Category: Subways

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Announcements Press Stations Subways

The Spadina subway extension moves forward!

From left: Vaughan Mayor Linda Jackson, Ontario Minister of Transportation Jim Bradley, Toronto Mayor David Miller, Federal Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty and TTC Chair Adam Giambrone begin the work on the Spadina subway extension.
From left: Vaughan Mayor Linda Jackson, Ontario Transportation Jim Bradley, Toronto Mayor David Miller, Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and TTC Chair Adam Giambrone begin work on the Spadina subway extension Friday.

This past Friday, November 27, 2009, a groundbreaking ceremony of a link that will connect the future Spadina subway extension mainline to the existing Wilson Subway Yard and expand yard storage facilities was held.

Government dignitaries in attendance at the Wilson Yard connection site included the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Canada’s Minister of Finance; the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario Transportation Minister; His Worship David Miller, Mayor of Toronto; Her Worship Linda Jackson, Mayor of Vaughan; and Toronto Transit Commission chair Adam Giambrone.

“This is another significant step forward that will help meet the Greater Toronto Area’s future network needs,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch. “As York Region continues to grow and mature, it is imperative to have the proper infrastructure and resources in place for both residents and businesses today and in the future.”

Extending from the Downsview Station in Toronto to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station in Vaughan, the Spadina subway extension will cover a total of 8.6 kilometres and include six stations. Every day, almost as many people travel north to York Region from Toronto as vice versa — including many of the 50,000 students and staff who study and work at York University.

The completion date for the Spadina subway extension is 2015. The $2.6 billion funding required for the project has been secured from all levels of government including $697 million from the Government of Canada, $870 million from the Province of Ontario, $352 million from York Region and $526 million from the City of Toronto.

Categories
Going Green Stations Subways

There is light at the end of the Steeles West subway tunnel!

An artist rendering of the Steeles West subway station.
An artist rendering of the Steeles West subway station.

Each of the six subway stations that will be built along the Spadina subway extension – a key part of the vivaNext plan – will have a unique design.

Above ground, the most striking feature of the Steeles West Station conceptual design is its very distinctive and futuristic profile. It looks like something right out of ‘The Jetsons’. Below ground, a central light cone will bring daylight all the way down to the platform levels – a solution that’s both illuminating and eco-friendly.

The Steeles West subway station will also feature a commuter parking lot with 1,900 parking spaces plus two bus terminals, including one for YRT and Viva.

Planned service frequency from Downsview Station to Steeles West Station is every two minutes, and from Steeles West Station to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station, every five minutes.

Categories
Stations Subways

Check out the preliminary design of the new Sheppard West subway station!

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

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Announcements Rapidways Subways vivaNext.com

Get all the latest news about vivaNext in our fall e-newsletter!

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!

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Community Events Rapidways Subways Ways to win

Be on the lookout for our vivaNext ‘segway’ team at Vaughan Mills this weekend

Two members of our segway team texting to win. When you see them near Vaughan Mills Mall this weekend ask how you could win the new iPod nano®.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.
Categories
Rapidways Subways vivaNext.com

Add your business’s name to our wall of support

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.

Categories
Announcements Rapidways Subways

Customized vivaNext email updates are just a click away

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?

Categories
Community Events Rapidways Subways

York University students get an A+ for enthusiasm!

Team vivaNext member, Donald, shows students where the new Spadina subway extension will run on a map during the Annual Clubs BBQ last Wednesday.
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.

Categories
Rapidways Subways Urban Planning

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?

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Announcements Live-work-play Rapidways Subways

And the new name is…

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.
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.