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

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Not only that, but given what a mess the signage is at Union station (in the parts under Metrolinx's authority; much worse than anything the TTC has got), I'm not sure Metrolinx has anything useful to say to us on the wayfinding front.

apparently because union station was done before they added the new wayfinding system it won't be updated for awhile the same with the bus terminal at Kipling as well. Compare that to the TTC when they diced to update theirs they printed signs and information that went up overnight telling people that they were changing the line names to numbers and didn't wait years to do it.

 

[dullturtle06]

apparently because union station was done before they added the new wayfinding system it won't be updated for awhile the same with the bus terminal at Kipling as well. Compare that to the TTC when they diced to update theirs they printed signs and information that went up overnight telling people that they were changing the line names to numbers and didn't wait years to do it.

the signage at union station is done by the city of toronto. Metrolinx can only update the signage under their jurisdiction which would only include the platforms, york, and bay concourse. which if you have walked there, you would have seen that the metrolinx signage has already been updated. The rest of union station signage is at the descreation of the city and ossmington. which do not want to change it because it "looks better" and money.

 

[Dan416]

I mentioned it in another thread, but I'll mention it here again, but the signage in Union Station really is bad. I commuted downtown for several years in my university days, so I'm no stranger to GO and Union Station. But whenever I get back from taking the VIA train to Montreal and have to get to the GO Bus terminal, it's such a disaster trying to find my way to the new one. The signage is bad/non-existent. The departure screens within Union Station itself don't show any of the GO bus departures so you have no idea what time your bus is and how much time you have unless you check your phone. The time it takes to get to the new GO Bus terminal is obscene, even for someone who walks as fast as I do.

The GO train station looks a lot better than what I deal with back in my university days, so there have been improvements. But signage is definitely not one of them, and the departure boards really really suck for the GO Bus passengers who aren't lucky enough to be on a GO train line with two-way all-day service.

 

[Willybru21]

I mentioned it in another thread, but I'll mention it here again, but the signage in Union Station really is bad. I commuted downtown for several years in my university days, so I'm no stranger to GO and Union Station. But whenever I get back from taking the VIA train to Montreal and have to get to the GO Bus terminal, it's such a disaster trying to find my way to the new one. The signage is bad/non-existent. The departure screens within Union Station itself don't show any of the GO bus departures so you have no idea what time your bus is and how much time you have unless you check your phone. The time it takes to get to the new GO Bus terminal is obscene, even for someone who walks as fast as I do.

The GO train station looks a lot better than what I deal with back in my university days, so there have been improvements. But signage is definitely not one of them, and the departure boards really really suck for the GO Bus passengers who aren't lucky enough to be on a GO train line with two-way all-day service.

A lot of the departure screens in Union show bus departures, it’s been like that for years.

 

[Willybru21]

Three new restaurants inside Union announced: My Olive (we already knew about this one but now there’s an official for it), Manotas, and Chocollata Brigadeiros:

 

[DSC]

We REALLY need a general "transit Signage" thread - I agree that there should be improvements to signage at Union but most of the signage discussion here recently has been generic and I actually doubt we would like having some special signage at Union that was somehow unique. Signage talk in this thread really ought to be specific to Union.

 

[Richard White]

We REALLY need a general "transit Signage" thread - I agree that there should be improvements to signage at Union but most of the signage discussion here recently has been generic and I actually doubt we would like having some special signage at Union that was somehow unique. Signage talk in this thread really ought to be specific to Union.

I agree.

I actually contemplated unfollowing this thread because of all the posts about signage.

None of it is really relevant to Union and it is a tad tiresome going through all those posts about it.

Can we nix the discussion about signage and get back on track?

 

[MisterF]

I mentioned it in another thread, but I'll mention it here again, but the signage in Union Station really is bad. I commuted downtown for several years in my university days, so I'm no stranger to GO and Union Station. But whenever I get back from taking the VIA train to Montreal and have to get to the GO Bus terminal, it's such a disaster trying to find my way to the new one. The signage is bad/non-existent. The departure screens within Union Station itself don't show any of the GO bus departures so you have no idea what time your bus is and how much time you have unless you check your phone. The time it takes to get to the new GO Bus terminal is obscene, even for someone who walks as fast as I do.

The GO train station looks a lot better than what I deal with back in my university days, so there have been improvements. But signage is definitely not one of them, and the departure boards really really suck for the GO Bus passengers who aren't lucky enough to be on a GO train line with two-way all-day service.

One of the problems with Union is that GO, UP Express, and Via Rail each have separate areas with separate departure boards. Imagine the confusion of a tourist in the Great Hall looking to take a train to Barrie. They should have GO departures along with Via in the Great Hall at the very least.

 

[T3G]

We REALLY need a general "transit Signage" thread - I agree that there should be improvements to signage at Union but most of the signage discussion here recently has been generic and I actually doubt we would like having some special signage at Union that was somehow unique. Signage talk in this thread really ought to be specific to Union.

