Ford urged to save Science Centre

Speakers at rally question province's rationale for closing popular attraction

- BRENDAN KENNEDY

Roughly 250 people attended the Save the Science Centre rally on Sunday at Wells Hill Park, including Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, left.

Provincial and municipal politicians of nearly all stripes vowed Sunday to fight Doug Ford’s decision to abruptly shutter the Ontario Science Centre and eventually relocate it to Ontario Place.

Speaking at a rally, both Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, alongside several MPPs and city councillors, criticized the Ford government’s decision and said the fight isn’t over.

“The government needs to reverse this,” Stiles told the Star in a short interview during the rally, which was attended by roughly 250 people at Wells Hill Park, near Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West.

“I think (Ford) is underestimating what this means to people.”

In a surprise decision Friday afternoon, the province announced the Science Centre was closing immediately and would not reopen at its current Don Mills location, following an engineering report that found structural issues with the building’s roof.

The report said the facility was safe at least until the end of October, but a heavy snow or rain could increase the risk of a sudden collapse of a small percentage of roof panels.