The Flemingdon Park community in Toronto is experiencing a significant setback due to the ongoing closure of the Ontario Science Centre, particularly affecting local students this summer. Many youth in the neighbourhood are now faced with limited opportunities for summer science programs, which have been especially impacted by the absence of the Science Centre's initiatives.
For the second consecutive year, the Ontario Science Centre School has been cancelled, a program that typically catered to grade 12 students. The Science Centre's website indicates they are exploring future opportunities for educational programming. Internal communications obtained by CityNews highlighted concerns among staff regarding the cancellation, emphasizing a need for a suitable location to support students. Floyd Ruskin, Co-chair of the advocacy group Save Ontario’s Science Centre, challenged the claims about location suitability, mentioning that several Toronto District School Board (TDSB) schools in the area, including Valley Park Middle School and Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, remain vacant during the summer months.
Community members have expressed their disappointment about the lost opportunities for local youth. Resident Saleem Sayed conveyed his concern for students in grades 11 and 12, stating that they have been deprived of important educational experiences. Sayed’s son, Mohammed Rayyaan, although not yet in high school, voiced his frustration at missing out on programs, particularly the Youth-for-Youth innovation program, which allowed middle school students to volunteer and gain insights into the workings of the Science Centre. Rayyaan emphasized the weekly interactions that were once easily accessible but are now unavailable due to the closure.
While the Ontario Science Centre has attempted to maintain some engagement by providing pop-up exhibits at locations like Sherway Gardens and the Harbourfront Centre, these sites are not easily accessible for families in the Flemingdon Park community. Sayed noted that both of these locations pose significant transportation challenges, limiting the ability of local families to take part in these initiatives. Although Ruskin acknowledged the value of outreach through pop-up science experiences, he criticized their inadequacy when compared to the extensive interactive experiences that have historically been offered at the Science Centre for the past 55 years.
The internal letter from the Science Centre also hinted at efforts to reinstate the summer programs by next year. In the interim, the group Save Ontario's Science Centre has collaborated with the Go Green Youth Centre and TMU SciXchange to offer a two-day STEM summer program aimed at youth in Flemingdon and Thorncliffe who are preparing for leadership roles. This temporary program seeks to fill the void left by the absence of the Science Centre’s traditional summer educational offerings.
On June 21, 2024, the provincial government announced the permanent closure of the Science Centre, located at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue, citing an engineering report that raised concerns about the building’s roof. Looking ahead, the opening of a new Science Centre at Ontario Place has been tentatively scheduled for 2029, leaving the community in a prolonged state of uncertainty regarding accessible science education for its youth.
