Archive for the ‘Subways’ Category
Monday, November 16th, 2009
A key part of York Region’s vivaNext plan is the Spadina subway extension. Extending from Downsview Station in Toronto to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station in Vaughan, it will cover a total of 8.6 kilometres and include six stations.
This Tuesday, November 17, 2009, you are invited to attend a Public Open House to view the preliminary design concept for one of these stations – Sheppard West Station. It is the first of two public open houses for Sheppard West Station. The second one, scheduled for Spring 2010, will show detailed architectural concepts.
Sheppard West Subway Station Public Open House
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: The Crystal Room (2nd Floor)
Montecassino Hotel & Event Venue
3710 Chesswood Drive, Toronto
Tags: Downsview, public open house, Sheppard West Station, Spadina subway extension, subway, subway extension, Toronto, Vaughan, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, Viva, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in Stations, Subways | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Wondering when and where we’ll start to break ground on the vivaNext rapidways? Or how they are already affecting urban transformation in such key destinations as downtown Markham?
In our fall e-newsletter, which has just been posted on our website at vivanext.com, you can find quick and easy answers to these vivaNext-related questions, and many more.
For example, you can learn what people just like you have to say about commuting to and from work in York Region, and whether or not they think our rapid transit projects will make things better or worse.
Perhaps you’re especially looking forward to the proposed Yonge subway extension? If so, then you’ll enjoy our look back to where it all began more than fifty years ago.
We even reveal the lucky Grand Prize winner in our ‘Next Best Thing To Summer’ contest. It’s all there, along with a handy sign-up form so you can conveniently receive future issues of our e-newsletter in your Inbox, along with customized email updates about vivaNext projects of particular interest to you.
Once you’ve had a chance to read our latest e-newsletter, we encourage you to submit topic suggestions for future issues right here on our blog.
Enjoy!
Tags: BRT, City Planning, commuting times, Congestion, Connections, Fall e-newsletter, Grand Prize winner, Highway 7, Markham, Ontario, rapid transit, Rapidway, subway extension, Summer Contest, Urban Planning, urban transformation, Viva, vivaNext, website, Yonge subway extension, York Region
Posted in Announcements, Rapidways, Subways, vivaNext.com | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Two members of our segway team texting to win at Markville Mall. When you see them near Vaughan Mills Mall this weekend ask how you could win the new iPod nano®*.
Over the past two weekends, our vivaNext ‘segway’ team made appearances outside of Markville Mall and the Markham Home Show. Even in the pouring rain, they were a tremendous hit, attracting a lot of attention from Markham area residents. This, in turn, allowed us to drive awareness of vivaNext projects and communicate how to enter our new contest for a chance to win the new iPod nano®*. It’s so easy you could do it right now. All you have to do is text the word vivaNext to the number 101010.**
Now our vivaNext ‘segway’ team is preparing for their next appearance outside of Vaughan Mills this coming weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, they will be out in force to talk with Vaughan area residents about vivaNext projects in their area including the Spadina subway extension and the Highway 7 rapidway, which will both extend to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. As well, our vivaNext team will have a booth set up inside the mall from Friday through until Sunday, to ensure that we are able to talk to as many people as possible about our projects.
We hope to see you there!
Outside mall segway hours:
Saturday, October 24 noon – 4pm
Sunday, October 25 noon – 4pm
Inside mall booth hours:
Friday, October 23 10am – 9pm
Saturday, October 24 10am – 9pm
Sunday, October 25 11am – 7pm
* “iPod nano” is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, Inc. is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion.
** Wireless service provider charges may apply.
Tags: BRT, City Planning, Congestion, Highway 7, iPod nano, Rapidway, segway, subway extension, text to win, Vaughan Mills Mall, Viva, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in Community Events, Rapidways, Subways, Ways to win | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Across York Region, all kinds of large and small businesses are taking the time to show that they are 100% behind vivaNext projects by sending letters of support.
They recognize that traffic congestion and the lack of convenient transit alternatives have directly impacted their business through lost employee productivity and absenteeism, and that revitalization is needed along some key corridors.
Over the next 20 years, York Region’s population is expected to increase by 50% and the number of jobs by 100%. To help manage this growth and businesses succeed in the future, a faster and more convenient rapid transit system is essential – vivaNext.
