Tag: Viva

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Community Events

Join our public meeting in Markham!

Exciting new changes coming to Highway 7 - Invitation to Public Meeting, Wednesday March 23, 2-8pm at the Delta Markham Hotel, Truffle Ballroom, at 50 East Valhalla Drive, Markham

There are exciting new changes coming to Highway 7 in Markham! We’re preparing to widen Highway 7 East between Bayview and Warden to create dedicated lanes in the centre of the road for rapid transit. We’ve scheduled heavy road construction along Highway 7 East in 2012, but you’ll see our preparation for this work starting in about two weeks. We have utilities to move, temporary traffic lights to install, and centre medians to remove, and we’re doing most of it between now and November.

This project is moving full steam ahead, and we want you to come talk about it with us at our open house this Wednesday. This is your chance to talk to us, look at information boards and maps, and if you’re there at 7 p.m. you can see our presentation. Learn what you can expect during the construction season ahead and about how a rapidway works and the benefits it will bring to our community.

We hope to see you at the meeting, but if you can’t make it, be sure to sign up to receive construction updates, and go to the Past Meetings page on our website after March 23, where you’ll find all the materials from the meeting.

You’re invited
Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Time: Drop in from 2 to 8 p.m. (presentation is at 7 p.m.)
Location: Delta Markham Hotel, Truffle Ballroom
50 East Valhalla Drive, Markham

Categories
Community Events

Spring is in the air and we’re off to the Markham Spring Home Show

vivaNext booth at the Markham Fall Home Show in 2010
The vivaNext booth at the Markham Fall Home Show in 2010

Spring is just around the corner in Markham, and aside from April showers and May flowers, spring brings change. So we’re off to the Markham Spring Home Show this weekend where we’ll tell you all about the construction that’s happening along Highway 7 this year and the changes that construction will bring.

While you’re at the Home Show thinking about changes you can make to your home, think about the changes rapidways will make to Markham, and if you have any questions, drop by our booth to chat. We’ll help you sign up to receive construction updates, and we won’t be able to resist telling you about the first new rapidway segment that recently opened at Enterprise Boulevard and Warden Avenue.

The show is host to over 100 vendors, and on Saturday celebrity speakers will include pastry chef Anna Olson and gardening expert Mark Cullen. In the spirit of renewal we’ll be giving away recyclable tote bags for you to put your brochures and samples in.

We’ll see you there!

Markham Spring Home Show 2011

When: March 18 – 20, 2011
Friday, March 18  (1pm to 9pm)
Saturday, March 19  (10am to 6pm)
Sunday, March 20  (11am  to 5pm)

Where: Markham Fairgrounds
10801 McCowan Road, Markham, ON

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Announcements Stations vivaNext.com Ways to win

Warden Station is now open!

Warden Station, your new rapid transit station, is Now Open!

The first built example of a rapid transit system is now open in York Region! We’re proud to announce that Viva vehicles began arriving at Warden Station in Markham on Sunday morning, and we were there Monday to celebrate with the morning commuters as the Viva Pink, Purple, and Green picked up and delivered customers at this new station through the morning rush hour.

Warden Station is at the intersection of Warden Avenue and Enterprise Boulevard, on the first rapidway segment in York Region. We’ll be building rapidways on Davis Drive in Newmarket, Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, and along Highway 7 from Vaughan to Markham, with a total of 71 vivastations similar to Warden Station located about one kilometre apart along each rapidway.

We’re really excited about opening Warden Station, and we want you to help us celebrate by entering our contest for your chance to win a 10-pack of 2-zone, adult Viva tickets!

Click here to enter the online contest.

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
General Urban Planning

Locating utility lines – not always easy

Colour Code for Marking Underground Utility LinesHave you ever seen colourful markings along the side of the road, little coloured flags in a fun mix of colours stuck in the ground, or official-looking painted symbols on pavement, curbs and sidewalks and wondered what they mean?

It turns out that these markers aren’t just decorative – they mean something. In North America there is an established colour code for the markers, so that construction and utility workers everywhere will know where they should, and shouldn’t, dig.

