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       Ontario won't say if it will take offers to fix science centre
        
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       The province won't say whether it will take private citizens up on
       their offers to help foot the bill to rehab the science centre.
        
       Offers to cover the cost of repairs at the Ontario Science Centre came
       after the province abruptly shuttered the building on June 21. Ontario
       pointed to an engineering report that showed parts of the roof could
       buckle as the reason for closure.
        
       Financial offers have come in from citizens to help cover repair
       costs, including one from AI researcher and University of Toronto
       professor Geoffrey Hinton, who offered to contribute $1 million.
        
       On Tuesday, John Carmichael, chair of the Science Centre Board of
       Trustees, told CBC Radio's _Metro Morning_ that offers of support are
       appreciated, but it's not up to the board to accept them or to decide
       what happens to the building.
        
       "That will be a discussion that I think, once we get further down the
       road, will be held between municipal and provincial government," he
       said.
        
       He said that while repairs are possible, the extent of the work needed
       is unclear.
        
       "The problem is bigger than what's in the report," he said.
        
       The office of Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma did not answer a
       question from CBC Toronto about whether the province would accept any
       help for repairs.
        
       ## Future of original building uncertain
        
       The province commissioned the engineering report by firm Rimkus
       Consulting Group. It found parts of the building's 55-year-old roof
       are at risk of collapsing under the potential heavy weight of snow
       when winter arrives.
        
       Since then, multiple engineers not involved in the report have
       questioned whether those repairs are dire enough to require the entire
       building to shut down permanently.  
         
       Ash Milton, a spokesperson for Surma's office, said no decisions have
       been made on the future of the original science centre, and the
       province still plans to open a new site at Ontario Place as early as
       2028.
        
       At the original site, Milton said the entire roof would need
       replacing, along with other outdated infrastructure. He said the
       estimated capital cost for that work and other critical repairs is at
       least $478 million.
        
       The province has received offers from private citizens to help cover
       the cost of repairs at the Ontario Science Centre, which closed on
       June 21 after an engineering report found parts of the roof in
       critical condition. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
        
       He said the cost of replacing all panels on the roof alone would run
       between $22 million and $40 million and take about two years to
       complete.
        
       The province is currently looking for a temporary replacement building
       for the centre, now that the original site is closed.
        
       The city is also looking into whether it could potentially keep the
       original science centre running.
        
       Last week, Toronto council asked city staff to conduct a feasibility
       study on a potential city takeover, but initial numbers suggest it
       would cost tens of millions a year to operate, let alone the cost of
       repairs.
        
        
        
        
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