yorkregion.com
May 5, 2008, David Fleisher

There’s no shovels in the ground, but subway’s rolling ahead

Did you ever hear the one about the subway coming to York Region?
If you did, and you are wondering when it will actually begin operation, or at least when shovels are hitting the ground to get construction started, you are not the only one.

Although those answers don’t exist yet, the latest news is that the TTC just handed a $100-million management contract to Spadina Link Project Management, a joint venture of Hatch, Mott, MacDonald, Delcam and MMM Group.

It is a tangible step forward in a process that may seem to have stagnated and it was applauded by Vaughan Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, former chairperson of the Spadina-York Subway Extension Committee.

“We’ve been waiting a very long time to find out what’s going on,” she said. “People are saying you have the money and nothing seems to be going on.”

It is a frustrating position for Ms Racco, who is now out of the loop after years of working to secure funding.

“After the federal funding, I was thinking, yeah, here we go. Then you don’t hear anything about it,” she said.

With the federal environmental assessment complete, everything is now moving forward. The fact you can’t see construction just yet does not mean nothing is happening.

“We’re all excited and anxious to get digging, but that’s not the start of any process,” York Region Rapid Transit Corporation spokesperson Dale Albers said.

The real construction is not likely to start until two or three years of design work is completed, but, in February, the TTC tendered a contract to relocate a sewer by the planned Steeles West station.

That contract was important because provincial funding for their portion of the $2.63 billion project was contingent on construction starting before the end of March; a year after the province’s environmental assessment.

“We are in the final stages of completing federal agreements and the business case that provides cash flow for the project,” Mr. Albers said.

“We’re scheduled to open in 2015.”

Plans to extend the Yonge subway are far more recent, but an expedited assessment process means it could be opening roughly around the same time as the long-in-the-works Spadina extension.

Preliminary designs are underway, and the six-month assessment process could begin as early as the fall, Mr. Albers said.

In the meantime, York Region is forming the Yonge Subway Advisory Task Force, consisting of two members of regional council as well as two councillors each from of Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill and one non-elected member from each municipality.

The roster is getting filled out.

Vaughan selected Councillor Alan Shefman and Regional Councillor Joyce Frustaglio. Richmond Hill’s representatives include Mayor Dave Barrow, Regional Councillor Brenda Hogg and the Chamber of Commerce’s David West. Markham named resident Joseph Ricciutti to sit on the task force.

While the province committed to two-thirds of the subway’s cost, the final portion must come from the federal government.

For her part, Ms Racco thinks it will come at a time that suits the feds.

“It’s all about politicking,” she said.

You can learn more about the Spadina extension at toronto.ca/ttc/spadina_extension. You can read the most recent regional update on the Yonge extension here

Spadina line facts
• There will be six new stations, including stops at Steeles Avenue, the 407 and Vaughan Corporate Cemtre (Jane Street and Hwy. 7).
• The entire line is 8.6 km, 2.64 km in York Region.
• The TTC formed an executive task force to govern the project and budgeted $41 million for engineering work this year.

Yonge line facts
• The extension of the Yonge subway from Finch station to Hwy. 7 was announced as part of the province’s Move2020 plan in June 2007.
• Construction of the 6.5 km line could begin 18 to 24 months after full funding is confirmed, followed by five years of construction. That means if the funding comes soon, both lines could open by 2015.
• The cost is estimated at $1.5 to $2 billion, depending how many stops are built. Potential locations have been identified as Cummer Avenue, Steeles Avenue, Clark Avenue, Centre Street, Helen Avenue and Richmond Hill Centre.

Articles