Before the utility markers are put in place, we have to get “as-built drawings” from utility companies or from municipal records. As-built drawings are detailed treasure maps leading to utility lines, and although modern drawings are computer files, pre-1980s versions are hand-drawn. Some utility lines, such as water mains, can last up to 80 years. In most towns, each utility line was installed or replaced as needed over time, with separate record-keeping for each installation. This can make for a wide variety in age and design of drawings.

Once we have the as-built drawings, we mark the locations so that workers with utility location equipment will know where to dig – this is when the coloured flags and paint markings enter the picture. The markers are especially used where the utilities aren’t in a straight line, and may also point out other utility lines near the one we’re searching for.

Now that we have a general idea of where a utility line is located, our workers bring out a hydrovac – a large, truck-mounted vacuum – to liquefy and vacuum bore a hole about a foot in diameter, downward into the soil. If we only want a small hole a few inches in diameter, test-pitting equipment is used instead. Both of these techniques are done carefully, and as we near the utility we dig cautiously by hand.

Relocating utility lines involves investigating a proposed location with digging equipment, and following local government utility planning guidelines. Utility lines are upgraded before being moved to their new location, and new as-built drawings showing the location, depth and width of each utility are created for future reference.

People locate utility lines before they start all kinds of projects – everything from digging a hole for a sprinkler system in your yard to excavating for a big project. Our rapidway projects include widening roads so they definitely classify as big projects, and all of them will include moving some utility lines farther back from the road.

We’re relocating utilities along Highway 7 in Markham right now. If you’re interested in seeing where our projects will be in your neighbourhood, check out our system map, or sign up for construction updates if you’re interested in knowing what’s happening every step of the way.

Categories
General Rapidways

A hum of activity

Photo of hydrovac preparing for utility relocation
Hydrovac crew bores a hole in the ground

There has been a hum of activity on Highway 7 lately. To be specific, the hum of a hydrovac – a large truck-mounted vacuum used to bore holes in the ground. We’re widening some of York Region’s roads to add dedicated rapidway lanes, but to do that we need to locate utility cables and pipes in the ground, and then use a variety of trucks and tools to move all of the utilities further back from the roads.

In terms of utilities, all roads are not the same. Which utilities are in place, where they are placed, and who is responsible for them varies for each section of each road. Electrical power lines and telecommunication wires are often located aboveground on poles, but sometimes they’re buried underground. Gas lines, and sewer and water main pipes are also underground, but not necessarily located together.

In many cases, the utilities need to be moved in a certain order to spots designated by York Region’s Transportation Services Department, Corridor Approvals and Records Branch with input from the construction company. This branch ensures utilities are installed in appropriate locations and keeps record of utility locations. Each organization moves their own utilities and, while doing so, uses the opportunity to check over the equipment or upgrade it.

Municipal government is usually responsible for sewer and water main pipes, but a team effort is important in cases where they cross municipal boundaries. For example, the intersection of Highway 7 and Yonge Street includes land within the Town of Markham, the Town of Richmond Hill, and the City of Vaughan. Gas, electricity and telecommunication companies also vary depending on the location. At vivaNext we work with all of these stakeholders to accommodate schedules and procedures, ensuring we reach our goal of relocating utilities in time for the next scheduled construction activity.

Categories
General Rapidways

It’s winter, but we’re not hibernating

Photo of Utility Relocation
Crew members prepare to move a hydro pole

We’re not pouring concrete in these cold temperatures, but we are still working away on building the rapidways and subway extension. We have different segments underway across York Region, all at different stages. This gives us the chance to do a lot of the prep work that’s needed, so that when spring arrives we’re ready to do the work that can only be done in warmer temperatures.

The rapidway along Yonge Street in Richmond Hill is at an early stage, but we’ve been out surveying the land along the corridor so that our planners and crews can have the exact data they need for the project. The Highway 7 rapidway east of Yonge Street is further along, so we’re now moving utilities further back from the road to make room for widening the roadway. In Markham, the new Warden Station will be the very first to be fully constructed. And, like other things manufactured for the first time, we’re doing reviews to see if any fine-tuning is needed before training the drivers and opening the station. In Newmarket, the demolition work along Davis Drive is almost completed, including recycling 85% of building and landscape materials. Work is also underway on the gas main near the Tannery and Seniors’ Meeting Place.