To see a list of those businesses that have already sent letters of support and had their names added to our wall of support, visit vivaNext.com/wall_of_support.
If your business would like to write a letter of support for vivaNext projects and be added to our wall of support, please send a message to contactus@vivanext.com.
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, City Planning, Congestion, environmentally friendly, Highway 7, letters of support, population increase, rapid transit, subway extension, transit-only lanes, Viva, vivaNext, wall of support, website, Yonge St., York Region
Posted in Rapidways, Subways, vivaNext.com | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
So far, over 4,000 people have signed-up to receive our regular vivaNext email updates. Perhaps you’re one of them. Recently, we made it possible for you to customize the updates you receive.
You can now choose to receive email updates for a specific vivaNext project – or all of them if you want.
To do so, simply click here or visit our “subscribe for updates” page at vivaNext.com and select from the following list:
Davis Drive rapidway
Highway 7 rapidway – Markham
Highway 7 rapidway – Vaughan
Yonge Street rapidway
Yonge Subway extension
Spadina Subway extension
Don Mills Road/Leslie Street LRT
Jane Street LRT
It’s as fast to sign-up as it will be to travel in York Region with vivaNext.
Tell us – which vivaNext project interests you the most?
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, City Planning, Connections, customized updates, Highway 7, LRT, Markham, Newmarket, Ontario, Rapidway, Richmond Hill, subway, subway extension, transit-only lanes, Vaughan, Viva, vivaNext, Yonge St., York Region
Posted in Announcements, Rapidways, Subways | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Team vivaNext member, Donald, shows students where the new Spadina subway extension will run on a map during the Annual Clubs BBQ last Wednesday.
VivaNext teams had such a great time talking to York University students on campus last week about how our new rapidways and subway extensions will make it faster and easier to get to school in the future. Over a two-day period, we had the opportunity to speak to hundreds of students who use rapid transit to commute to class from all over York Region. Boy, did they get excited when they learned that rapidway stops will be near their campus within the next four years, and subway stops right on their campus within the next six years.
On Wednesday, our first day on campus, we were at the Annual Clubs BBQ at Vanier Field. While the line-up for burgers was incredibly long, the one at our vivaNext booth was pretty impressive as well. Then the next day, Thursday, we took part in the Transportation Fair at York Lanes along with other transit organizations, car share companies and cycling networks. It gave York University students a chance to explore a wide range of present and future commuting options – including Viva – all in one convenient location.
Perhaps you were there? If so, we’d love to hear what you think about the vivaNext plan and what impressed you the most.
Tags: Annual Clubs BBQ, BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, Spadina extension, subway extension, Transportation Fair, Vanier Field, Viva, vivaNext, York Lanes, York Region, York University
Posted in Community Events, Rapidways, Subways | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
We talk a lot about the rapidways, subways and LRTs that are coming.
But when you boil it down, that’s not what vivaNext is really about. VivaNext is the plan to provide you with faster and easier rapid transit connections, so you have more time to enjoy whatever awaits you at your final destination. It’s not only our goal; it’s our slogan – “vivaNext. it’s about connections. it’s about time.”
Transit hubs at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Richmond Hill/Langstaff Urban Growth Centre, where the Spadina and Yonge subway extensions will respectively meet Highway 7, is just one way vivaNext plans to improve connections. At these locations, riders will be able to make convenient connections with Viva, GO Transit commuter rail and express buses, YRT and other transit systems.
Rapidways is yet another way vivaNext is putting the rapid into rapid transit – up to 40% faster. How? By featuring dedicated centre lanes in roadways to allow our beautiful blue Viva vehicles to safely speed past congested traffic, no matter what time of day.
So tell us…When the vivaNext projects are complete, which connection point will be the most important for your daily commute?
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, City Planning, Congestion, Connections, rapid transit, Rapidway, subway extension, Urban Planning, Viva, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in Rapidways, Subways, Urban Planning | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
An artist rendering of what an intersection at the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre may look like in the future. It is complete with subway and rapidway stops, high-rise condos, offices, shops and restaurants.
The City of Vaughan’s downtown core will undergo a transformation over the next several years. Encompassing 125-acres, development plans include office and residential towers, shopping and entertainment complexes, plenty of green spaces and pedestrian walkways, and, of course, vivaNext rapid transit connections.
