Ontario Place
Ontario Place is a Government of Ontario owned entertainment attraction, located approximately 4 km west of downtown Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario and just south of Exhibiton Place. Built in 1971, it consists of several man made islands and buildings. The park is targeted at a family audience with emphasis on childrens activities. Central to the complex is a public marina and major concert theatre.
The park has a seasonal operating schedule, closed in the winter with the exception of the Cinesphere IMAX theatre.
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History
The park was created from landfill dumped into Lake Ontario, creating man-made islands just south of Exhibition Place. Ontario Place was concieved to to attract tourists to Toronto and in part to appease the City of Toronto which was fustrated at the high level of government investment that flowed to rival city Montreal for both the Olympics (1976) and Expo '67.
The orignal park has been altered since it's inception. The popular outdoor concert stage 'The Forum' was torn down in the mid 1990s and replaced with the Molson Ampitheatre.
Facts and Figures
Construction Start Date: March 17, 1969
Total Cost: $29 000 000
Opening Day: May 22, 1971
(All dollar values in Canadian Funds and not adjusted for inflation)
Inital Park Size: 36 hectare or 96 acres (51 acres created by land fill)
First Year Admission Price: $1.00 Adults, $0.50 for Children
Seating: The Forum: 8 000, Molson Amphitheatre: 16 000
Current Attractions
Ontario Place has rides, attractions, including the World's first permanent IMAX movie Theatre: the Cinesphere.
- Cinesphere - is a dome shaped structure which contains the theatre. Similar in style to 'Spaceship Earth' at EPCOT in Orlando Florida.
- Molson Amphitheatre - a large open air venue for larger scale music concerts. Major acts like R.E.M., Blue Rodeo, and the Tragically Hip have all play summer concerts at the site.
East Island - Market Square
- Whiz Kids - Kids car ride
- Cyclone Speedway
- Mini Bumper Boats
- First Flight
- Mini Greens
- Super Slide
- HP Festival Stage
East Island - Soak City
- Water park with various slides and pools
Centre Island - Marina Village
- Cinesphere
- Atlantis - Resturant/Club
- OP Driving Schoo
- Bumper Boats
- Marina with Lake Ontario access
West Island - GO Zone
- Bob's Boat Yard
- H20 Generation Station - The largest outdoor climbing structure in Canada
- GO Zone Stage
- Microkids
West Island - Adventure Island
- Wilderness Adventure Ride - Log ride
- MegaMaze
- Mars
- Gemstone Mining
Former Attractions and Venues
Attractions:
- HMCS Haida - Is a decomissioned WWII destroyer ship that was open to the public. In the early 1960's the ship was going to be scrapped for metal, but volunteers raised enough money to have it saved and towed to Toronto. It opened as an attraction in August of 1965 at the pier on York Street. The city had planned to build 'Serviceman's Memeorial Park' near Princess' Gates at Exhibition Place. When the organization 'Haida Inc.' ran into financial problems it was taken over by the Province of Ontario and moved in 1970 to the Ontario Place site, and turned into an attraction. It was also used as a Sea Cadet training camp. In 2002 it was bought by Parks Canada and taken to it's new home in Hamilton Ontario for some much needed restoration and incorporated into a new marine museum in that city.
- The Forum - An outdoor concert venue that was an architectural landmark torn down to make way for the Molson Ampitheatre.
Location and Access
It has vehical access to Lakeshore Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway. It is adjacent to the south of Exhibition Place were connections to TTC and GO Transit services are provided.
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