Union station (TTC)

Union is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University of the Toronto subway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened in 1954 as one of twelve original stations on the first phase of the Yonge line, the first rapid transit line in Canada. It was the southern terminus of the line until the opening of the University line in 1963, and is today the inflection point of the U-shaped line. Along with Spadina station, it is one of two stations open overnight to support late-night streetcar routes.

Union station is located on Front Street between the Yonge Street and University Avenue sections of the line. It is named for and directly connects to the railway station and regional bus terminal of the same name, serving all GO Transit train lines and train-bus services as well as Via Rail intercity routes (including Amtrak's ''Maple Leaf'' service to New York City). It connects to the Union Pearson Express (UPX), a dedicated rail link to Toronto Pearson International Airport. It is the only subway station with a direct connection to Via services.

Based on Toronto's street grid, Union is the southernmost subway station and the closest to Lake Ontario; however, using standard compass directions, Kipling and Islington stations are further south. It serves approximately 100,000 people a day, ranking it as the fourth-busiest station in the system, after Bloor–Yonge, St. George, and Sheppard–Yonge, and the busiest served by only one line. Adjacent to the subway station is an underground terminal loop for the 509 Harbourfront streetcar.

In 2007, Union subway station became the first location on the TTC where Presto cards could be used, as part of a trial. Wi-Fi service has been available at this station since 2014.

History

The station opened as the southern terminus of the original Yonge subway line on March 30, 1954.

On February 28, 1963, Union became a through station with the opening of the University section of the Yonge–University line.

On June 22, 1990, Union became the terminus of route 604 Harbourfront LRT, now part of the 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcar routes. A new underground streetcar platform was built south of the subway tracks, connected to the station concourse by a 30-metre pedestrian tunnel and a flight of stairs.

Elevators were installed in 1996, making Union one of the first wheelchair-accessible subway stations in Toronto. An elevator was added to the streetcar platforms, even though streetcars were not accessible themselves. By the time accessible streetcars began serving the station in 2014, the elevator had been replaced as a part of the station expansion.

On August 18, 2014, a second subway platform was opened to serve Yonge line trains, leaving the existing platform to serve only University line trains.

Station expansion

In 2003, planning began on a station expansion to address overcrowding in the station. Despite being one of the busiest stations in the system, the station had only one narrow island platform serving both the University and Yonge lines, and a small concourse area.

The plan was to build a new subway platform on the south side of the tracks to serve the Yonge portion of the line, leaving the existing island platform to serve only the University portion. This new platform would feature a step-free connection to the streetcar platform. The project also included an expansion of the concourse level, the replacement of all finishes and signage, installation of public art, as well as improved connections to the adjacent Union Station and the PATH network.

At a cost of $137million, construction began in February 2011, with the new second platform opening on August 18, 2014. The project was completed in 2015 with the completion of the station renovation.

In 2019, as part of the rebuilding and expansion of the adjacent Union Station, large glass canopies were installed in the "moat" that connects the subway station to the rest of the Union station complex. This weather-protected route connecting to the main concourses at Union Station ensures that commuters do not need to go outside when entering or leaving the TTC station.

Station decor

When the station opened in 1954, the wall coverings were glossy yellow Vitrolite tiles with red lettering and trim, and the station name on the walls was in the TTC's unique Toronto Subway Font. During renovations in the 1980s, the yellow Vitrolite tiles were replaced with brown ceramic tiles and vinyl siding, and the station font was changed to Univers.

The 2011–2015 station expansion replaced these tiles and panels with white tiles and black trim, and the font used to render the station name was returned to its original Toronto Subway typeface.

As part of the second platform project, a glass wall was built to block off the southern side of the old platform, since it now only serves the University line. It features the art piece "Zones of Immersion" by Stuart Reid, a professor at the OCAD University The work comprises 166 large glass panels, each measuring more than one by two metres, extending along the length of the platform. Mostly transparent, it is visible from both the Yonge and University platforms. Each panel contains images or words, many based on sketches that Reid drew while riding the subway. Public reaction towards the art piece has been mixed, with some users of the station finding it "tragic" or "dark and depressing".

Subway infrastructure in the vicinity

The station lies on an east–west axis along Front Street. It is one of three stations on Line 1 with an east–west orientation, the others being and . Leaving the station eastbound, the Yonge leg of the line runs briefly under Front Street and turns 90 degrees north to run under Yonge Street; leaving westbound, the University leg also runs under Front Street, and shortly after turns 90 degrees north to run under University Avenue.

Entrances

North side entrances:
*Street-level stairs on north side of Front Street
*Underground connection from Royal Bank Plaza
*Underground connection from Brookfield Place
South side entrances:
*2 street-level staircases on south side of Front Street
*Connections via the "moat" to the Union railway station

Streetcar loop

Union Station Loop is located underground at the north end of a tunnel running under Bay Street through the underground Queens Quay station from the street Queens Quay. The loop runs anticlockwise on a single track along a curved platform. An underground passage connects the streetcar platform to the Yonge subway platform. Union Station Loop is the eastern terminus of the 509 Harbourfront and southern terminus of the 510 Spadina streetcar route. The loop has a minimum radius of curvature of .

A 2017 TTC report stated that the streetcar loop would become inadequate for the volume of customers it handled because of its single track and its curved, narrow platform. The loop would not be able to handle the peak demand of 3700 people per hour projected for 2041. A 2010 environmental assessment for the East Bayfront LRT (a proposed streetcar line) approved rebuilding the existing streetcar loop plus the construction of a connection from the streetcar tunnel to the East Bayfront LRT on Queens Quay East. The LRT design would have rebuilt the loop to have four platforms, each with a bypass track, so that a streetcar could bypass other streetcars loading or unloading. Expansion of the loop's capacity would be needed in order to support an East Bayfront LRT. In 2017, conversion of the tunnel under Bay Street to operate a funicular shuttle to Queens Quay station instead of streetcars was considered but ultimately rejected. , the conversion of the streetcar loop into a four-platform configuration is in the design stage.

Nearby landmarks

Nearby landmarks include the Union Station railway station, the Royal York Hotel, Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the CN Tower, Royal Bank Plaza, Brookfield Place, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.

Surface connections

A direct connection between the subway and streetcars within the fare-paid zone is provided for these routes:

Access to these routes is also available while the subway is not running, as the station is open overnight.

A transfer is required to connect between the subway or streetcars and these bus routes at curbside stops:

References

External links

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History of Union station
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Transit Toronto

{{TTCstations

Line 1 Yonge–University stations
Toronto streetcar loops
PATH (Toronto)
Railway stations in Canada opened in 1954
Toronto Transit Commission stations located underground
1954 establishments in Ontario