Perhaps a generic wayfinding thread would be in order, to encompass destination sign displays, as Metrolinx doesn't do too hot on that front either.

 

[nfitz]

Perhaps a generic wayfinding thread would be in order, to encompass destination sign displays, as Metrolinx doesn't do too hot on that front either.

Or resurrect one of the many threads that we already have. Some are already very generic. Particularly the first!

Wayfinding signage ideas

I thought I'd create a thread where you guys can post ideas / drawings to improves TTC signage. What do you guys think of this? Concepts copied from Hong Kong ;) I found their wayfinding system absolutely easy to use. No useless logos of staircases when it was obvious there were stairs...

urbantoronto.ca

Toronto Wayfinding Strategy (City of Toronto, Design Phase)

City of Toronto pilot project: http://torontofinancialdistrict.com/toronto-wayfinding-strategy-mapping-urbanplanning-space-design-toronto-parks-directions-city-urban/ AoD

urbantoronto.ca

TTC Cartography, Signage, and Wayfinding

No one's mentioned it yet, but the TTC has started putting up updated versions of the subway map on its cars... and it's ridiculous. They've changed the font identifying the stations from faux-Helvetica/Arial (the Swis721 that Joe Clark speaks of) to a condensed, bolded look-alike. They've...

urbantoronto.ca

TTC: Redesigning TTC Signage

The TTC has a laundry list of customer service issues. But one of the biggest one of them is the horrible lack of uniformity and the extremely confusing nature of the TTCs signs. I often find myself confused about where to go; and I consider myself to be somewhat of a Toronto transit expert...

urbantoronto.ca

Union Station platform renumbering and signage

Union Station more user-friendly By BRIAN GRAY, SUN MEDIA Last Updated: 26th September 2008, 2:44am All signs point to change at Union Station. GO commuters are going to see the first in a series of upgrades to the busiest transit hub in Canada starting Oct. 4 -- something designers hope...

urbantoronto.ca

Destination Signage

I always found that there is terrible inconsistency in the subway destination signage: - The subway trains display the ultimate destination (e.g. Finch) - On the Sheppard platform edge signs, you only get what the next station is (e.g. East to Bessarion) - Some other signs only show what...

urbantoronto.ca

 

[Deadpool X]

It may have been answered before but is there any possibility of Via concourse looking better than what it looks like right now some time in future? York and Bay concourses look miles ahead compared to Via concourse.

 

[EnviroTO]

The VIA concourse was refurbished recently but it seems they don't know what to do with the space. What is the supporting furniture for this space? What is the signage strategy for this space? What decorative elements should be added to make it pop? Instead there is temporary furniture like retractable belt stanchions, movable signage, and lighting that can't possibly represent the historic look of the space in 1927 nor act as a modern enhancement. Fluorescent tube lighting came around in the 40s and 50s... and I don't think it is something that should be mimicked aesthetically using LED lights in a 1927 station, unless this is a statement indicating this concourse came to be in the late 40s or beyond. I can't find any photos of this concourse at opening... but it doesn't seem to have much relation to the rest of the station's detail and materials. Still, even if you leave the lighting, ceiling, columns, and walls as they are... there is no real excuse for the uninspired terrazzo flooring and other furnishings or lack thereof.

Big plus though... the ceiling is painted and smooth.

 

[union2pearson]

The VIA concourse was refurbished recently but it seems they don't know what to do with the space. What is the supporting furniture for this space? What is the signage strategy for this space? What decorative elements should be added to make it pop? Instead there is temporary furniture like retractable belt stanchions, movable signage, and lighting that can't possibly represent the historic look of the space in 1927 nor act as a modern enhancement. Fluorescent tube lighting came around in the 40s and 50s... and I don't think it is something that should be mimicked aesthetically using LED lights in a 1927 station, unless this is a statement indicating this concourse came to be in the late 40s or beyond. I can't find any photos of this concourse at opening... but it doesn't seem to have much relation to the rest of the station's detail and materials. Still, even if you leave the lighting, ceiling, columns, and walls as they are... there is no real excuse for the uninspired terrazzo flooring and other furnishings or lack thereof.

Big plus though... the ceiling is painted and smooth.

View attachment 471886View attachment 471887

A Tim Horton's Kiosk will be built shortly in the VIA Concourse in one of the alcoves. No bakery though, but I think there's already too many coffee shops within Union already, but as some may say, you can never have too many coffee shops...

 

[rdaner]

A Tim Horton's Kiosk will be built shortly in the VIA Concourse in one of the alcoves. No bakery though, but I think there's already too many coffee shops within Union already, but as some may say, you can never have too many coffee shops...

You can never have too many coffee shops! ️

 

[Richard White]

A Tim Horton's Kiosk will be built shortly in the VIA Concourse in one of the alcoves. No bakery though, but I think there's already too many coffee shops within Union already, but as some may say, you can never have too many coffee shops...

Honestly, you can have too many coffee shops.

That is what, 6 coffee shops in Union Station (7 if you include Balzacs at the UP Express).