Toronto Spadina Subway Extension Emergency Exits | ?m | 1s | TTC | IBI Group

[lead82]

I toured all six stations today. A few thoughts---

First, aesthetically and architecturally I'd rank them as follows:

1. 407
2. Pioneer
3. Vaughan
4. York
5. Downsview
6. Finch

Pioneer is especially beautiful, but I took the 407 over it just because it's quite grand and impressive. Vaughan and York both get notable mentions and are likely ties. So why'd I'd rank Downsview and Finch at the bottom? Simply because the aesthetics--colour scheme in particular--are already looking dated. Cream yellow at Downsview? Mustard yellow at Finch? That's not working, in my view. 407 hit it out of the park with the modern aesthetic, and Pioneer has genuine character. York is well done simply because it's so well ensconced where it is, and Vaughan was also tastefully modern.

I was more than a little struck at how in-the-middle-of-nowhere the stations felt, though (with the exception of York). Sure, that's not my part of town. But still. At Downsview in particular, the east exit, it was like walking out into post-industrial suburban hell.

But today's not a time for negativity. It was great to see these finished, and I can't say I didn't feel more than a little civic pride. I think everyone else there did too. There was a lot of interest and enthusiasm. Great to see.

I toured all the stations today and couldn’t agree more. It was great to see all the crowds at the stations. VMC was absolutely packed to the brim. I think it shows that there is a huge interest in transit in this city. We are literally starved for it.

Sadly these beautiful new stations also reveal the great fact that politics is a huge player in all this. This part of the GTA gets massive overinvestment while downtown has been ignored since the 60s. Scarborough is fighting for just 1 station and based on the investment in Vaughan one can see the jealousy of ‘Scarborough deserves a subway too’. Scarborough density at Eglinton/Brimley and Lawrence and McCowan and SCC and Sheppard/McCowan is higher than all these new stations.

I hope this extension is the begin of massive transit investment that keeps going. Eglinton LRT is next to open. They Finch West LRT. I hope Scarborough extension or LRT opens next and the DRL full (Sheppard in east and Bloor in west) and Yonge north both get built as they are both needed.

 

[Johnny Au]

I thought that the Future Shop ceased to exist.

 

[Richard White]

I was up there at around 5ish and was in awe of the sheer size of the stations. With the exception of VMC I got the sense that not much was in the area of the stations which leads me to wondering why they built them in such large sizes.

I went to York U station and noted that the exit into through the windows at the mezzanine level is nothing more than a door about 6 inches above floor level and the exterior concrete stairs leading to the ground level are blocked off by planters. If this was designed as an emergency exit we may as well kiss our asses goodbye if things hit the fan. I do not see the point of the door or the stairs.

The Northwest Gate entrance of Pioneer Village was vandalized as seen in one of my images. Someone shattered a pain of glass at the entrance. With that in mind, I wonder why they did not just call it Steeles Station as Pioneer Village is 10 minutes away and unless you know Toronto (and even then) you will have no clue what Black Creek Pioneer Village is nor will you care.

Downsview Park station is in the boonies. It is in the middle of nowhere and I really wonder why it was built.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is a mouthful on the train announcements. It will need to be shortened methinks at some point.

All in all a well constructed extension but oversized stations to say the least.

 

[TransitBart]

I thought that the Future Shop ceased to exist.

It did. You thought right.

 

[Transportfan]

For a minute there I thought Finch West was tiled.

 

[TransitBart]

For a minute there I thought Finch West was tiled.

Mezzanine level from track yes. Track level at track, no.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

The Northwest Gate entrance of Pioneer Village was vandalized as seen in one of my images. Someone shattered a pain of glass at the entrance. With that in mind, I wonder why they did not just call it Steeles Station as Pioneer Village is 10 minutes away and unless you know Toronto (and even then) you will have no clue what Black Creek Pioneer Village is nor will you care.

I noticed that as well. It could just as likely have been an accident in construction.

