Metrolinx and Crosslinx Transit Solutions, the consortium of contractors that's building the massive Crosstown LRT, invited UrbanToronto to again view construction progress on a tour of the west end of the project, starting with Mount Dennis Station. We'll continue with tour reports soon.

Rendering of future aerial view of Mount Dennis site, image, Metrolinx

Mount Dennis, just east of where Weston Road crosses Eglinton Avenue, is the terminal for the line (for now) and will also allow passengers access to TTC buses, and GO Transit and Union Pearson Express trains.

The future TTC bus terminal may host buses operating along as many as 12 routes, photo, Ryan Debergh

Staff from Crosslinx, Project Manager Jaime Navarette and Superintendent Guido Gallomazzei showed off the large, V-shaped bus terminal that Crosslinx is building. In a 2015 report to the Toronto Transit Commission, TTC staff proposed serving Mount Dennis with as many as 12 bus routes and the size of the new terminal reflects that. The largely glass structure would also house a small amount of retail uses. The buses will travel to and from the terminal along a bridge over Eglinton Avenue West. They'll reach the bridge from an access road off Black Creek Drive south of Eglinton.

The former Kodak employees recreation building will be the future hub for the station, photo, Ryan Debergh

Attached to the bus terminal is the former Kodak Building 9, which stands immediately south of the new bus terminal building, Now clear of most of the graffiti that was formerly an unfortunate highlight, the 1940s heritage structure once served as the recreation centre for employees of Kodak. Kodak, a onetime major Mount Dennis employer was the former owner of the lands on which the Mount Dennis Station and the nearby storage and maintenance facility now lie. Metrolinx moved the building in August 2016 54 metres to the north to complete early stages of the station construction, then moved it back a year later to its original location on a new foundation.

The upper floor of the heritage Kodak building will be a community meeting space, photo, Ryan Debergh

This building will be the keystone to the station complex. From its lower floors, passengers can also connect to the LRT itself and to tunnels that will eventually link to GO and UP express trains to the west. Gallomazzei said that construction on the future GO / UPX station would likely start in a few months. Tunnels under the building also allow access to both the main and secondary station entrances on Eglinton.

Heading downstairs from concourse to station level at Mount Dennis, photo, Ryan Debergh

The upper floors of the heritage building would mainly house a large meeting space that community groups and others could use to host events. The large auditorium on the second floor and the staircase that lead to it are the prime heritage elements in the structure and are either being preserved or restored. Metrolinx will also retain some space in this building for offices.

Crews have already installed escalators to the platform level, photo, Ryan Debergh

Inside the LRT station, construction has progressed considerably since UrbanToronto last visited in July 2018. Wall tiles are up and tracks are down. Crews are busy getting escalators ready for passengers and staircases are mostly complete, although hand rails are still missing.

Looking east at track level, photo, Ryan Debergh

To the east of the station, a track junction and switches allow trains to leave and enter service along a spur track that carries the trains to and from the Eglinton Maintenance and Service facility on the northern edge of the Mount Dennis Station site.

A spur track to and from the nearby maintenance facility joins the main line, east of Mount Dennis Station, photo, Ryan Debergh

A Bombardier Flexity Freedom car on a test run at the maintenance facility, photo, Ryan Debergh

Stay tuned over the next few days for more about our tour. Coming up: the elevated "guideway" and tunnels.

What do you think of Crosslinx and Metrolinx progress on the project. Add your comments in the space provided on this page, or join the discussion in our Forum.

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