Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Goodbye, Golf Ball

courtesy of John Charlton, Flickr
Wednesday February 1, 8:51 p.m.

Saw the somewhat nonsensical press conference between the two Ontario government ministers acting like Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum this morning. But the point was clear: Ontario Place as we have known it will be no more.

The Cinesphere and the rest of the 60s architecture will eventually be razed in a 5-year rejuvenation project, led by a former PC leader who wasn't even there at the press conference. All silliness aside, it'll be too bad to see the world's largest golf ball go into the hole of history. A number of people who were interviewed today gave some wistful replies on hearing the news. But like them, when I heard that attendance was dropping like an anchor as well as any profits, I realized that Ontario Place had outlived its best-by date. My memories of the place was centered around the Cinesphere as the world's first permanent IMAX facility. I remember watching some amazing vistas via IMAX: deep blue seas, high blue skies and stomach-churning drops on roller coasters. And there was the summer series of Hollywood movies shown on the big screen. Unfortunately, having a regular movie shown on a 5-storey screen kinda loses its effect, but hey it was the Cinesphere.

It was good knowing the Toronto institution.