Heritage

The province has completed a Stage 1 and 2 archaeological assessments of the site. These studies confirmed that the islands are artificial, consist of urban fill and do not contain any archaeological resources.

A marine assessment has been completed for the Ontario Place property and concluded that most of the lakebed was disturbed by the construction of the Ontario Place Islands.

As part of the redevelopment of Ontario Place, the Japanese Canadian Centennial Temple Bell and three sculptures from the Government of Ontario Art Collection have been relocated to storage. Relocation work began in Summer 2023 and was completed in late Fall 2023.

All three artworks, the Japanese Canadian Centennial Temple Bell and Goh Ohn Bell Shelter will be stored securely onsite until reinstallation as part of the redeveloped public spaces at Ontario Place.

The project team is committed to ensuring the safety of the artworks and monument throughout the redevelopment of Ontario Place.

Quick Facts

• In 1977, the Japanese Canadian Centennial Temple Bell was presented to the people of Ontario on behalf of the 17,000 Japanese Canadians living in the province at that time, to commemorate 100 years of Japanese settlement in Canada.
• From 1977 to 2023, the Japanese Canadian Centennial Temple Bell stood on the West Island of Ontario Place and was the site of annual New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremonies and mid-summer Obon festivals.
• The Japanese Canadian Centennial Bell monument includes the Goh Ohn Bell Shelter, designed by Raymond Moriyama.
• The artworks include Akio Murasawa’s Dialogue (1984), and Kosso Eloul’s Salut (1975) and Passage (ca. 1984).

To learn more about the artworks, visit: www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/goac/index.aspx

To learn more about the Japanese Canadian Centennial Temple Bell, visit: torontonajc.ca