91-480: The Craigleith Heritage Depot is a museum, library, tourism and community hub serving The Blue Mountains, Ontario in partnership with The Town of The Blue Mountains Public Library and is the last remaining station standing on Canada's first long-line railroad. It is located on the corner of Highway 26 and Grey Road 19 on the south side of Georgian Bay . Erected in the 1880s, the Craigleith Heritage Depot
182-444: A "Metro Centre" development on the south side of Front Street on the site of Union Station and proposed to demolish the structure (which was costing an increasing amount of property taxes but not bringing in revenue). The proposed Metro Centre development was strikingly similar to what occurred with New York City's Penn Station and would have consisted of an underground fourth Union Station (the terminal trackage would have been buried),
273-458: A 1,680 sq ft (156 m) platform constructed in 1898. Inside the station there were separate waiting rooms for men and women as well as living quarters for the stationmaster and his family. The train conductor lived on site with his wife and family. In 1860, Edward VII , son of Queen Victoria , travelled to Canada for a visit. Almost every station between Toronto and Collingwood had erected spectacular floral arches beneath which
364-595: A central heating plant at the corner of York and Fleet streets (now Lake Shore Boulevard West) to replace the original Toronto Hydro plant on Scott Street which had been expropriated by the TTR to build the approach track viaduct to the new station. It was fuelled by coal delivered by a CNR siding and was the largest such facility in Canada when it opened in 1929; it produced 150,000 kilograms (330,000 lb) of steam per hour and 270,000,000 kilograms (600,000,000 lb) annually to heat
455-547: A convention centre, a telecommunications tower, along with complementary office and retail developments. Local opposition to the proposal was successful in having the city council's decision to support the Metro Centre development overturned and Union Station was saved. Although it was converted from coal to natural gas , the Central Heating Plant built in 1929 was decommissioned in the 1980s, and demolished in 1990. It
546-647: A direct connection from the GO Concourse to the Path pedestrian tunnel system, a new eastbound platform for the Union TTC station , improved access to streetcars at Union TTC station, and improved capacity for inter-city railway passengers. These developments were part of a $ 100 million initiative announced by the city and its transit authorities, along with the Government of Ontario and Government of Canada. On August 5, 2009,
637-440: A green roof installed, reducing the urban heat island effect and stormwater runoff; however, with the project being almost eight years behind and multiple times over budget, along with the fact that plant-watering logistics would clash with the planned overhead wiring for electrification, the addition of a green roof was cancelled. The central portion of the original train shed, totalling 30,000 square metres (320,000 square feet),
728-527: A platform a short walk west of the main station building, accessible by the SkyWalk . Toronto's Union Station is located at 61 Front Street West, between Bay and York Streets in Toronto's business district, with Toronto's Entertainment District beginning across Bay Street. It is roughly at the city's east-west centre. It is also close to Lake Ontario , which marks Toronto's southern boundary. The southernmost part of
819-603: A plethora of boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and chalets, as well as golf courses within walking distance. Less than a 5-minute drive away there is the Scandinave Spa which situated on 25 acres of natural Ontario birch, as well as the Scenic Caves. Craigleith Provincial Park is located along Highway 26 near Blue Mountain resort. The Bruce Trail passes through sections of the town. The Kolapore area for mountain biking and cross-country skiing, Metcalfe Rock which
910-544: A preserved heritage feature of the platform 3 area; these were restored. The decorative, cast-iron columns along the platform were restored and reinstalled. Other structural renovations were done along the length of the platform. Once the north tower of the CIBC Square is completed, stair and elevator access will be reinstated between platform 3 and the Bay East Teamway. The 23 platforms are numbered from 3 to 27, but there
1001-511: A purchaser who would preserve the building. Ken Knapman passed away due to heart complications. For two years after, Suyrea struggled to keep the restaurant going, hoping that an investor would come along who was committed to preserving the building. The Craigleith Heritage Ridge Project and supporters met with the Town of the Blue Mountains council to encourage the town to buy the building. Following
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#17328730867111092-507: A ribbon-cutting ceremony, using a pair of gold scissors. In attendance were Prince George , Lieutenant Governor of Ontario William Donald Ross and his wife, Prime Minister of Canada William Lyon Mackenzie King , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Stanley Baldwin and Mrs. Baldwin, Premier of Ontario George Howard Ferguson , and other members of the government of Ontario and government of Canada . Prince Edward
