Ford and the never-ending Ontario Place saga

For the holidays, The Decibel is sharing their favourite stories of the year, with the producers taking you behind-the-scenes on how the episodes were made, what inspired them and all the tidbits that never made it into the original airing.
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When Ontario Place first opened in 1971, it was a jewel on Toronto’s waterfront showcasing modern architecture and Ontario culture. But in the 50 years that followed, Ontario Place faced an identity crisis. The space hosted a water park and a night club to name a few. And while a few venues have stayed open much of the park closed in 2012. The Provincial government cited dwindling attendance and soaring costs (www.theglobean...) .
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a new plan (www.theglobean...) that he says will turn the 155-acres of land into a ‘world class’ destination. But the project is already mired in controversy, with critics saying the Premier’s plan is shrouded in secrecy and favouritism (www.theglobean...) .
Decibel producer Sherrill Sutherland (www.theglobean...) toured Ontario place with The Globe’s architecture critic, Alex Bozikovic (www.theglobean...) to learn about why so many people are fighting to keep it a public space. Plus, the Globe’s Queen’s Park reporter Jeff Gray (www.theglobean...) explains the politics behind this lucrative piece of land.
This episode originally aired on May 4, 2023
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