Ontario Science Centre | Page 6 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ontario Science Centre

I saw this comment on the Globe and Mail earlier........................ I feel the same way.

"Rest assured the underground (underwater??) parking garage will cost 2 or 3 times what the current estimate is and there will likely be long term issues keeping it dry, given the location.

Shades of the 407..........., 99 year leases should be outlawed. Ontario is on the hook to provide parking and access to the Spa for 99 years. Your great great grandchildren will be dealing with the financial consequences of this in 2100 and beyond".

Like the 407 the real cost and lost revenue implications of these 99 year leases will be staggering. Using the 407 as an example the cost per km now can be $0.65 at peak times. In 2098 can you imagine what it will be given that the 407 may well be considered a "downtown" route in the Toronto mega city. License to print money.
Parking garage: P-1 cars, P-2 Jet skis, P-3 Scuba lessons. IIRC one waterfront parking garage already went through it years back.
 
Parking garage: P-1 cars, P-2 Jet skis, P-3 Scuba lessons. IIRC one waterfront parking garage already went through it years back.
When the taxpayer is footing the bill for the giant dewatering pumps to run in perpetuity, lots can be accomplished. Hopefully the garage goes up instead of down.
 
Problem is...I'm sure a lot of the OSC was still the same since 1969...
Some things should never change and some should never stay the same. Not everything needs to be digital but grandpa's indoor frozen snow covered hill to walk up barefoot is a bit much.

At some point too much old stuff transitions a place from science centre to museum.
 
Doug lied again this morning in an interview. His developer buddies must be leaning on him pretty hard.

 
Find me an architect that ever hit a budget number and I’ll side with the Canadian Architect association numbers .
I think the real truth here is nobody actually knows .


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Doug lied again this morning in an interview. His developer buddies must be leaning on him pretty hard.

So they spend $24mill on the roof... what about the condemned walkway? Continue operating a fleet of shuttle busses? How about the overall poor operational efficiencies of the center -- only 25% of it's space is used for exhibits.

It's old, it's tired, it's a relic, and it's poorly managed. Ontario taxpayers pony up $25m a year in subsidies. Compare it to the Exploratorium, San Francisco's version of the OSC which is modern, well managed and exciting to visit. It generates $80M in revenues, has a net operating profit of $26MCAD, and a nest-egg f $300+m that is uses to fund its continuous upgrade.

Why do taxpayers always need to pony-up more dollars? Shouldn't we encourage our politicians to shut down poor performers if they can't up their game to a reasonable standard?
 
Find me an architect that ever hit a budget number and I’ll side with the Canadian Architect association numbers .
I think the real truth here is nobody actually knows .


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Let them absorb the liability. Province can issue them a cheque for the amount they quoted and they can manage the project. Any overages can be covered by CAA. I suspect their position would quickly evaporate if they had to put their money where their mouth is.
 
Find me an architect that ever hit a budget number and I’ll side with the Canadian Architect association numbers .
I think the real truth here is nobody actually knows .


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Good point - every F'n episode of Love It Or List It, the designer comes up with a plan for the homeowner's budget, then halfway through - surprise, we just can't do it for that price! You'd think someone who does it for a living might learn to estimate better over time...
 
You'd think someone who does it for a living might learn to estimate better over time...
Sadly, that rarely works. Often the professional knows the real price at the beginning but if they divulge it, client will immediately kill the project and there is no more billing (or for architects, no percentage of a construction budget to take). Provide the number you think they will accept, collect your money and blame external factors later. Either client pays more (and architect makes more) or they limit scope. In any case architect is ahead financially by their crap estimate.
 
Sadly, that rarely works. Often the professional knows the real price at the beginning but if they divulge it, client will immediately kill the project and there is no more billing (or for architects, no percentage of a construction budget to take). Provide the number you think they will accept, collect your money and blame external factors later. Either client pays more (and architect makes more) or they limit scope. In any case architect is ahead financially by their crap estimate.
A friend's Chris Craft Cavalier (Plywood hull) was due for a new bottom. He was also going to do some canvas work, electronics and upholstery. He had a budget of $XX,XXX and I asked him what he would do if they found frame problems.

He replied the bottom had to be done and if it needed frame work they deleted the upholstery. If it needed stringers they deleted the canvas work or electronics. The canvas, upholstery and electronics could safely be done the next year.

They could theoretically do the same with the OSC but construction credits, change orders and extras aren't that simple. Even if it was we could end up with a like new building with nothing in it.
 
Then make Doug show us his numbers - today he claimed he had two separate inspections done.
I cannot believe it's cheaper to replace than repair.
When he builds his new OSC edifice is that going to come in on time and on budget ?
"I love you, the cheques in the mail, and...."
 
Then make Doug show us his numbers - today he claimed he had two separate inspections done.
I cannot believe it's cheaper to replace than repair.
When he builds his new OSC edifice is that going to come in on time and on budget ?
"I love you, the cheques in the mail, and...."
I don't trust douggies numbers but when the existing building has over 400k sq ft of dead space and new one is less than half that total, I could easily see a new building being cheaper than repair. That ridiculous amount of dead space still needs maintenance but never advances the stated reason for existence.
 
They do use the OSC for events. So that dead space may not be as unused as you believe. Plus with the amount of school trips ya gotta put people someplace while other areas are busy.
 
I don't trust douggies numbers but when the existing building has over 400k sq ft of dead space and new one is less than half that total, I could easily see a new building being cheaper than repair. That ridiculous amount of dead space still needs maintenance but never advances the stated reason for existence.
Old Dougie has become quite the ****-talker
 
Interesting. Todays release was accompanied by a letter from science center officials acknowledging that current building is at end of life. I can imagine that phone call. "Either support the process and continue to be paid for years while we work on a new location or find a new job".

It sounds like Ontario plans on handing Toronto the keys and walking away. Any bets on what Chow's going to do? Spend hundreds of millions repairing? Ignore it until it collapses? Try to get province to pay for demolition?
 
Interesting. Todays release was accompanied by a letter from science center officials acknowledging that current building is at end of life. I can imagine that phone call. "Either support the process and continue to be paid for years while we work on a new location or find a new job".

It sounds like Ontario plans on handing Toronto the keys and walking away. Any bets on what Chow's going to do? Spend hundreds of millions repairing? Ignore it until it collapses? Try to get province to pay for demolition?
You forgot the option that's probably going to happen spend millions more than the repair would have cost on consultants and let it rot at the same time. This way they get the best of both worlds money on fire and no concrete results

Sent from the future
 
You forgot the option that's probably going to happen spend millions more than the repair would have cost on consultants and let it rot at the same time. This way they get the best of both worlds money on fire and no concrete results

Sent from the future
I see your pun game is on point sir. 🫡
 
A federal case but...

A jog in the thread but why do the money watchers get overruled by the money spenders?

The Museum of Civilization in Hull oops, now renamed

"The museum relocated to its present location in Gatineau in 1989 and adopted the name Canadian Museum of Civilization the following year. In 2013, the museum adopted its current name, the Canadian Museum of History, and modified its mandate to emphasize Canadian identity and history."

I thought we were trying to un-Canadianize our identity.

Also, we saw the museum many years ago and it was great. After touring the first building I asked what was in the second building an was told it was just offices.

If it's just offices why do the servants need a double the cost building. Why not, for the offices, something that looks a giant cornflakes box, like the ones us peons have to work in.

I can accept our PM gets a chauffeured limo to get to work but all his cleaning lady needs is a mini van.
 

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