The Ontario Science Centre hosted a wedding the day after its dramatic shutdown

July 24, 2024 Canuck

The day after the doors of the Ontario Science Centre closed to the public on the grounds that its roof was failing and unsafe, the centre’s management made an exception to allow a wedding and reception on its grounds.

Groom James Hewson told CTV News he’s incredibly grateful that his wedding – planned for months – could still go ahead, though he admits he can’t square that exception with the public messaging around the building’s dramatic shutdown.

“They told us, ‘Don’t listen to what you hear on the news, the building is safe. The only danger is the snow, and that’s no danger anytime soon,’” Hewson said in an interview.

“One of the staffers told me that it was someone high above that made sure our wedding went ahead. I don’t know who that could have been. I can’t help but thank them,” he said.

It’s another strange twist to the story of how the provincial government pointed to an engineering report they claimed said the Science Centre was unsafe to occupy, even though critics – including the firm that designed the building – said the report gave other options to safely maintain the building.

A Science Centre spokesperson said in a statement that staff are still allowed in the building as they vacate the building and ensure exhibits are properly managed and stored before October 31.

“As the decant was not yet fully underway and this event did not conflict with any immediate measures, the exception was made and the wedding proceeded safely as scheduled,” said Laura Berkenblit.

Photos show Hewson and his bride Sarah smiling outside of the Science Centre, and then experiencing the exhibits inside. He said the pair had a long history with the building and loved it enough to want to get married there.

“It was an incredible night. Even more incredible for all our guests. And it was a bittersweet feeling. We’re so sad that it’s closing,” he said.

“It’s an honour to be a part of the Science Centre history. As much as I’ll always have that great memory of the wedding night at the Science Centre, I would give that up to keep it open,” he said.

Reached at an unrelated news conference Wednesday, Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones stuck to the province’s line.

“It would not be appropriate for us to ignore some very clear engineering advice that suggested structurally the building is unsound,” Jones said. She ignored a reporter’s question that pointed out the building withstood strong rainfall last week.

The government has said rebuilding Ontario place would cost north of $500 million. It’s searching for an interim location before a new Science Centre can be built at Ontario Place in by 2029.

It’s also searching for a second building for the manufacture of exhibits the Science Centre has leased to other facilities all over the world.

Elsa Lam of Canadian Architect Magazine said government documents indicate just the main interim space alone could cost between $35 and $58 million dollars.

Meanwhile, the first engineering report estimated fixing the roof of the Science Centre would take around $24 million over ten years. Even a full rebuild would cost closer to $200 million, she said, when a factor of 185% for complexity and other costs was taken away.

“They made Ontario Place look as inexpensive as possible and they made the repairs to the Ontario Science Centre look as expensive as possible,” Lam said.

When asked about the Science Centre Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford dug in to the plan.

“We’re building a brand spanking new, state of the art, more exhibit space and in the right location, not in a sleepy little neighbourhood in the suburbs that no one goes to,” Ford said.

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Canada News

The Ontario Science Centre hosted a wedding the day after its dramatic shutdown

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