Toronto id8 Downsview | ?m | ?s | Northcrest Developments | KPMB

There was an update tonight on the Downsview redevelopment. Some items were there seems to have been an increase in density to 80 000 units and the councillor has requested that a stand alone library be built in the near term as well as the community centre in the northwest corner. No news on film studio or first district to be built but they seem to be seperate.
 
Just a few more tidbits from open house today at Downsview library. Northcrest is talking to several universities/colleges about The Hangar and how they might use this (gigantic on a Soviet scale) space. There are several properties adjacent to the site that are also going through applications (Allenby, Smartcentres) so any population/unit/density projections will be on top of development over a much wider area. And a lot of activity is going to have to wait for Bombardier to vacate the premises which is scheduled for 2024.
 
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Isn't centennial college already setup there ? Right beside the hanger in fact.
 
Yes I believe so for aviation related studies. What was mentioned is something in addition. Just preliminary but the possibilities are massive! To be clear I believe that Centennial is north in the area controlled by Canada Lands. What I was referring to was the largest of the warehouses in the Northcrest area which is just south of where the film studio is going. Many, many moving parts and players! Lol
 
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LemonCondo said:
Maybe an western extension of Line 4 should go one more stop, to provide a more central station to the Downsview development.
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I think the streetcar idea has more merit than that. You could build a N/S and E/W line to funnel people into Sheppard West for the cost of a new station nowadays. The developer would also probably be more inclined to fund it in that scenario.
 
Sunnyside said:
I think the streetcar idea has more merit than that. You could build a N/S and E/W line to funnel people into Sheppard West for the cost of a new station nowadays. The developer would also probably be more inclined to fund it in that scenario.
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As long as the developer actually funds it. I'm just fearful of the typical Toronto scenario of "it never gets built before all the development happens". I also wouldn't think it would be too much of a hassle to extend the line one additional station if you're going to do that project anyway. Both of these things should probably happen.
 
LemonCondo said:
As long as the developer actually funds it. I'm just fearful of the typical Toronto scenario of "it never gets built before all the development happens". I also wouldn't think it would be too much of a hassle to extend the line one additional station if you're going to do that project anyway. Both of these things should probably happen.
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We really need to get invested in making developers pay for local transit improvements like this. A streetcar isn’t expensive, especially if they’re building a whole set of roads and neighbourhoods from scratch. As it stands, nothing is happening however, and I worry about the possibilities if we do extend Line 4 here with public money…

Because then we have to have a conversation of Line 4’s future west of Sheppard W, including network effects/needs ontop of getting to Sheppard West. I consider these realistic options for Line 4 west of Sheppard W:

- Interline to Finch W
- Continue across Sheppard
- Cut down south then west (via Wilson, Lawrence, etc)

If we just went to Downsview, how many of these options are now off the table? We can’t use Line 1 interlining for any of them- easily at least- anymore. And I think that’s a very valuable factor for the future of Line 4. Barrie is on the table, but to what extent is it viable?

My point here is we don’t want to inadvertently shoot ourselves in the foot, which is easy to do with subways- especially in Toronto. I would much rather see something tailored to the purpose of serving this development than see a subway line be directed to it- might I suggest extending Line 6 to meet Line 4 at Sheppard West? It'd be a decent middle ground between subway and streetcar.
 
If you require a developer to extend something that already exists or build a station on a line that's already there... well that's not too bad. But an entirely new system?

This might sound crazy but what if you extended the Finch line east and south. If you want to extend Finch along its namesake east someday then we will just have branches. We shouldn't be afraid of branches. Maybe we can sneak the "Finch car" down the Barrie line corridor and then send it down the middle. Maybe have a bonus line right to left.

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Maybe just to SW would be fine though idk! :p

Edit: yeah draw that blue line to Wilson... whoops
 
LemonCondo said:
If you require a developer to extend something that already exists or build a station on a line that's already there... well that's not too bad. But an entirely new system?

This might sound crazy but what if you extended the Finch line east and south. If you want to extend Finch along it's namesake east someday then we will just have branches. We shouldn't be afraid of branches. Maybe we can sneak the "Finch car" down the Barrie line corridor and then send it down the middle. Maybe have a bonus line right to left.

View attachment 483450

Maybe just to SW would be fine though idk! :p

Edit: yeah draw that blue line to Wilson... whoops
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If anything, I think if a line is going to run north-south through here the best option would be a reroute of line 1. Even though they just dug some new tunnel there, it would be way cheaper and less annoying for riders to send line 1 under the runway rather than putting a whole new line through there.

Here's a little concept I drew up real quick. Line 1 northbound from Yorkdale would go up onto a guideway before crossing the 401 as it curves left, then over Wilson before going back underground. There would be a new interchange with the Sheppard Line at the centre of the development, and the tunnel would curve to meet up with Downsview park station.
Screenshot 2023-06-06 211928.png

A new Wilson station would be on the elevated portion on the south side of Wilson. This route would also allow for easy connection to the Wilson Yard, whether than be via the old tracks or a new spur from the guideway north of Wilson. There is even room north of Yorkdale station to squeeze the existing tracks to one side while the guideway gets built, like they did with the Davenport Diamond ;)

(I realize now this is probably better suited for the transit fantasy thread so I apologize for veering somewhat off topic here)
 
ben.thebean1 said:
If anything, I think if a line is going to run north-south through here the best option would be a reroute of line 1. Even though they just dug some new tunnel there, it would be way cheaper and less annoying for riders to send line 1 under the runway rather than putting a whole new line through there.

Here's a little concept I drew up real quick. Line 1 northbound from Yorkdale would go up onto a guideway before crossing the 401 as it curves left, then over Wilson before going back underground. There would be a new interchange with the Sheppard Line at the centre of the development, and the tunnel would curve to meet up with Downsview park station.
View attachment 483455
A new Wilson station would be on the elevated portion on the south side of Wilson. This route would also allow for easy connection to the Wilson Yard, whether than be via the old tracks or a new spur from the guideway north of Wilson. There is even room north of Yorkdale station to squeeze the existing tracks to one side while the guideway gets built, like they did with the Davenport Diamond ;)

(I realize now this is probably better suited for the transit fantasy thread so I apologize for veering somewhat off topic here)
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That's definitely an idea! Can't say it's likely though as it will look like a waste of money since we already have the line. And you would want multiple new stations to make the best use of it, a lot more then LRT stops. But in some ideal future this looks pretty good. 😅 Yeah if it's green field they could just dig a trench for it and put street bridges over it, not even required to do the "cover" part of cut and cover.
 
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