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

[interchange42]

It was but a fleeting apparition, an infrastructural fever dream, a physical manifestation of our need to see progress in concrete form. Now lacking empirical evidence but for photographically impressed pixels, the construction dissolves for us back into the realm of mere ideological construct.

It's super-late.

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[TransitBart]

For a moment, I thought that was a Haiku.

 

[Student99]

random topic, but are the forthcoming Union Chicken and the Amano pasta place run by the same company?

 

[interchange42]

Yes. There's already a Union Chicken operating at Sherway Gardens. This would be the first Amano AFAIK.

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[Rasho]

A look inside the tunnel between the Bay and York st moats from Monday, Sept 25.

 

[DSC]

Noticed today on my way to the jays game that the newly opened route through the bay concourse has been closed.

Too many people to get pictures but it has been fenced off.

It was fenced off because they are rebuilding the external wall right above it. I suspect it will reopen (at least for a while) as they seem to have lots to do in the "East Moat": area and most of it cannot be done with civilians there.

 

[Le Gique]

We've heard before that new Great Hall departure board(s) would go above the VIA ticket booths, but now it seems that the clock will also disappear from the centre of the hall.
Hasn't there been some manner of timepiece there pretty well since the 'Ticket Lobby' was built?

 

[Richard White]

We've heard before that new Great Hall departure board(s) would go above the VIA ticket booths, but now it seems that the clock will also disappear from the centre of the hall.
Hasn't there been some manner of timepiece there pretty well since the 'Ticket Lobby' was built?

My understanding was that they were going to rebuild and restore the info desk.

 

[Le Gique]

My understanding was that they were going to rebuild and restore the info desk.

Which has [always] had an accompanying clock of some sort. The booth will disappear also...?
From THRA:

 

[union2pearson]

It was fenced off because they are rebuilding the external wall right above it. I suspect it will reopen (at least for a while) as they seem to have lots to do in the "East Moat": area and most of it cannot be done with civilians there.

You're right. The temporary opening in the Bay Concourse is only open during the morning and afternoon rush, Monday to Friday. In between those hours, they block it off. It was agreed upon with the TTC, GO and the City as not to create pinch points in the AM and PM.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

We've heard before that new Great Hall departure board(s) would go above the VIA ticket booths, but now it seems that the clock will also disappear from the centre of the hall.
Hasn't there been some manner of timepiece there pretty well since the 'Ticket Lobby' was built?

Which has [always] had an accompanying clock of some sort. The booth will disappear also...?
From THRA:

The renderings on the project page have a similar info booth/clock to what's in that historical picture. Which is too bad. I like the current big clock, it's a good marker. I'll always tell my wife or visitors from out of town 'hey, I'll meet you at the big clock.'

 

[Le Gique]

The renderings on the project page have a similar info booth/clock to what's in that historical picture. Which is too bad. I like the current big clock, it's a good marker. I'll always tell my wife or visitors from out of town 'hey, I'll meet you at the big clock.'

I have been up and down on whether to trust the renderings in this respect. There is a strong historic-oriented influence on the way the Great Hall is used, sometimes to the detriment of good signage and passenger flow. [The latter is the only justifiable reason to clear out the centre of the hall, IMO, but I'd want to see serious modelling of projected use of the space first...]

You're not alone in using that key landmark as a meeting point. Probably been a Toronto habit since 1927.

I imagine the battles to finalize the room's design have been rather fierce... would we have expected to see some kind of confirmation of the renderings by now?

 

[Richard White]

I have been up and down on whether to trust the renderings in this respect. There is a strong historic-oriented influence on the way the Great Hall is used, sometimes to the detriment of good signage and passenger flow. [The latter is the only justifiable reason to clear out the centre of the hall, IMO, but I'd want to see serious modelling of projected use of the space first...]

You're not alone in using that key landmark as a meeting point. Probably been a Toronto habit since 1927.

I imagine the battles to finalize the room's design have been rather fierce... would we have expected to see some kind of confirmation of the renderings by now?

Years ago CP, CN, VIA and advertisers all posted their signs in the Great Hall which eventually became overbearing. I have seen photos of cars over the stairs and billboards over the ticket windows. In the 80s there was plenty of signage which seems to have disappeared over the years.

I think they are trying to strike a balance between in your face signage and and 1950s TTC Way Out signage.

 

[interchange42]

I have no idea how fierce the battling may or may not have been over the degree to which the restoration will be faithful, but I can confirm that the decisions regarding the restoration have been continuing until recently, and I expect are still ongoing for remaining aspects. The Great Hall renderings were created long before anyone knew just what would be, could be, or ultimately should be realized.

If it were up to me, we'd get a flipboard for the train destinations. They are one of the great casualties of the digital age in my estimation.

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[AlvinofDiaspar]

If it were up to me, we'd get a flipboard for the train destinations. They are one of the great casualties of the digital age in my estimation.

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We can always have an animated digital display with authentic flip board sound effects

AoD