship Pier will become a vibrant hub for social gatherings where visitors will enjoy views of the lakefront.

Open-air park pavilions are planned for the marina area.

The children’s playgrounds will include a multi-level interactive treehouse and turtle-shaped play structure, designed to provide play areas for all young visitors at Ontario Place.

The children’s treehouse.

The Forum will be a versatile space designed to accommodate events such as concerts, markets, art festivals and celebrations.

The Forum

Highlights from the final designs for Ontario Place include:

• A new entrance that will serve as a gathering and transit hub, connecting visitors to the new Exhibition Station on the Ontario Line, lakeside walking, cycle paths and onsite parking.
• A reimagined Brigantine Cove featuring an urban beach, boardwalks and children’s playgrounds, including a multi-level interactive treehouse and turtle-shaped play structures.
• New canoe and kayak launch sites and natural stone lookout points throughout the park will provide sunset views across Lake Ontario.
• The Ontario Place marina will become a vibrant hub, with open-air pavilions, boardwalks and spaces for future programming and amenities.
• A new forum space at the park’s centre will provide ample space for outdoor markets and festivals and showcase a one-acre splash fountain, with a core shaped like Ontario’s iconic trillium.
• An up to 3,400 square foot Indigenous Cultural Pavilion on the East Island, offering a dedicated space for community gatherings, workshops and other learning programs.

For more, see the Ontario Place plans here.

Renderings: The Province of Ontario