The European company behind a private downtown spa and waterpark planned for Ontario Place has released new images of their vision for the area, slightly shrinking their building and putting an emphasis on parkland at the waterfront.
On Tuesday, Therme unveiled fresh designs for its facility, which will occupy Ontario Place’s West Island.
The new design is for 32,500 square metres of indoor space, roughly 14 per cent smaller than the last version released. The company also says it has reduced the height of its two structures by 22 and six per cent.
Inside the planned spa, there will be 10 pools, including one with a wave machine. There will also be 14 saunas, nine steam rooms, a series of cold plunges and an ice fountain.
Therme said it plans to focus on Ontario Place’s history as a family entertainment destination with more than 20 waterslides at its facility.
The company has said tickets will cost roughly $40 when it opens.
The new designs also include updates to the 16 acres of parkland Therme will build and maintain under its contract with the Ontario government.
The public space includes a sandy beach with change rooms, walking trails and picnic gathering spots. In the winter, there will be ice skating and kayaking opportunities in the summer.
The designers behind the plan said they hope to blend the public and private areas to revitalize the waterfront location.
“This design offers a globally inspired wellness experience that is also grounded in a distinctly Canadian identity and informed by the landscape of Ontario,” Gary McCluskie, principal at Diamond Schmitt, said in a statement.
“It blends nature and architecture in a way that makes the waterfront more inviting, inclusive, and alive. Every element of this design — from the pavilions to the plantings to the play spaces — invites people to connect, reflect, and share.”
The latest redesign is not the first time Therme has tweaked and changed its waterfront proposal, which is central to the Ford government’s reimaging of Ontario Place and opposed by the NDP, Liberals and Greens.
During the summer of 2023, Therme reduced the size of its planned facility by 25 per cent and reduced the height of its buildings.
Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow said the fact that the designs had been revised again was evidence that the project had been poorly planned.
“(They) are scrambling to figure out how to put more lipstick on this massive, taxpayer sucking, island hogging pig,” he said. “This is not a plan to put real public space at our waterfront; this is about privatizing the West Island of Ontario Place.”