1183-515: A substantially original example of late 19th century rail road station architecture. An original settler of Craigleith, Andrew Grieg Fleming, father of Sandford Fleming , donated land for a railway station and right-of-way in Craigleith, and it is believed the Craigleith Station was built in about 1878. Sandford Fleming went on to a career as a railway construction engineer, and as well developed
1274-405: A total of 28 bays. The structures at either end have an additional ten bays. Three rectangular windows fill each bay, lighting the interior hall with plenty of natural light. However, the building's external profile is hard and flat, with a line of huge columns, heavy ornamentation and strong symmetry. The recessed main entrance is framed by two sets of four columns, with relief wreaths carved into
1365-452: Is a major railway station and intermodal transportation hub in Toronto , Ontario, Canada. The station is located in downtown Toronto , on Front Street West , on the south side of the block bounded by Bay Street and York Street. The municipal government of Toronto owns the station building while the provincial transit agency Metrolinx owns the train shed and trackage. It is operated by
1456-570: Is a town in Grey County , southwestern Ontario , Canada , located where the Beaver River flows into Nottawasaga Bay . It is named for the Blue Mountain , and hence the economy of the town is centred on tourism, particularly on the Blue Mountain ski resort and the private Georgian Peaks, Osler, Craigleith and Alpine Ski Clubs. The town was formed on January 1, 2001, when the Town of Thornbury
1547-532: Is also connected to the subway and streetcar system of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) at its adjacent namesake subway station . GO Transit's Union Station Bus Terminal , located in CIBC Square , is connected to Union Station by a 40-metre (130 ft) enclosed walkway above Bay Street. The Union Pearson Express , which provides train service to Toronto Pearson International Airport , has
1638-736: Is considered part of the Path network, and connects Union to the CN Tower and Rogers Centre . It is also the location of the Union Pearson Express station. The current Union Station's history can be traced to 1858, when the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) opened Toronto's first Union Station west of the present Union Station. The wooden structure was shared with the Northern Railway and the Great Western Railway . This structure
1729-419: Is home to the architecturally unique L.E. Shore Memorial Library, built in 1995 and named after the founding partner of the architectural practice of Shore Tilbe Irwin + Partners who designed it. In more recent years, Thornbury has become a winter and summer destination for individuals from across Ontario to vacation. The town also holds an annual Canada Day celebration that takes place on the main street. In
1820-406: Is laid out in an ashlar pattern, constructed with smooth beige Indiana and Queenston limestone. The colonnaded loggia which faces Front Street features 22 equally spaced Roman Tuscan columns made from Bedford limestone, each 40 feet (12 m) high and weighing 75 tons. Fourteen three-storey bays, each with severely delineated fenestration, form the façade on either side of the central colonnade for
1911-422: Is no platform 1, 2, 23 or 24. The platforms were renumbered in 2008 for the benefit of operational staff in order to provide a correlation between platform numbers and track numbers. (Prior to the renumbering, the platform numbers had an A or B suffix that proved to be confusing for both customers and operational staff.) Tracks and platforms are each numbered from north to south with track 1 being beside platform 3 on
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#17328730867112002-433: Is now site of The Ice condo towers. In 1978, CN and CP transferred responsibility for their passenger rail services to Via Rail, a new federal Crown corporation ; however, CN and CP retained their 50% ownership shares of the TTR. The GO Transit commuter rail agency which was established on May 23, 1967, had been undergoing unprecedented expansion which was seeing Union Station see passenger levels that outstripped some of
2093-641: Is popular with rock climbers as well as the Duncan Crevice Caves Nature Reserve are in the area as well. The primary population centres are Thornbury and the modern resort-style communities clustered around the foot of the escarpment near the ski resorts. Additionally the town's territory also includes the rural communities of Banks, Camperdown, Castle Glen Estates, Christie Beach, Clarksburg, Craigleith, Duncan, Gibraltar, Swiss Meadows, Heathcote, Kolapore, Little Germany, Lora Bay, Loree, Ravenna, Red Wing, Slabtown, and Victoria Corners. Thornbury
2184-524: Is the setting for the novel Ravenna Gets by author Tony Burgess . The Blue Mountains has a host of recreational activities for all the seasons. Most notably is the winter skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. In the summer there is hiking, downhill/cross-country biking, an extravagant mini putt, the Ridge Runner and events such as Met Con Blue. If physical activities are not what you are looking for, The Village at Blue Mountain has
