It's been over one year since Toronto had to officially bid farewell to one of its most scenic skating rinks, and despite the time that has gone by, complaints regarding its replacement continue to roll in.

One local resident recently took to Reddit to express their disappointment with the state of the site that formerly served as the home to the Harbourfront Centre Rink, now referring to it as a "useless empty space." 

While the once-picturesque skating rink is no more, a Harbourfront Centre spokesperson confirmed in early 2023 that the site would be updated and revitalized into a new plaza open to the public all year round. 

"It was old and needed repairs, and once they started excavating, they discovered it was beyond repair," one person wrote under the Reddit thread. 

Remeber when we used to have the skating rink at the Harbourfront. Now we have this useless empty space.
byu/KluteDNB intoronto

"It should be brought back. That 'plaza' does nothing for anyone. The rink was a loved little asset and was always popular. It added real activity and charm," another person chimed in. 

According to a recent report by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the 10-acre campus on Toronto's central waterfront does "not yet have a sustainable operation foundation," adding that the charitable not-for-profit cultural organization "does not have adequate revenues to support much needed capital improvements." 

The department, which provides the Harbourfront Centre with its largest source of funding, reviewed the centre's operations from 2018 to 2023. 

"Securing sources of capital investments is an outstanding need," the report reads, with a recommendation that the waterfront recreation venue come up with a "revenue diversification strategy" to help attract revenues including sponsorships and other sources of funding. 

The department also noted that the City cut its funding to the Harbour Centre to $1 million in 2022, amid its already declining ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations, leading the organization to cut programming, lay off staff, and delay repair projects, including its rink. 

One of Toronto's most popular skating rinks is permanently closing and will be paved over https://t.co/o32sLiM7UE #Toronto #Skating #SkatingRink

— blogTO (@blogTO) January 17, 2023

While the scenic rink was shuttered for repairs in 2020, the organization confirmed that the space would be permanently closed due to the costs associated with its restoration. 

According to a report from the Star, the centre now estimates that it will need over $100 million to update and maintain its facilities for the next two decades, including multiple theatres, an outdoor amphitheatre, marinas, restaurants, as well as spaces for cultural programming. 

Despite this, Harbourfront Centre board president Tenio Evangelista said the centre is putting in an effort to diversify its revenue sources. "Our efforts to attract longer-term corporate sponsors have yielded promising discussions," Evangelista said.