Therme Canada has updated the design for its waterpark and wellness centre at Ontario Place after several requests by some Torontonians for more green space on the West Island.
The company said on Tuesday that the new layout will encompass 16 acres of parks, walking trails, beaches, “cultural gathering areas” and “nature play zones” along Toronto’s western waterfront. In 2022, Therme said the West Island redevelopment would feature 12 acres of accessible public space.
“We believe that well-being should be accessible, joyful, and culturally meaningful,” said Adam Vaughan, senior adviser at Therme Canada in a statement. “We are honoured to help shape a renewed Ontario Place — one that is open, welcoming, and transformative.”
At the same time, Therme said it is reducing the overall footprint of the facility to 33,000 square metres.
“The design modifications were driven by operational efficiency rather than reduced demand expectations,” a Therme spokesperson wrote in an email to the Star.
“We have actually projected increased demand since our original designs. The optimized design ensures we can accommodate this growth while providing an enhanced visitor experience.”
The waterpark and wellness centre will still feature 10 pools — including an indoor wave pool, 14 saunas, nine steam rooms, cold plunge pools and more than 20 waterslides.
The design update was, in part, in response to several requests by the city for more open areas, according to one of the urban designers partnering with Therme on the project.
“We actually went back to the drawing boards to include creating public parkland on top of the building itself, which made a significant difference,” said Jeffrey Craft, managing director at landscape and urban design firm Studio Tla.
From Lakeshore Boulevard, visitors will be able to walk up and over the Therme wellness facility.
At the top, they’ll find a series of pathways to vistas as well as seating areas. They can then make their way down to the ground level on the other side of the building and continue exploring the island.
The open space will be free to visitors, with the exception of the outdoor pools belonging to the Therme facility, Craft said.
He added that maintenance of the parkland, including trash removal and landscape care, will be the province’s responsibility.
“It’s just basically a continuation of Trillium Park all around the West Island.”
Therme also partnered with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) on the new design.
“Ontario Place has always been a place of connection — to land, to water, and to each other,” MCFN Chief Claire Sault said in a joint-statement with Therme. “This project is about honouring those connections through design that reflects Indigenous teachings, ecological stewardship, and community use.”
But the design modifications were not enough to appease some critics’ concerns around public land being used to develop a private spa.
“Torontonians aren’t fooled by pretty pictures that don’t tell the whole story,” Coun. Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto—St. Paul’s) wrote in an email to the Star.
“They know Doug Ford is spending over two billion dollars of public money to build a massive private spa rather than create a public, green, fun and vibrant destination on our waterfront that everyone can enjoy. There’s still time for the province to cancel the Therme contract that would leave taxpayers on the hook for generations.”
In response, Adam Vaughan, Therme’s senior adviser, said, “It’s sad to see a politician dismiss all of this meaningful collaboration, years of design and architectural planning and an incredible park design as ‘pretty pictures.’”
“As for taxpayers money the West Island’s transformation is being fully funded by Therme including the new parks and public beach,” he continued. “His claim our project is subsidized is just plain wrong.”
Therme said construction is expected to begin in early 2025, with the facility scheduled to open in 2029.
