Torontonians lamenting loss of city’s planetarium
U of T will replace its facility with a new cultural centre
Stargazers and nostalgic Torontonians alike still lament the loss of one of the city’s educational icons, calling for a new space where people can explore and enjoy the night sky.
The University of Toronto announced Tuesday plans to demolish the old McLaughlin Planetarium building and replace it with a cultural centre. The planetarium has been closed since 1995, but many Torontonians still have fond memories of the astronomical institution.
Shireen Jeejeebhoy remembers lying back in the chairs, transfixed by the stars and constellations.
“Visiting the planetarium is one of the few times I truly escaped from the world,” she said.
“Because Toronto’s lights blind us to the stars, we forget what the night sky is supposed to look like. Even when I was a kid and you could still use your telescope from certain places to see the heavens, it was eye-opening to see what we Torontonians were missing. Glorious.”
When the planetarium closed, the opportunity for city kids to experience the wonders of the night sky disappeared, Jeejeebhoy said.
“How will they understand viscerally how small our planet is, where it fits in the cosmos, how it moves within its corner of the universe, how the sun affects our communications?” she said. “It’s one thing to ogle pretty pictures on Twitter; it’s another thing to understand them.” For Colan Mitchell, visiting the McLaughlin Planetarium as a child was an experience that always left him sitting stunned, mouth agape, dreaming of becoming an astronomer. It’s an experience he wishes he could pass along to his own son. “I feel deeply sad that he never got the opportunity of sitting ‘under the stars’ at the planetarium,” Mitchell said. “Living in the city, seeing a night sky is next to impossible for an urban kid.” Hearing the news that the building is going to be demolished, Mitchell started an online petition in hopes of persuading the university to restore the planetarium to its former glory. “Ultimately I would love to see it back in action. Sitting under the stellarium sky helped me dream big,” he said. “Perhaps that is what this is about.” A push to create a new planetarium in the GTA is already underway. Earthshine is an astronomy and space science organization that wants to build a planetarium in Mississauga.
“We feel that the western GTA is underserviced for any kind of science outreach,” said Randy Attwood, Earthshine’s president. “You need something to introduce families to the wonders of the universe.”
The interest in astronomy and space science appears to be growing across the country. Former astronaut Chris Hadfield made science cool by tweeting from aboard the International Space Station in 2013. He’s continued his advocacy work back on Earth, writing a book on his experience and doing a series of speaking engagements, encouraging people to be curious and explore.
Planetariums, too, are seeing a resurgence. After Montreal’s Dow Planetarium closed in 2011, a new, state-of-the-art one opened nearby in 2013, with two theatres and HD projectors.
There’s a real appetite for a similar space in the GTA, said Attwood. While the Royal Ontario Museum has portable planetariums and the Ontario Science Centre has a small one, people want to see a full-scale facility that takes advantage of current technology.
“Essentially now (planetariums) take audiences on trips through the universe. You can in fact fly somebody through the solar system,” said Attwood, who is also the executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Not only are they a place for learning, but planetariums also provide an excellent spot for family outings and cultural engagement, he added.
“It’s like a library — a library does not make you money, but it’s an important component to a community.”