Another year has come and gone and were rounding up the top 10 most read news posts of the year.From the many updates on the beloved Ontario Science Centre and Ontario Place to a review of the Well in Toronto, here are the top most-visited news posts of 2024 in order.Removal of trees in progress at Ontario Place on October 3, 2024, around 5 pm. Photo by Jason Ash10. Amid 865 trees coming down, Province releases 95-year lease with ThermeThe highly contested redevelopment of Ontario Place, a waterfront property in downtown Toronto, came to a head this fall with the abrupt demolition of the trees and structures in a large part of the property. The workwhich included the removal of every single tree on the western portion of the waterfront siteis part of the approximately $200-million in work that taxpayers are funding to prepare the land for Therme, an Austrian spa company, to develop a stadium-sized indoor waterpark on the site.The 7.7-acre site formerly housed The Globe and Mails facility, and is located in the midst of the densifying King West area. To the south, it adjoins the future Rail Deck District, a five-tower complex that is being planned to cantilever over the VIA and GO train corridor.9. The Well, Toronto, Ontario: Review by John LorincThe Well, a much anticipated and heavily publicized collaboration between RioCan and Allied Properties REIT, opened in Toronto this year. Several design firms were involved in the project, including Hariri Pontarini Architects, Urban Strategies, CCxA, BDP, architectsAlliance, Wallman Architects, and Adamson Associates. Journalist John Lorinc reviewed the complex, and explains its significance for Toronto urbanism.Ontario Science Centre. Photo by Amanda Large8. Cost of Ontario Science Centre temporary location exceeds cost of roof repairsOn June 24, 2024, Infrastructure Ontario put out an RFP for a commercial/retail space to house a temporary Science Centre until its planned new facility at Ontario Place is complete. Canadian Architect editor Elsa Lam noted that the temporary location, which would not be open until 2026, would put the Science Centre in a location that was significantly smallerand likely much more remotethan its current site. She also analyzes how the cost of the temporary location would exceed the cost of making necessary repairs to the existing Moriyama-design Science Centre.Courtesy the Future of Ontario Place Project Cinesphere pods and lagoon from the west7. Ontario Place project at risk as Canada ignores engagement requirements with Indigenous PeoplesA release issued by the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) stated that it believes that the Federal government has failed to meet Indigenous engagement obligations for the Ontario Place project on Torontos waterfront. The release noted that if the Government of Canada fails to fulfill its responsibility to engage and collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, the multi-billion-dollar Ontario Place development project could face significant delays.Construction fences were erected on Friday, June 21 around the perimeter of the Ontario Science Centre, following a provincial announcement of the Centres immediate and indefinite closure. Photo by Elsa Lam6. Ontario Science Centre doesnt require full closure: A close reading of the engineers reportJust after the Ontario Science Centre was abruptly closed, Canadian Architect editor Elsa Lam released a deep dive into Rimkus engineers roof report, which was used to justify the closure. Her analysis suggests that the buildings key exhibition areas could continue to operate safelyeven if the Ontario government choose not to invest in any structural roof repairs by the fall.Credit: Henry Saxon Snell Fonds, John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill University Library5. McGill University researchers say modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed with historic techniqueResearchers from McGill University say that by revamping a forgotten heat recovery technique used in the design of Montreals Royal Victoria Hospital, modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed.The current Ontario Science Centre on Don Mills Road, in Toronto. Photo by BuBZ at English Wikipedia Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30565824. TSA issues open letter on Ontario Science Centre closureOn June 21, 2024, the provincial government announced that the Ontario Science Centres landmark 1969 building, by Japanese-Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama, would be closed immediately, for an indefinite period of time. Organizations including Canadian Architect, ACO, and the TSA rallied quickly to voice their opposition to the closure.The Ontario Science Centre. Photo by James Brittain, Courtesy Moriyama Teshima Architects3. The true cost of repairing the Ontario Science Centre is much, much less than what Infrastructure Ontario has been sayingand the proof is in its own documentsTwo figures have been cited by the Ontario Government: $478 million and $369 million. The actual number is much lessaround $200 million, or just $24 million for tackling priority repairs to keep the museum open for several years to come, writes Elsa Lam.A pedestrian bridge linking the front building to the main exhibitions has been closed since June 2022. Photo by James Brittain, courtesy Moriyama Teshima Architects2. As Province edges towards demolition of Science Centre, documents point to a manufactured crisisThe documents issued by the government on July 11 point to known issues and minor problems that can be easily resolved, providing further evidence of a manufactured crisis surrounding the closure.Photo credit: Steven Evans1. Provincial government agrees to pause demolition at Ontario PlaceOn July 10, 2024, the Ontario government agreed to halt demolition pending the results of Ontario Place Protectors (OPP)s challenge to the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act on July 19. Unfortunately, after the groups challenge was unsuccessful, demolition continued. OPP has appealed the ruling.The post Canadian Architects most read news posts of 2024 appeared first on Canadian Architect.