 

[44 North]

I had a chance to spend quite some time touring the six stations today. Here are my observations and questions:

- Southbound trains are marked "FINCH". Its easy to confuse FINCH with FINCH WEST. I had to think twice if my southbound train from Pioneer Village was going to short turn at FINCH WEST...

- 407 is the most grande and beautiful of all the stations. However I think its a waste of money to have such a large station there. It would be nice to have this for Union station!
The station is huge, it takes a long time to walk from the parking lot to the station, and then more to get to the trains below or buses above. Passengers heading for the street (i.e. the cemetery across the street haha) - good luck trying to navigate out of there while walking. Its meant for cars only.





- The entrance to 407 and Pioneer Village station parking is a stone throw away under the bridge. I guess if you can't find parking at 407, your sure to find it at Pioneer Village. However there was no signage for the driveway entrance to Pioneer Village at Jane south of the train tracks. How's someone supposed to know there's parking there?



-Downsview Park is also quite grande and wasteful. Sure its great to connect to the GO station, but there isn't much around it. The east entrance is a joke...you get out and go where exactly? Sit on the grass? A lot of other people were wondering the same thing, only to turn around and go back inside.



- Station Spacing: VMC, 407, Pioneer, York and Finch West are all reasonably spaced for a suburban subway. Its not too far apart (ala Sheppard Subway). I feel like I can almost see Pioneer Village from the York U platform. What's the stop to stop spacing on this extension?

- Having the YRT stop at the north end of Vaughan Metropolitian Center and the Viva stop in the middle of Hwy 7 is far from each other. What if someone wanted to transfer between Viva and YRT? That's a lot of walking in the cold...and there's no underground path to the Smart Center.



- "Vaughan Metropolitian Center" is a mouthful. But I noticed the trains just write "Vaughan" station.



- Same can be said about transferring from YRT way at the north end of Pioneer Village to a TTC bus at the south end. Its a long walk across the street or go down to platform level to cross over.

- The curves on the subway line are very long and gentle. I stood up the entire ride without the need to hold onto a railing or grab handle in the train. Can't say that about the downtown stretch!

- Any news on new development at the NE corner of Sheppard and Allen, and NE corner of Keele & Finch now that the subway tunnels are complete? Its great to see Keele and Finch back to its original state after a decade. Do you think they're going to touch NE Keele and Finch before the LRT is put in?





I found this quite amusing as well, the two most expensive stations on the extension are the two most overbuilt, grande, and will be the least used. There even seemed to be less tourists in the 407 and Downsview Park stations than there were touring the other 4 stops.

Overall I'm in agreement with the size and design of VMC, Pioneer, York, and Finch West because they are sized appropriately for their projected use, given the area.


I agree! I got lost looking for the parking lot at 407. The roundabouts and intersections are very confusing. I can imagine if the station were to get busy that it would narrow all the traffic toward the west (back) of the parking lot as they exit. They also need to plow and salt that parking lot, there's a lot of slippery ice/snow.



I had trouble understanding this at Finch West Station. The Four Winds drive extension does not have any signage for inbound pedestrians or those coming from the PPUDO/parking lot warning not to enter the bus terminal.

As a matter of fact, how are you supposed to get from the parking to Finch West Station? I thought there'd be an underground link (as with other PPUDO in the system) or at least a covered canopy or marked pathway...? There isn't even a bus shelter for you to stand while waiting for your ride.



Emergency exits: I noticed there's an exit between Pioneer Village and 407 underground. But I can't find where it is on the maps above ground. Any pointers?

Sheppard West (old Downsview) still looks quite modern for its age, I actually like the platform level more than the utilitarian concrete look of the extension's other platform levels.



Today was quite a cold day. All the stations in general were very cold inside, 407 the most so. Are the stations supposed to be heated, or just the trains?

I used to be a hater of concrete but now find it can be quite warm, which I guess is largely dependent a lot on the lighting and the contrasting materials. Have yet to check out TYSSE, but your 407 concourse interior does have a very warm hue imo. Thing I don't really get is the track-level concrete walls opposite the platform. Feel like maybe it doesn't work so well in that way.

