Tag: Enterprise Drive

Categories
General Rapidways Stations Uncategorized

New vehicle + new rapidway + new station = Training

New Nova bus being used for training at Warden Station in Markham
New Nova bus being used for training at Warden Station in Markham

It wasn’t that long ago that vivaNext was listing required specs for new Viva vehicles and testing design ideas for a rapid transit station. It feels like just yesterday that we were deciding station platform widths, highlighting accessibility requirements both on and off Viva and modelling the streetscape of the rapidways.

Now, some of the new vehicles have already arrived, the first new rapid transit station has been built in York Region and the first stretch of rapidway has been completed.

The new vehicles (made by Nova Bus) have great features – larger windows, a wider centre aisle, great lighting, and an accessibility ramp at the front door instead of at the middle. They’re powered by advanced clean diesel propulsion systems that produce fewer emissions, and we’re proud to say they’re manufactured in Canada. For drivers though, it also has new, unfamiliar on-board systems and controls.

The new vivastation is completely different from a typical transit shelter. It’s a rapid transit station, complete with heated waiting area, messaging boards and safety and accessibility features. It will serve our community for generations to come. However, with the platform being much higher than a street curb, Viva drivers must practise pulling into the station and review procedures related to its operations.

The rapidways allow Viva vehicles to bypass congested traffic as they operate in their own lane. Something drivers are also becoming more familiar with, now that the first stretch of rapidway is completed at Warden Ave. and Enterprise Blvd. in Markham.

Yes, training is a key focal point right now to ensure opening day goes without any unexpected inconvenience to our customers. Driver training on all of these elements has been underway for a while, and the Nova Buses are gradually being introduced into service. In just a matter of days now, we’ll see customers using the new Warden Station, boarding a new Viva vehicle and travelling down the new rapidway.

If you’re in the Warden Avenue and Enterprise Boulevard area, join us on opening day and bring your camera! Stay tuned for the official announcement and we’ll see you on the new platform on opening day with something special.

We love to hear from you, so if you’ve seen a Nova Bus or the new Warden Station, tell us what you think by replying to this blog, or by posting a comment on Facebook or Twitter. If you have a photo of yourself or your friends on the Nova Bus, we’d love to see those too!

Categories
Rapidways Stations

first new vivastation is coming together!

Metal framework being raised into place at one of our new vivastation platforms
Metal framework being raised into place at one of our new vivastation platforms

The first vivastation designed for our new system of rapidways is becoming a reality. The arched metal framework for our new vivastation platforms at the intersection of Warden Avenue and Enterprise Drive has now been raised into place, and glass canopies will be added over the next few weeks.

This vivastation will be put into service next year, replacing the current Viva shelters at this location. Passengers using Warden Station can look forward to a new level of comfort next winter, with an enclosed, heated, and LED-lit section and an arched glass roof to shelter them as they get on and off our vehicles.

The new vivastation is located at the western gateway to Markham Centre, where a vibrant mix of activities will be available on the streets and squares where people live, work, shop and play. The first phases of residential construction are already underway.

I look forward to seeing the new station in service, and if you use this station, I hope you’ll let us know what you think.

Categories
Community Events

Join vivaNext at the Markham Fall Home Show and get the latest construction info

Markham Home Show
A pair of interested visitors stop by the vivaNext booth at the Markham Spring Home Show earlier this year.

The crisp weather and falling leaves may bring thoughts of cozy evenings and harvest bounty to your mind, but at vivaNext HQ, all we can think about is construction! While you’re at the Markham Fall Home Show looking at ways to make your home snug for the new season, drop by the vivaNext booth to hear about the construction we’re gearing up for. We especially want to tell you about the progress we’re making with the Markham rapidways at Enterprise Drive and along Highway 7. Our team is looking forward to answering your questions about this multi-year construction project, and they can also help you sign up to receive construction bulletins.

Over a hundred vendors will be at the show and you’ll be able to sample their new products and compare services. Gardening experts Mark Cullen and Frank Ferragine will also be there as celebrity speakers. This is Canada’s first zero-waste home show, and to pitch in with that theme we’ll be giving away recyclable tote bags to help you carry all your free samples.

We hope to see you there – don’t ‘leaf’ us hanging!

Markham Fall Homeshow 2010

When: October 15 – 17, 2010
Friday, October 15  (1pm to 9pm)
Saturday, October 16  (10am to 6pm)
Sunday, October 17  (11am  to 5pm)

Where: Markham Fairgrounds
10801 McCowan Road, Markham, ON

Categories
Community Events

The vivaNext Team welcomes the fall season!

Markham Fair

It’s that time of year again! The Markham Fair starts this Thursday and the vivaNext team will be there!

There has been a great deal of progress made on vivaNext projects since last year’s Fair – that’s why we encourage you to drop by our indoor booth for an update! We’re particularly excited about the progress of the Enterprise rapidway in Markham, which is due for completion by the end of this year. We’re also gearing up for more work on the Highway 7 rapidways. With plenty of information and great news to share, the vivaNext team is looking forward to answering your questions about rapid transit in Markham and York Region.

