Downsview (TTC)

Downsview TTC Subway Station
Station statistics
Address	1035 Sheppard Avenue West Toronto, ON, Canada
Coordinates	43°44′58″N 79°27′43″W / 43.74944°N 79.46194°W / 43.74944; -79.46194Coordinates: 43°44′58″N 79°27′43″W / 43.74944°N 79.46194°W / 43.74944; -79.46194
Lines	Yonge–University–Spadina   Viva Orange
Connections	TTC buses
Structure	underground
Platforms	centre
Parking	641 spaces
Other information
Opened	30 March 1996
Accessible
Presto card	Winter 2011
Traffic
Passengers (2009-10)	31,600
Services
Preceding station   TTC   Following station Terminus Yonge–University–Spadina Wilson toward Finch Sheppard West toward Vaughan Spadina Extension Terminus

Downsview is a station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at the intersection of William R. Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue West. The station is currently the northern terminus of its western branch, the Spadina line. It is also a ‘Vivastation’ on the Orange line of York Region’s Viva bus rapid transit system. The TTC station opened in 1996 in what was then the City of North York, and the Vivastation opened on October 16, 2005. The station has a large (641 space) commuter parking lot, accessible via Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue, which opened in July 2005.

The TTC has proposed that Downsview Station's name be changed to "Sheppard West", while the future subway station north of Downsview would be named "Downsview Park". The name changes would take effect once the Spadina subway extension is completed.

Architecture and art

Downsview station was designed by Adamson Associates Architects (above grade buildings and mezzanine) and The Stevens Group Architects (below grade).^[1] The subway platform lacks pillars and the ceiling is high and curved, evoking an aircraft hangar. High ceilings, skylights and an exceptionally large mezzanine make the station feel open and airy. Natural light reaches all areas of the station including the subway platform.

The station features two pieces of artwork. Sliding Pi is a large scale wall mosaic by Calgary artist Arlene Stamp. It can be viewed when traveling between the bus platform and the mezzanine level. Boney Bus by John McKinnon is located at the front of the station and consists of an abstract bus shape made from giant metal beams.

Subway infrastructure in the vicinity

The subway platform is located underground east of Allen Road. The line continues south underground for 750 metres to cross to the west side of the road, after exiting at the Clayton Park Portal the line runs on the surface past Wilson Yard, the TTC’s newest subway yard, which opened in 1978. At this point Allen Road becomes an elevated expressway; the subway, using what were originally the yard access tracks, crosses under its southbound lanes and rises to the road's level.

Nearby landmarks

Nearby landmarks include Downsview Park, which was the site of the World Youth Day Papal Visit in 2002 and the ‘SARSstock’ concert in 2003. It is the site of an airstrip formerly used as a military base (CFB Downsview), and by an aircraft manufacturer (DeHavilland), separating the station area from the original village of Downsview.

Surface connections

Main article: List of bus routes in Toronto

TTC routes serving the station include:

• 84 Sheppard West, running along Sheppard Avenue, and connecting with Sheppard-Yonge station.
• 101 Parc Downsview Park to Downsview Park
• 104 Faywood to Wilson Station
• Route 105: Dufferin North (Extra Fare required north of Steeles Ave.)

105 to Rutherford & Dufferin

105B to Major Mackenzie & Dufferin

105C to Steeles

• Route 106: York University

106 to York University

106A to York University (Original Terminal is Wilson Station, but goes into Downsview Station)

• Route 107: Keele North (Extra Fare required north of Steeles Ave.)

107B to Rutherford GO Station

107C to Teston Rd

107D to Naughton

107F to Kirby Rd

• Route 108: Downsview

108, 108A & 108B all go to Jane & Driftwood (108B's original Terminal is Wilson Station, but goes into Downsview Station)

• Route 117: Alness

117 to Steeles via Dufferin

117A to Steeles via Martin Ross & Alness

• Route 196: York University Rocket

196A & 196B to York University (196B's original Terminal is Sheppard-Yonge Station)

Viva bus rapid transit

VIVA Orange bus inside the station

Downsview Station is served by the Orange line of York Region’s Viva bus rapid transit system. Service began on October 16, 2005.

Viva buses stop three times at Downsview. Buses offload all of their passengers at a stop outside station entrance before proceeding within the bus terminal to pick up passengers. This is to ensure that Viva riders do not access the TTC without paying a TTC fare, as the bus terminal is inside the station's fare paid zone. After this, they stop a third time, on westbound Sheppard Avenue, to pick up passengers who did not transfer from the subway or a TTC bus.

This Vivastation is considered a Viva ‘terminal’. Therefore, there are multiRide ticket vending machines available.

Subway extensions

Construction is currently underway on an extension of the Spadina line north from Downsview to York University and Steeles Avenue. The Government of Ontario has committed $670 million – one third of the expected cost – to extending the Spadina subway past Steeles to the proposed Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2015.

The TTC has proposed that Downsview be renamed Sheppard West with the opening of the Spadina extension, and that the proposed new Sheppard West station be named Downsview Park. This is because Downsview station is better identified as being on Sheppard Avenue, while Sheppard West (Downsview Park) is closer to the entrance of Downsview Park.^[2]

The original plans for the Sheppard line called for it to connect with the Spadina line at Downsview, but when constructed in the late 1990s the line was halted after the first phase due to funding issues. After election in Fall 2010, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford indicated that completing the Sheppard line to its original route is his top transit priority^[3]

References

1. ^ http://www.ttc.ca/postings/gso-comrpt/documents/report/f3246/_conv.htm
2. ^ http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2010/Sept_30_2010/Supplementary_Reports/Toronto_York_Spadina.pdf
3. ^ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/rob-ford-ready-to-let-transit-projects-hold-in-favour-of-sheppard-subway/article1846354/

External links

• Downsview Station at the Toronto Transit Commission
• Official page on the Spadina subway extension
• Sliding Pi
• Art on the TTC