October 2, 2008
Regional News - David Fleischer - www.yorkregion.com

We could be ‘Union Station’ north as subway dubbed top priority

It may be a complicated, $2-billion project, but everyone sure seemed to be having fun figuring out details of the Yonge Street subway extension at a public meeting last week.

Viva officials emphasized two stations — Richmond Hill Centre and Langstaff/Longbridge — would simultaneously serve the Hwy. 7/407 area.

Up to 30,000 people are expected to move into the area and the southern station will have commuter parking, while the northern has a major hub with links to Viva and GO service.

“I see Yonge and Hwy. 7 ... not just for Viva and YRT but as a Union Station for the north,” Richmond Hill Councillor Godwin Chan said.

More than 300 residents packed a Richmond Hill ballroom last Thursday to hear about the plan and offer their opinions.

Attendees received transponders, allowing them to respond to questions following the formal presentation, and instantaneously see poll results.

Several dozen more answered questions while watching a live webcast.

“Ooohs,” “aaahs,” and even some surprised groans greeted the results as they were shown on the big screen at the front of the room.

“The bottom line is, it’s working,” said Cosmo D’Aguanna, who works at the Midway Tavern.

Mr. D’Aguanna was among the first to lead a charge, saying Viva should not start digging up the street for its bus-only lanes if a subway is inevitable.

He garnered thousands of petition signatures and, along with dozens of compatriots, helped start the Yonge Subway North committee, which lobbied to get the subway in York Region as soon as possible.

Now that their dream is increasingly close to reality, he remains cautiously optimistic about what the future holds.

“It’s coming together, but we still need to be careful,” he said.

Last week’s meeting came only days after Metrolinx, the regional transit authority, officially listed the subway extension as one if its priority projects.

“There was a very important announcement this week and we wanted to be ready,” Viva vice-president Mary-Frances Turner said.

Ms Turner led a formal presentation of the region’s preferred plan, followed by Tom Middlebrook, filling in many of the technical details.

He outlined the challenges facing the project, including the many factors engineers are considering in deciding the best location for the terminal station.

“Having to work with three municipalities makes it even more fun,” Mr. Middlebrook said.

Other politicians on hand included Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow, Regional Councillor Brenda Hogg, Vaughan Councillor Alan Shefman and Markham Councillor Jim Jones.

Mr. Jones expressed concern that the final two stations aren’t close enough to the future community to ensure people can easily walk to the stations.

“They’re trying to say it’s the hub for Richmond Hill centre but, to me, it’s the hub for Richmond Hill and Langstaff,” Mr. Jones said.

The region begins an environmental assessment process this month and hopes to have everything completed by the time the province finalizes its spring budget.

If it does, shovels can hit the ground by 2010 with trains rolling by 2016.

Plan highlights include:

Six stations north of Finch at Cummer, Steeles, Centre, Royal Orchard, Bunker and Richmond Hill Centre.
The region is still investigating the best place to put the terminal station. It could be on Yonge Street, north of Hwy. 7, by the Silver City parking lot or adjacent to the GO and Viva terminals.
Plans should be finalized by November.

Metrolinx believes the $11.5-billion provincial Move2020 plan gives it enough money to proceed on priority projects, such as this one.

The agency still hopes the federal government will chip in another $6 billion to make a new GTA transit plan happen quickly.

Subway fast facts:

There are several options for a Steeles Avenue terminal, including underground bus bays and an above-ground facility on the west side of Yonge Street, covered by new development. The latter scenario is similar to the York Mills station.
A bridge will span the Don River valley north of Centre Street with the train running underneath. Noise-reduction measures and the design are still to be determined.
Engineers already have plans for phasing bridge construction so traffic continues to flow on Yonge.
Aside from the bridge, the entire line will be tunnelled underground. “Cut and Cover” techniques will be needed to construct the stations, however.
—Source: Metrolinx

See the weekend paper for more on subway plan into York Region. You can see the archived webcast and answer survey questions yourself – at www.vivayork.com
Another public meeting takes place in Toronto Oct. 26, with a final local
meeting Nov. 26.

http://www.yorkregion.com/article/82074

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