We hope that you enjoy the wide selection of food, live entertainment, activities and competitions the Markham Fair has to offer. This annual event is one of the oldest country fairs in Canada, and is a great way to spend time with family and friends, connect with the community, and welcome the fall season!

See you there!

For a coupon offering $2.00 off adult admission to the Markham Fair, please click here.

Markham Fair

When: September 29 – October 3, 2010
Thursday – Saturday: 9am – 10pm
Sunday: 9am – 6pm

Where: Markham Fairgrounds
10801 McCowan Road, Markham, ON

Categories
Rapidways

Rapidways just around the corner

enterprise-009_new

Earlier this summer, our communications team visited the site of a rapidway being built along Enterprise Drive in Markham. The sun was shining and work was well underway as a construction crew installed the roadway’s curb and gutter. Dick Clark, general superintendent of construction, filled us in on the work being done and shared his thoughts on transit in York Region. You can check out the video here.

Last week, we returned to Enterprise Drive to see the progress of work since our last visit. Beautiful summer weather has allowed construction to forge ahead without any major interruptions. What does this mean? Incredible progress!

The Enterprise rapidway is really starting to take shape. Some sections have been paved with the base coating, and preparatory work has already started for the installation of station platforms!  We brought our camera along to once again give you the inside scoop. Click here to view the latest video.

We often talk about the future on this blog – how York Region is planning for future growth, what future development may look like, and the importance of the vivaNext plan in our community. Sometimes, this future may seem like a distant reality, but the truth is that it’s never been closer. The Enterprise Drive rapidway is on schedule to be completed by the end of this year – which means that vivaNext rapidways in York Region are just around the corner.

Categories
Announcements General Urban Planning vivaNext.com

Reflecting back on a year of many milestones!

With a new year just around the corner, we wanted to celebrate by reflecting back on some significant milestones for vivaNext in 2009.

In early spring, the Province of Ontario committed $1.4 billion for the construction of dedicated rapidways along Davis Drive, Highway 7 and Yonge Street for Viva vehicles.

The following month, the Ministry of the Environment unconditionally approved the Environmental Project Report for the proposed Yonge subway extension.

Around this time, our new website was also launched along with this blog and other social media initiatives to help keep you informed of all the latest vivaNext developments.

By the fall, preliminary rapidway construction activities were underway in Newmarket and Markham, and a contract for conceptual design work regarding the Yonge subway extension was awarded. In addition, preliminary station designs were also unveiled for several of the Spadina subway extension stations at a series of public open houses, and the project took an important step forward with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Wilson Subway Yard.

Then, just before the holiday season, a ceremony was held on the site of the planned rapidway alongside Enterprise Drive in Markham (which is part of the Highway 7 rapidway project) to commemorate the start of construction of the first 37 km of rapidways.

From every side of York Region, this past year has been filled with milestones for the vivaNext projects. We look forward to bringing you many more in 2010.

Happy New Year from vivaNext!

Reminder: All YRT\Viva rides are free on New Year’s Eve after 7 p.m.

Categories
Announcements Press Rapidways

Rapidway construction begins in York Region on Enterprise Drive!

Today, an on-site ceremony was held on Enterprise Drive in Markham to commemorate the start of 70 kilometres of vivaNext rapidway construction in York Region.

VivaNext – York Region’s plan for the next generation of rapid transit – includes a network of several rapidways across the Region. They are the east-west Highway 7 rapidway from Highway 50 in Vaughan to Reesor Road in Markham, the north-south Yonge Street rapidway from the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal in Richmond Hill to Green Lane in Newmarket, and the east-west Davis Drive rapidway from Yonge Street to the Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket.

The rapidways will take Viva vehicles out of mixed traffic and into their own dedicated lanes, where they will safely speed past congestion, no matter what time of day.

The 800 metres of rapidways being built on Enterprise Drive, between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road, are part of the Highway 7 rapidway project.

“This construction phase is truly significant, as it marks the beginning of a new stage of rapid transit in York Region,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch. “Together with the Government of Ontario, we are building a modern transit system to ensure we keep pace with the planned growth in York Region and preserve the quality of life our residents have come to expect.”

Rapidway construction on Enterprise Drive, which will be completed by the end of 2010, will involve the installation of concrete platform foundations, curbs, and the placement of station canopies. No road closures will be required; only short-term temporary lane closures.

“This is great news for the people of York Region and the GTA,” said Markham-Unionville MPP Michael Chan. “The project signals the start of a faster, more convenient rapid transit network that will enable people to get around more easily, improve the ability of our businesses to grow and succeed and help improve the environment.”

As construction of the rapidways gets underway, we encourage you to add vivanext.com to your list of favourite websites for quick and easy access to the latest information and construction updates. While there, you can also sign up to receive our quarterly e-newsletter in your Inbox, along with customized email updates about vivaNext projects of particular interest to you.