Fill the Cinesphere with jellybeans and charge citizens to guess how much it holds?
We asked, you answered: When the Ontario government announced on Wednesday that it is closing most of Ontario Place for up to five years, we went to readers for their best ideas on revitalizing the white elephant by the lake. Some seemed plausible. Others a bit flip. Here's a dozen of the most interesting. You decide: wacky or wonderful?
I'm thinking a ferris wheel and monorail. – Stuart Watt via Twitter
Ontario Place needs to become better accessible by transit and more integrated in the fabric of the surrounding area. You have TFC, Ricoh and the Molson Ampitheatre and then an amusement park for children. That type of juxtaposition just doesn't work. Throw in good restaurants with patios, a maintained waterfront walkway, shops and a new theatre venue and people will come. – Albert Tam via e-mail
Revitalize #ontplace? I'd shut it down for 5 years and then complain that no one visits Ontario Place anymore. (sarcasm, good idea guys) – John Sellens via Twitter
I would sell off the property and use the proceeds to reduce provincial debt loads or to invest in Toronto's subway system. – jim1963 via comments
How about a world class aquarium that starts under the surface of the lake? – Jane Veit via Twitter
The first step would be to improve transit to get there, and both Ontario Place and Exhibition should be put together for one development. – I'm Howard via comments
I'm thinking about a sort of Royal Botanical Gardens on water. A greenhouse on water. Aquaponics. A fish farm with a grow-op over top of it.... There's a lot of money (hundreds of thousands) to be made from growing fish like tilapia and perch for consumption. Catfish, trout. There's many options with regards to aquatic life. Minnows for anglers? – Chickensneak via comments
Build a real Alcatraz-like maximum security prison with a museum on one of the islands and charge tourists to visit the facilities... – Freedom75 via comments
Toronto has a great amusement park (Wonderland) and a great food market (St Lawrence) and a great science centre (the science centre) and a great zoo (...the zoo) How about a really world-class aquarium? The one in Baltimore doesn't take up any more real estate than what's available in ontario place, and it's a must-see in its home town. – Francesco Caruso via e-mail
My thoughts are to develop a unique series of floating homes and housing developments.... In order for this new neighourhood to work we need a combination of offices - unique loft-like spaces, perhaps live/work spaces and a source of retail to allow people to work and shop in their neighbourhoods. – Cartqueen via comments
Turn the entire facility into a mini-vegas casino complete with awesome nightclubs, pools, outdoor eateries and upscale marinas. – @MotoBruce via Twitter
Nudist colony. – Underbridge via comments