Toronto Crosstown LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[someMidTowner]

The Mac's at Avenue and Eglinton (future site of the Avenue/Oriole? Station) is now closed, had its signage removed, and looks like it could be demolished soon

 

[44 North]

I can live with most of the names but the one that bugs me is Aga Khan. Historically one does not name places after living people (the exception being royalty). You could argue that the station is named after the first Aga Khan I (Hasan Ali Shah c.1818) or II or III, but without the some sort of distinction one assumes that the names of both the museum and the LRT station apply to the current person using that name (Prince Shah Karim Al Husseini Aga Khan IV). The problem with naming things after living people is sometimes people who are held in high esteem now fall from grace and create an embarrassment later. It also sets a bad precedent. Other living people will want things named after themselves (e.g. the Rob Ford Scarborough-to-Etobicoke mostly underground transit line - formerly known as the Eglinton Crosstown).

Agreed, even though it's just a stop and not a full station, it still bugs me. I don't mind if it's named after someone with Toronto-related historical significance that's long dead and gone, but I don't care for bringing religion into it. Another station I don't like is Science Centre. What if it closes, or becomes a private enterprise, or moves somewhere else (like downtown, which is much more logical for a tourist attraction)?

 

[salsa]

Most people don't seem to learn the neighbourhoods of the city outside of their own area. Even the most famous neighbourhoods like the Annex would stump many people from outside the downtown core though they're important to the city's character. No one learns this stuff except people who are good with geography and local neighbourhood residents.

With that said, people would learn if they had to think "Fairbank = Dufferin and Eglinton". It's a good way to promote neighbourhoods and business improvement areas. Ultimately, it also makes the city more interesting and valuable if people think of it as a group of functioning and varied neighbourhoods rather than random white space arranged on a grid of streets.

I agree, though I'm not happy that they picked Bathurst & Eglinton to call "Forest Hill", or Bayview & Eglinton to call "Leaside". It's not very geographically correct. I've already voiced my preference for street names (at least for arterial roads), however I will grant an exception: the DRL. I wouldn't mind at all if most DRL stations are given a neighbourhood name (e.g St Lawrence, Riverdale, Corktown, Liberty Village, etc) since those places have a very strong identity. They are not just places to live, but also a destination that is visited by both tourists and Torontonians.

But it would also be good to put the major street name on station signage like on the University Line for people who don't often use the system.

This is only useful when you're actually at the station. But if you're one of those people and you rely on the subway map to figure out where to go, there is no street name on the map to help you.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

This is only useful when you're actually at the station. But if you're one of those people and you rely on the subway map to figure out where to go, there is no street name on the map to help you.

The old subway/RT map had this, though only at stations on a line that didn't follow a major arterial:

 

[M II A II R II K]

Avenue Road is not taken so there's no problem calling it that. Maybe they can call it Oliver Jewellery.

 

[crs1026]

I can live with most of the names but the one that bugs me is Aga Khan. Historically one does not name places after living people (the exception being royalty). You could argue that the station is named after the first Aga Khan I (Hasan Ali Shah c.1818) or II or III, but without the some sort of distinction one assumes that the names of both the museum and the LRT station apply to the current person using that name (Prince Shah Karim Al Husseini Aga Khan IV).

It's also likely not in keeping with Toronto's fairly rigourous policy regarding naming streets. That process requires that a documented descendant of the naming candidate be contacted and provide consent. This tends to leave a number of worthy early Torontonians off list of our street names, because it may be hard to track down the descendants. I wonder if anyone at ML has located an Aga Khan descendant to give their consent.

- Paul

 

[howl]

They can google the current Aga Khan's address in France if they need to.

Of course the problem they have created for themselves now is they can't easily rescind the Aga Khan name without pissing off the Ismaili community, which has just spend hundred of millions of dollars in the area on the museum and Ismaili centre.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Sheesh. I can't believe how few people knew where 'Fairbank' is. Haven't you folks ever had to buy building materials ?

Really? I guess most of us never had.

Anyways I've been purchasing building materials in the "fairbank" area for well over a year now (for a home improvement project), and I had no idea that was what the area was called.

 

[W. K. Lis]

If there is an "Allen" station, couldn't there be a "Don Valley" Parkway stop?

 

[Tuscani01]

Really? I guess most of us never had.

Anyways I've been purchasing building materials in the "fairbank" area for well over a year now (for a home improvement project), and I had no idea that was what the area was called.

I was born in "Fairbank" and lived there for 2 years when I started university and never heard it referred to as Fairbank. In terms of building supplies, the only place I know of with building supplies is Caledonia (Which is also a station on the crosstown line). When shopping for building supplies, we would go to "Castlefield". I don't remember it ever being referred to as Fairbank.

 

[wopchop]

I believe that he is referring to Central Fairbank lumber, which is now located up in Concord. If you take the Barrie GO train, you pass by it at Steeles. I believe they also have another location at like Danforth and Main. It's an old company, but as long as I can remember, Central Fairbank has been up at Steeles. I believe that it originated in that area, but that was before I started in the trades, so I don't know where.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Steve Munro's thoughts on the naming: http://stevemunro.ca/2015/10/01/metrolinx-proposes-revised-names-for-crosstown-stations/

The comments that have already been left on Metrolinx’ site suggest that many of their proposals are not exactly popular. I cannot help think that whoever is responsible for this report has a poor sense of Toronto (maybe another consultant who does all their work on Google Maps?), nor a sense of which neighbourhood names are actually used.

I agree.

 

[Johnny Au]

Aga Khan is actually a title. The fourth Aga Khan is the one who donated money to create a cultural centre.

 

[howl]

Aga Khan is actually a title. The fourth Aga Khan is the one who donated money to create a cultural centre.

I don't think it is a real title. It is the name of the last four Imams of the Nizari Ismailis. It is sort of like George in the British Royal family, or Louis in the French monarchy. It is not an official title bestowed on the Imam by the people, but a name chosen by the family. The next Imam of the Nizaris may chose not to use the name.

 

[crs1026]

The old Belt Line railway diverged from the Newmarket Sub just north of Eglinton. The junction has always been named Fairbank - the control point there is still named that, in fact. Guess that's how I remembered that one.
That lumber yard - there was more than one, IIRC - did originate there. Folks I know used to say "I'm going to Fairbank" much the way people say "I'm going to Canadian Tire" when they mean they are going to the mall rather than the store. In truth, they likely meant the newer stores around Castlefield.
My grandparents lived in Forest Hill, and when they said "I'm going to the Village" they meant the small area on Spadina Road where the stores were in the old days.
Which only goes to show that place names are as much informal learning as map reference or official boundaries - use with caution.
= Paul