The Toronto City Council has adopted a motion to consider repurposing the former Ontario Science Centre building, more than two years after its closure. Introduced by Councillors Josh Matlow and Jon Burnside in collaboration with Save the Ontario Science Centre (Save OSC) and Moriyama Teshima Architects, a 47-page report strongly urges that the site remains a public space once reopened.
Considered by many to be one of Ontario's most significant examples of modern architecture, the report states that reopening the site is a critical opportunity to serve residents and visitors. Spanning approximately 50 acres, the property at 770 Don Mills Rd. sits between Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park in North York and is praised over its design that complements the ravine.
As both neighborhoods continue to grow, the report says there is an increasing need for public amenities dedicated to culture and community.
Matlow shared how the initiative came to life.
"Ever since the Ford government abruptly and under false pretenses shut down the Ontario Science Centre, we've been listening to residents, along with people from across Toronto and beyond, asking them what they want this architectural masterpiece to become," he said.
The former tourist attraction and educational center has sat vacant since its abrupt closure in 2024, which the province attributed to concerns about the roof. Since then, several groups have petitioned to reopen the center, particularly after the roof withstood several significant weather events following the closure.
The latest initiative, Reimagining the Future of the Former Ontario Science Centre, seeks to ensure the site remains a public amenity while also addressing the need to revisit the terms of the lease, according to Matlow.
"We delivered a report on reimagining this special and beloved place and how to bring it back to life to serve our communities again, along with my motion for the City of Toronto to engage the provincial and federal governments on meaningful next steps to reopen its doors to the public," he said.
According to the report, the site is governed by a 1965 lease that requires it to be used as a science center. However, with the province relocating the new Ontario Science Centre to the waterfront, questions remain about the future of the original site.
To date, the province has not commented on plans for the closed building.
The report recommends that the Ontario government transfer the lease to the city, which already co-owns the 50-acre property on which the building sits. It also proposes a comprehensive inspection to help determine the site's future.
The data collected includes the results of public engagement intended to create a community-driven starting point for the site's next chapter. Feedback was gathered through in-person engagement sessions, online surveys, written submissions from individuals and organizations, and facilitated discussions.
Identifying the public values and priorities that should guide the future of the Don Mills site, the initiative aims to begin a broader conversation about the future of the historic building and what could become its second life.