Agree on Sheppard West (old Downsview) being quite striking as an existing station. Very nice with that vaulted ceiling. Looking forward to future extensions using side platforms with a similar high ceiling. I think even if done bare bones it could give these costly stations a run for their money just cuz it offers end-to-end expanses. Might cost a lot to have 2x elevators and escalators, but even just simple B/D style would look good with a high ceiling and no supports.

I also don't really get the "Vaughan" thing with the roll signs and elsewhere. The TTC thought VMC was a stupid name with reason. If they kowtowed to higher forces then at least continue with the long name across all media.

 

[amnesiajune]

The Northwest Gate entrance of Pioneer Village was vandalized as seen in one of my images. Someone shattered a pain of glass at the entrance. With that in mind, I wonder why they did not just call it Steeles Station as Pioneer Village is 10 minutes away and unless you know Toronto (and even then) you will have no clue what Black Creek Pioneer Village is nor will you care.

"Steeles" is reserved for a future station at Steeles & Yonge. Originally the TTC planned to call the station Steeles West, but the TTC Board decided to override that and call the station "Black Creek Pioneer Village", then changed it to just "Pioneer Village".

Personally, I like the Pioneer Village name. With the design of the station it works really well.

 

[Hopkins123]

"Steeles" is reserved for a future station at Steeles & Yonge. Originally the TTC planned to call the station Steeles West, but the TTC Board decided to override that and call the station "Black Creek Pioneer Village", then changed it to just "Pioneer Village".

Personally, I like the Pioneer Village name. With the design of the station it works really well.

Maria Augimeri is to blame for that one. "Steeles West" would have been a perfectly acceptable name choice. Heavens forbid in 15 years time we have to rename the station just like what happened to Downsview/Sheppard West.

 

[amnesiajune]

Maria Augimeri is to blame for that one. "Steeles West" would have been a perfectly acceptable name choice. Heavens forbid in 15 years time we have to rename the station just like what happened to Downsview/Sheppard West.

Why? We're not going to build another subway station that's actually at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Anyways, it's just a name... it doesn't actually matter, so there's no use in getting upset about it. It's a nice-looking station, and that's all anyone should care about.

 

[Transportfan]

Maria Augimeri is to blame for that one. "Steeles West" would have been a perfectly acceptable name choice. Heavens forbid in 15 years time we have to rename the station just like what happened to Downsview/Sheppard West.

I think the name was chosen to avoid potential confusion over the lack of a corresponding Steeles station on the Yonge line.

 

[Richard White]

I noticed that as well. It could just as likely have been an accident in construction.

The TTC Supervisor thought it was a design feature when I mentiones it to him.

 

[salsa]

I just got back from checking out all the stations. Some thoughts:

The transfers on this extension aren't well designed. Due to the sizes of these stations, and the large vertical elevations, it takes an exceptionally long time to make bus-to-subway transfers. For example, at Steeles West Station, it took me a little over two minutes to get from the TTC bus platform to the Line 1 platform (yes, I timed it). This is a non-negligible transfer time that will discourage ridership.

I completely agree about the transfers. And not only is the the vertical distance an issue, its also the fact that a lot of the bus connections are decentralized.


Finch West

The bus connections are split between two completely different locations. Those who are unfamiliar with the station or have to transfer buses might have a hard time.

Pioneer Village

The TTC and YRT buses use two separate terminals. Transferring between them requires you to go all the way down to the subway platform, walk to the other end and then back up. The way-finding also needs improvement: I didn't notice any signage indicating which direction is the TTC vs YRT when I got off the train. You'd have to walk to the stairs at either end of the platform to see a sign saying which terminal it lead to. But if you're a YRT rider, be careful: the signage at the south end says "Buses" instead of "TTC Buses".



Vaughan Centre

The Viva station and YRT terminal are in separate locations that are quite far apart. It's a long walk to transfer between them. This photo shows only part of that path:

View attachment 130545

 

[salsa]

Day one. For something that was just built, I hope this will not keep happening.

Also saw a few escalators out of service.