ACO Toronto - McLaughlin Planetarium

AT RISK INFORMATION

At risk status

This building is at Risk

Information:

In 2014 the University of Toronto proposed demolishing the building in favour of a new structure to house multiple U of T faculties, as well as public space.

BUILDING INFORMATION

Name & Location:

McLaughlin Planetarium
90 Queen's Park
Toronto
University

Owner:

University of Toronto

Year Completed:

1968

OTHER IDENTIFICATION

Alternate Name:

Children's Own Museum

Notes:

Opened in October 1968, The McLaughlin Planetarium was shut down on November 5, 1995. Since then, the building hosted the Children's Own Museum for some time, and is presently in use only as storage space. A proposal in 2005 to replace the building with a condominium tower was rejected after adverse public reaction. In 2009, the ROM sold the Planetarium to the University of Toronto, which in 2014 proposed demolishing the building in favour of a new structure to house multiple U of T faculties, as well as public space. Currently, the building is in use only as storage space for the Royal Ontario Museum.

Status:

Completed

Map:

Loading Map

Companies:

The following companies are associated with this building

Architect - Allward & Gouinlock <-- More buildings by this architect.
General contractor - Stone & Webster Canada, Ltd.

BUILDING DATA

Building Type:

Mid-rise

Current Use:

Abandoned

Former Use:

Museum

Heritage Status:

No heritage status

Sources:

Click to see 16 Source(s)

Concrete Toronto: A guidebook to concrete architecture from the fifties to the seventies
Author - Michael McClelland and Graeme Stewart
Page - 148-153
Notes - Essay by Scott Weir.
The Globe and Mail
Date - November 26, 2005
Page - M6
Notes - Michael Prokopow (not the author of the article) calls for preservation of this building.
The Globe and Mail
Author - John Bentley Mays
Date - July 17, 2009
Page - G2
Notes - Article about the sale of this land to the U of T by the ROM, commenting on the development history of the site.
Royal Ontario Museum agrees to sell McLaughlin Planetarium site to University of Toronto
Author - Chrissie O'Brien, Daily Commercial News and Construction Record
Date - 19 February 2009
More information
McLaughlin Planetarium
Author - Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Date - 1969
Document - 4e0ff942c164cf6af93c7eb19aaf6500.pdf
More information
Petition launched to save McLaughlin Planetarium from demolition
Author - Laura Beeston, Toronto Star
Date - 27 January 2017
More information
'It was magical': Architect wants University of Toronto's McLaughlin Planetarium preserved
Author - Erica Vella, Global News
Date - 24 January 2017
More information
Old Toronto Series & ACO Toronto present: The History of McLaughlin Planetarium
Author - Old Toronto Series
Date - 31 July 2019
More information
McLaughlin Planetarium and Royal Ontario Museum
Author - City of Toronto Archives
Date - between 1980 and 1998
Notes - Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 197, Item 7
More information
Centre for Civilizations and Cultures to replace McLaughlin Planetarium
Author - Sheridan Cunningham, The Varsity
Date - 1 February 2016
More information
McLaughlin Planetarium, Royal Ontario Museum
Author - Canadian Astronomical Society
Date - 1998
Notes - This note was excerpted from an item appearing in "Canandian Council of Science Centres, Issue No 3"
More information
U. of T. Buys Old McLaughlin Planetarium Land From ROM For $22 Million
Author - CityNews Toronto
Date - 26 January 2009
More information
U of T proposes to build cultural complex where McLaughlin Planetarium stands
Author - CityNews, Toronto
Date - 9 September 2014
More information
Support to save McLaughlin Planetarium building growing
Author - CTV Toronto
Date - 1 October 2014
More information
Sirrah McLaughlin
Author - David Topping, Torontoist
Date - 1 March 2008
More information
THE SCOOP | Toronto May Soon Get A New 9-Story Cultural Hub And Concert Hall
Author - Anya Wassenberg, Ludwig Van Toronto
Date - 22 February 2019
More information

McLaughlin Planetarium

Sources for McLaughlin Planetarium

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