Ontario Place can be a jewel

Re It’s ours, not Ford’s plaything, Editorial, Jan. 9

I hoped that when our provincial government took control of the beleaguered Ontario Place from the struggling public corporation that was overseeing it, there would be some welcome changes on the horizon. I am still waiting. We are fortunate this centrally located site provides many fine opportunities for entertainment, cultural and recreational options, with access to the water. It is key that the public takes an important role in helping make Ontario Place a jewel on the waterfront. Rudy Fernandes, Mississauga

I have fond childhood memories of Ontario Place and would like it to remain an idyllic playground for all on Toronto’s waterfront. One constant that hasn’t changed, however, is the relative difficulty of access. Its like an island, cut off from the mainland by the Gardiner, Exhibition Place parking lots and Lakeshore Blvd. Why not do something that offers both a scenic view and utility — a kilometre-long gondola system from the Exhibition GO station to the centre of Ontario Place? Attraction and utility all in one. Norm Girndt, Toronto

Eberhard Zeidler’s original design has honoured Ontario’s waterfront for many years. Of course, there will be some issue of disrepair. And no argument there is now an extraordinary opportunity to envision a next-generation Ontario Place. But you need people with vision. The hallmark of a great city is a dynamic waterfront design that is transformed into a truly public space. What should be initiated is an international competition with the proviso that the existing buildings remain and be re-imagined. Bev Moroz, Whitevale, Ont.