In recognition of all the exciting changes to come, Vaughan City Council determined that a change of name – from Vaughan Corporate Centre – was in order to better reflect the true vision and future of this key hub.
This summer, the City held a contest where people were encouraged to submit their suggestions. Almost 1,600 entries were received, including Central Vaughan, Vaughan Gateway, Vaughan Mosaic Centre and Vaughan Nexus.
In the end, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre was chosen as the winning entry by the City subcommittee that reviewed all the submissions, which consisted of business stakeholders and citizens.
“People wanted something that’s easy enough to remember and still reflected what we want to see from the downtown,” said Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, who chaired the City subcommittee.
To view a video of the future transformation of Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, please click here or visit vivaNext.com.
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, city council, City Planning, Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, Highway 7, mixed-use development, pedestrian walkway, Rapidway, subway extension, Vaughan, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, Viva, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in Announcements, Live-work-play, Rapidways, Subways | 2 Comments »
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
All aboard!
If you are a student, you’ll be heading back to school next week so we thought we would get you ready for some of those really hard tests with a little pop quiz. Luckily for you, this is an open book/computer quiz and help can be found on our website and blog.
1) What major university will have two subway stops running by it within the next six years?
2) What College campus in Markham will have a rapidway stop right outside its door within three year?
3) What high school at Warden and Highway 7 will have a rapidway stop outside its doors within three years?
4) What public high school in Newmarket will have a rapidway stop only a short walk away from its doors?
5) What Richmond Hill high school may have a subway stop a few blocks from its doors?
Good work, pencils down.
So as you can see, the rapidways and subway extensions will make it a lot easier for students from many different areas to get to school and travel in to, out of and around York Region.
If you are a student, how will our future projects help you get to school?
Good luck this school year.
Tags: back to school, BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, Congestion, Connections, Highway 7, Huron Heights Secondary School, Langstaff Secondary School, Markham, Newmarket, Ontario, quiz, rapid transit, Rapidway, Richmond Hill, Seneca College, subway, subway extension, transit-only lanes, Unionville High School, Viva, vivaNext, Yonge St., York Region, York University
Posted in Rapidways, Subways | No Comments »
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Chair Fisch and the other dignitaries pose for cameras in front of a scale model of a tunnel boring machine.
Lovat, an Ontario-based company that makes tunnel boring equipment, has been awarded a $58-million contract to build four machines that will be used in the construction of the Spadina subway extension.
The announcement was made last Friday, August 7, at the Lovat plant by Ontario Transportation Minister Jim Bradley, joined by MP Bob Dechert, York Regional Chair and CEO Bill Fisch, TTC Chair Adam Giambrone and Lovat President Dick Cooper. Not only does this mean the creation of some 200 jobs in the GTA and a boost to the economy, it signals continued progress on the project as it’s scheduled to open in 2015.
Prior to the announcement, I had the pleasure of joining the group for a bit of a tour of Lovat. We met at one end of their Mississauga plant and walked through to the other end while learning about what’s involved in making tunnel boring equipment. Cameras and reporters were waiting at the end of the tour to hear each dignitary deliver a short speech about the announcement.
It was awe-inspiring to watch the dignitaries being interviewed in front of a massive tunnel boring machine. They’re HUGE. Just take a look at the picture below to see how big they are compared to the people near them.
Lovat has built similar and even larger machines for projects all around the world, from Algeria to Venezuela. “We are pleased to be a part of this significant mass-transit project, as it not only generates jobs and strengthens infrastructure locally, but also highlights Canada’s technological capabilities on a global scale,” said Cooper.
The first two machines are expected to be delivered in the fall of 2010, with tunnel boring to begin shortly after.
York Regional Chair and CEO Bill Fisch speaks to the audience and TV cameras in front of an actual tunnel boring machine last Friday.
Tags: Adam Giambrone, Bob Dechert, Chair Fisch, Connections, Dick Cooper, GTA, Highway 7, Jim Bradley, Lovat, Metrolinx, Spadina extension, subway, subway extension, TTC, tunnel boring, Vaughan, Viva, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in Announcements, Press, Subways | 1 Comment »