Union Station (Toronto)
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| GO Transit | |
|---|---|
| Facility Services | |
| 140 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario |
|
| Fare zone | 02 |
| Station building | yes |
| Wheelchair access | yes |
| Parking spots | 0 |
Union Station is a major railway, subway, and streetcar station at 65 Front Street West between Bay Street and York Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Currently, the primary function of the railway station is to act as a terminus for commuters on GO Transit, thanks to which it is busier than any other transport facility in the country, including airports. It also serves as a hub for intercity trains, and many railway companies have their offices within the building.
Contents |
[edit] Details
Union Station is eight stories tall and features a massive lobby known as the Great Hall, numerous corridors at the top, and a shooting gallery used by CN railway police on the seventh floor.
While VIA Rail, the successor to the railways which originally built Union Station, continues to use it as a major hub for the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor (including the joint VIA-Amtrak Maple Leaf train to New York City) and the eastern terminus of The Canadian, the vast majority of passengers travelling through the station are from GO Transit's commuter trains. Toronto Transit Commission riders likewise outnumber VIA passengers. The station is also used by Ontario Northland trains to northern Ontario.
Union Station is one of the only large railway stations in North America to use through-train operation. That is, the train platforms are through lines rather than lines which terminate in the station, as in stub-end operation. The name 'Union Station' refers simply to the fact that it united two railways in one building; for more information, see the article union station.
The platforms in the train shed are very close together. Passengers wait downstairs in a concourse similar to that of an airport prior to their trains arriving at the platform. Once the train has arrived, passengers enter gates which lead via escalator or stairs to the platform where they board the train.
| Preceding station | VIA Rail Lines | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakville (some trains) |
Toronto-Ottawa | Guildwood | ||
| Toronto-Montréal | ||||
| Oakville | Windsor-Toronto | Oshawa (some trains) | ||
| Brampton | Sarnia-Toronto | Terminus | ||
| Oakville | Niagara Falls-Toronto | Terminus | ||
| Washago | The Canadian (Vancouver-Toronto) | Terminus | ||
| Oakville | Maple Leaf (Toronto-New York) | Terminus | ||
| Ontario Northland Lines | ||||
| Washago | Northlander (Cochrane-Toronto) | Terminus | ||
[edit] History
Toronto's third Union Station (see more on Old Union Station) was the largest enclosed space in Canada at the time it was built. Construction was begun in 1915 and the building was officially opened on August 6, 1927 in a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by His Royal Highness Prince Edward of Wales who cut the ribbon with a pair of gold scissors. Also in attendance was Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prince George, United Kingdom Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and Mrs. Baldwin, Ontario Lieutenant-Governor William Donald Ross and Mrs. Ross, Ontario Premier George Howard Ferguson, and numerous other members of the Ontario and Canadian governments.
Union Station was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Grand Trunk Railway. The architects were G.A. Ross, R.H. MacDonald, Hugh Jones, and John M. Lyle. Like many stations of its period, it is designed in the Classical revival style developed by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
In 1954, the Toronto Transit Commission opened a station immediately north of Union Station, which acted as the southern terminus of its new subway line, and as part of 1990's Harbourfront LRT project, they added an underground streetcar loop now used by the 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina lines.
In 1972, the station was threatened by the two railways' (by this point the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific) Metro Centre development proposal. It would have seen new office and retail developments and a communications and observation tower (which was later re-designed and built as the CN Tower) on the site of Union Station and adjacent rail yards. The entire station was to be demolished, and replaced with an underground terminal, similar to New York City's Penn Station. Local opposition to the proposal was successful in having the city council's decision to support the Metro Centre development overturned.
[edit] The future
Union Station was purchased by the City of Toronto from the Toronto Terminals Railway Company (TTR) in August 2000. On July 24, 2003 the City agreed to lease Union Station to the Union Pearson Group for a term of 100 years. A public-private partnership was to be created to redevelop the station. The Master Plan had four major components:
- An integrated public realm, redefining and joining the Union Plaza and Front Street spaces,
- A modern station, including redevelopment of the trainshed with construction above it,
- Revitalisation of underutilised spaces, notably redeveloped concourses, moats and teamways, and
- Extended pedestrian connections, including improved passages, new entrances, and improved ease of movement.
On April 26, 2006 the city's deal with Union Pearson collapsed as the company was unable to meet a city imposed deadline.[1] Plans to renovate the station are currently on hold.
An announcement on May 24, 2006 will address issues of commuters - the GO platforms will get a new direct connection to the PATH system, the subway will get a new eastbound platform, streetcars will have better access, and other areas will have improved capacity. This is a $100 million initiative from the city and the transit authorities, along with the provincial and federal governments. [2]
Presently there is no rail service to Toronto Pearson International Airport, but on November 13, 2003 Transport Canada announced the selection of SNC-Lavalin subsidiary Union Pearson AirLink Group to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain a railway link between Union Station and Pearson. The service is to be named Blue22 because of its planned 22-minute trip time. At present, it is planned that the line will use four refurbished Rail Diesel Cars, with trains running every fifteen minutes, seven days a week. Due to opposition and a new environmental assessment for the project, the expected opening date for Blue22 will be later than 2008, as originally projected.
[edit] Union Station in popular culture
Union Station has been featured in various films and television series. These include:[3]
- Shining Time Station
- Baby on Board
- Dragans of New York -PILOT
- The Freshman
- Johnny Mnemonic
- The Last Detail
- The Legacy
- Loser
- The Return of Eliot Ness
- Silver Streak
- The Time Shifters
- To Catch a Yeti
- Cindrella Man
- Death to Smoochie
- Nikita - TV Series
- Witchblade TV Series
- Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen-2004
- Who is Cletis Tout?-2002
- The man who saved Christmas - TV Movie
- Fool Proof-2003
- Picture Claire-2001
- 16 Blocks-2005
- Talk to me -2006
- Runaway - TV Series - 2006
- State Within - Mini Series
- Martha Behind Bars - TV Movie -2005
- Diana Krall: Live at Union Station Concert
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Toronto Union Station Master Plan
- CBC: Train station leased for 100 years
- Union Pearson Group
- Transport Canada Rail Link News Release
- Toronto's Union-Pearson Air-Rail Link