Work on the Spadina Subway extension is progressing throughout the winter as well. The first pair of Tunnel Boring Machines being manufactured in Toronto will soon be ready to be moved from the factory to the tunnel site, and the second pair of Tunnel Boring Machines is close behind.

All of this winter work moves the projects along so that when the green grass appears in spring all our projects are ready to keep going. We’ll just shed our heavy coats from the cold winter season.

Categories
Fun & Games General

vivaNext resolutions for 2011

vivaNext resolutions for 2011The day the New Year begins has moved to different dates in different cultures throughout history, but celebrating the New Year is one of the oldest holiday celebrations. Traditions have varied (and still do today), ranging from forgiving enemies to exchanging gifts, to wishing Happy New Year and making resolutions. Many of us have made resolutions over the years – committing to renew last year’s resolutions, adding a few new ones, and to keep them as long as we can.

Naturally, vivaNext staff would tell you on any day of the year that we keep our resolutions:

  • To continue our progress on rapidways in Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Markham and Vaughan, and on the Spadina Subway extension;
  • To continue setting the stage for beautiful urban spaces where people can choose to live, work and play in close proximity and use rapid transit to get around; and
  • To stay in constant communication with the residents and businesses in our communities.

Happy New Year from vivaNext!

Categories
General

Looking back on 2010

A peak at our achievements in 2010

We made great strides in 2010 and look forward to 2011 with excitement!

On Davis Drive in Newmarket, pre-construction work included utility relocation, archaeological assessments and soil testing, and building demolition, recycling and clean-up. At least 85% of building materials were recycled and some trees, plants and shrubs were relocated. Reconstruction of the Keith Bridge near the Tannery also got underway. To allow for bridge construction work, the Tom Taylor Trail was detoured and the detour will remain in effect until the end of 2011.

The first rapidway segment and new vivastation to be completed in York Region is just weeks away from being finished. Located at Warden Station at Enterprise Boulevard and Warden Avenue in Markham, it is exciting to see this beautiful design transform from an artist’s rendering to reality. The 27-metre-long glass and steel arched canopy includes an enclosed, heated section and safety and accessibility features. We also saw progress along Highway 7 in Markham, with utility relocation getting underway.

The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension project made good progress. Exciting and unique station designs were unveiled, the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were named through a public contest and the manufacturing of the four TBMs is almost complete.

All these projects will continue to move forward in 2011 and new milestones will be reached. The improvements coming to our communities and public spaces make this a very exciting time for all of us. Decades worth of improvements being done over several years will benefit generations to come as our communities continue to grow.

Happy New Year from vivaNext!

Categories
Community Events

And good will to all

Click here to see a video of vivaNext staff decorating gingerbread houses and delivering gifts to York Region's Children's Aid Society
Click here to see a video of vivaNext staff decorating gingerbread houses and delivering gifts to York Region's Children's Aid Society

Over the past few weeks, vivaNext staff has been adding to a box of gifts to donate to York Region’s Children’s Aid Society (CAS). Mostly gifts of toiletries and practical items for tweens and teens – things we sometimes take for granted but that can be luxuries to a youth on a tight budget. The CAS’ Holiday Heroes program welcomes all gifts, so staff also donated some items for kids of all ages. We then turned a staff meeting into a highly competitive gingerbread-house decorating contest so that we could donate them as well to unsuspecting families.

When we dropped off the donation to CAS last week, we had an opportunity to tour the warehouse where the gifts are sorted for distribution. We spoke to Dennis, who has a full-time job but volunteers his free time at the warehouse to ensure the gifts are ready to be delivered to children and families. We said hello to another Family Services Worker as she was picking up a carload of gifts Dennis had set aside for her to deliver to children and families she works with. The gifts in the warehouse are organized on tables by age group mostly, but there are some extra tables with gifts like our gingerbread houses that aren’t easily categorized.

At first glance it seemed like there were a lot of gifts, but the warehouse was far from full. As we left the warehouse, we were thinking how much our donation was needed and how relatively easy it was for our group to organize a contribution. Sometimes the good will of the holiday season brings about great things. So while this experience is still fresh in our thoughts, we’re thinking of other ways we at vivaNext can help people in our communities.

Click here to see a video of vivaNext decorating gingerbread houses and delivering donated gifts to the York Region Children’s Aid Society.