Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Interesting question, how do we expect the York concourse's popularity will be affected by the opening of Bay? Do we expect to see the food court less busy and significantly less traffic through the Western part of the station or do we think that people will keep walking that way after years of doing it.

I think, given that Union subway station will feed directly into the lower Bay concourse, that we will see plenty of foot traffic down there. The food court will then be a draw to those people.

I'd estimate a pretty even split between the upper and lower concourses and the Bay and York concourses. The biggest change will be the Bay st Teamways which are jammed in the evenings.

 

[TOareaFan]

Won't people just pick (or gravitate to) their concourse based on where they have been and where they are going?

eg. I work west side of DT and head to Union ...might seem I should go to the York Concourse but i am boarding a train to Brampton GO and want to be on the East end of the train for ease at the other end so, time permitting, will head for the bay side of the station.

Isn't that the sort of "decisioning" the commuter makes/does?

 

[Richard White]

Won't people just pick (or gravitate to) their concourse based on where they have been and where they are going?

eg. I work west side of DT and head to Union ...might seem I should go to the York Concourse but i am boarding a train to Brampton GO and want to be on the East end of the train for ease at the other end so, time permitting, will head for the bay side of the station.

Isn't that the sort of "decisioning" the commuter makes/does?

Good point. I cannot see people walking further than they need to just to board the same train.

 

[DSC]

Good point. I cannot see people walking further than they need to just to board the same train.

People will, of course, act like water and take the easiest course. If the Bay concourse wants to get people to move there from the York one (or vice versa) they will need to offer something different and better! (Cuter GO employees, hotter coffee, better access to trains, who knows!

 

[Richard White]

People will, of course, act like water and take the easiest course. If the Bay concourse wants to get people to move there from the York one (or vice versa) they will need to offer something different and better! (Cuter GO employees, hotter coffee, better access to trains, who knows!

Baristas in french maid outfits?

 

[DatTranzitGuy]

Here’s a few updated pictures guys from the Bay Concourse.

Included is also the future corridor that will lead from the Bay to York Concourse.

View attachment 167694View attachment 167695View attachment 167696View attachment 167697

I just had a thought about the first picture. If they are going to open the east wing to pedestrians are they going to make it so you can see the concourse below?

 

[drum118]

Long waits, ingredient shortages plague ambitious Union Station food court

 

[Student99]

If the Bay concourse wants to get people to move there from the York one (or vice versa) they will need to offer something different and better! (Cuter GO employees, hotter coffee, better access to trains, who knows!

Cuter GO employees? lmao

priority boarding! more advanced notice of train platforms!

Oh, I noticed "Naked Beauty Bar" has closed in Front St Promenade. Is this the first legit casualty? (was the pop up space always intended to be pop up, or did that emerge after the first casualty?)

 

[WillTo]

Long waits, ingredient shortages plague ambitious Union Station food court

Negative title, but generally positive article.
Food court appears to be a success.

Cuter GO employees? lmao

priority boarding! more advanced notice of train platforms!

But I thought platform information was intentionally delayed to avoid over crowding on the platforms?

 

[nfitz]

But I thought platform information was intentionally delayed to avoid over crowding on the platforms?

As they've delayed the installations of screens that show when the trains are coming, I'd think this would lead to people going to the platforms earlier, not later!

 

[DSC]

As they've delayed the installations of screens that show when the trains are coming, I'd think this would lead to people going to the platforms earlier, not later!

I think their rationale is that platforms can change so if you go to your "normal platform" before the screens show it you may be in the wrong place and thus you need to wait in the concourse. I seldom use GO trains but think the platforms used are actually quite consistent so this may not work but ...

 

[TOareaFan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1081581929730732033

 

[WillTo]

Download an ebook?

Can't you do this anywhere with an internet connection with Toronto Public Library credentials?

 

[Le Gique]

My memory tells me that Choo Choo's was the bar (somewhat "grungy") upstairs beside the main doors (where the VIA1 lounge is now).

Also known as Front St Bar and Grill at one point, no?

 

[Le Gique]

Thanks! I'm having some difficulty picturing the leather shop in the old Bay Concourse at Union.

Here’s the picture, according to my mind’s eyeball:
You head up the ramp before leaving the Bay Concourse proper (we didn’t know it as that back then, did we?) and on your right you pass the lineups of the McDonald’s stand and convenience store (remember the patties and popcorn? The owners now run the Union TTC Gateway, methinks.)

On your left was the juice place and a busy Mr Sub, and then you move into the next space. Recall the LCBO on your left? You had to go down some steps to enter, as with the Leather shop on the right also. It was actually quite big, and I’d love to know where the owners went: they were nice to me and the wallet I last got there served me well. I recall the gent there as Franco but hey, I’m fuzzy on names.

Further on your right next to the leather shop, IIRC, was the pizza joint. People would line up into the passageway for a cheap slice or even a whole pie (for like five bucks?). That dough was never spun above a pizzerio’s head- it had little holes in the crust (as if rolled in a machine) but was just fine. The owner also ran the cell phone accessory shop in the Great Hall and for a while sold the tickets for the Northlander. It was he who told me Union commuters at the time would not sufficiently patronize a shop with high end merchandise.

Further into the “VIA Arrivals” area was, clockwise from the left, a video arcade, the Crossant Tree with a few tables, the Travelers Aid booth, access to car rental agencies (and lockers, before 9/11), same West stairs up to the Great Hall, glass doors to somewhere, the tunnel to Royal York, ramps to Front and Commuters with zero craft beers, I bet.

Cheers!