Some opposition MPs loaned their support to the beleaguered Canadian Air and Space Museum, which is facing an eviction notice from a federally-operated park in north Toronto.

The museum may have to  shut down as early as Dec. 21. Downsview Park, a federal agency, wants to build an ice rink on the museum's current site as part of long-term redevelopment plans.

One Toronto-area MP scoffed that the museum had to be evicted from the park to accommodate the new rink.

"Downsview has 571 other acres it can use for an ice rink," said Mike Sullivan, NDP MP for neighbouring York South-Weston.

Local Toronto Coun. Maria Augimeri suggested that Prime Minister Stephen Harper should become involved.

"Pick up the phone and tell Downsview Park, this rogue agency of theirs, 'You are ruining this community -- and now it's having an impact on the wider community'," she said.

Peggy Nash, MP for Toronto's Parkdale-High Park riding and a leadership hopeful for her party, told reporters Tuesday about the federal Conservative government can end this situation.

""They can get involved and save this," she said. "It just takes a little bit of resources, and it's a question of political will."

The building housing the museum once belonged to the de Havilland aircraft company, back when Downsview was a functioning airport. The facility produced a significant portion of Canada's aircraft used during the Second World War.

The privately-run museum has rented the space. One factor complicating the situation is the museum has fallen behind in its rent.

 The park wants to redevelop the site to build a four-sheet ice hockey rink. It will preserve the outside of the building, but demolish everything inside.

The loss of the building means the museum's aircraft and other exhibits must be relocated.

Toronto's City Council passed a motion in late September urging the federal government to keep the museum where it is.

One veteran, a fighter pilot during the Second World War, has sent a letter to Queen Elizabeth II asking for her help to keep the museum open.

The park and museum sits within the federal riding of York Centre. Conservative Mark Adler defeated longtime Liberal MP Ken Dryden in the May 2 federal election.

In an Oct. 11 article in the Jewish Tribune, Adler was quoted as saying the most important issue is to make sure the museum's artifacts are preserved.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Ashley Rowe