2275-423: Is what makes it look from the front as though a second building were rising behind the colonnade, is made of coffered Guastavino tiles . The walls are faced with Zumbro stone from Missouri, and the floors are constructed of Tennessee marble laid in a herringbone pattern. Below the cornice surrounding the "Great Hall" are carved the names of many Canadian destinations, from the east coast to Vancouver, accessible by
2366-428: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , The Blue Mountains had a population of 9,390 living in 4,348 of its 7,396 total private dwellings, a change of 33.7% from its 2016 population of 7,025 . With a land area of 284.65 km (109.90 sq mi), it had a population density of 33.0/km (85.4/sq mi) in 2021. Population trend: Union Station (Toronto) Union Station
2457-569: The CN Tower are all close by, and are visible from some parts of the station. Like Union Station, these structures were built on former Railway Lands . All of them can be accessed directly from Union Station via the Skywalk. The land around the CN Tower has been converted to a public park. Union Station will soon be linked via a Path bridge on the east side to the Backstage Condominium building at
2548-593: The Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National, were reducing their services to the bare minimum mandated under the Canadian Transport Commission, largely as a result of unsustainable losses caused by increased competition from new, subsidized four-lane highways and airports. The third Union Station's future was looking bleak by 1972, when both railways sought to increase return on their underutilized waterfront rail classification yards which
2639-543: The Gardiner Expressway , which lies between Union Station and Lake Ontario, provides easy core access to GO Transit buses. Union Station's columned façade and main entrance faces north, towards downtown Toronto. The Fairmont Royal York Hotel , a former railway hotel, is directly across Front Street from Union Station and can be accessed from the station both at street level and via an underground passageway called Path . The Dominion Public Building , another building from
2730-727: The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and the National Transcontinental Railway ) and the Canadian Northern Railway was undertaking an aggressive expansion across the prairies and into southern Ontario. On July 13, 1906, the Toronto Terminals Railway (TTR) was incorporated to "construct, provide, maintain and operate at the City of Toronto a union passenger station ". The TTR was jointly owned by
2821-667: The Grand Trunk Railway . The Craigleith Station building was constructed from local timber and included at the time a modern feature in railway design, the rounded turret . There are only two turreted stations left in Ontario, with Craigleith being the only one in its original state. The station's dwelling and waiting room was constructed in 1889 with sill foundation, shingle roof, frame and dimensions 26 ft (7.9 m) by 28 ft (8.5 m), height 12 ft (3.7 m). The addition's diameters were 12.5 ft (3.8 m) by 26 ft (7.9 m), height 8 ft (2.4 m). The tower
Craigleith Heritage Depot - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-399: The Toronto Transit Commission opened its Union subway station adjacent to Union Station but buried beneath Front Street West. This subway station acted as the southern terminus of its new subway line . The subway station included a direct tunnel connection to the lower level passenger concourse. This passageway was closed and replaced by the direct connection between the railway station and
3003-491: The Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway , which reached Owen Sound in 1873. The railway was later part of the Grand Trunk Railway and Canadian National Railways (CNR) systems. Thereafter, it became known as the CN Meaford Subdivision. Regular passenger service ceased in 1960; the line itself was abandoned in 1985. Many large late nineteenth century houses on tree lined streets characterize the town suburbs. Thornbury
3094-455: The train shed , which contains 23 platforms (11 island platforms and one side platform) south of the Great Hall. On May 11, 2009, the last two platforms were opened, platforms 24/25 between tracks 12 and 13 and platforms 26/27 between tracks 13 and 14 on the south side of the train shed. In July 2022, Metrolinx was having platforms 24 to 27 and their three tracks demolished on the south side of
3185-863: The 1960s when transportation by automobile drastically reduced ridership. In 1991, the neighboring railway corridor was secured by the Ontario Trails Council and is now the Georgian Trail. In 1966, Ken and Suyrea Knapman purchased and restored the building and opened a restaurant on October 26, 1968, naming it The Depot. On September 23, 1996, the couple were presented the Ontario Heritage Foundation Community Heritage Award by Collingwood Township's Reeve Ross Arthur in recognition of their preservation efforts. They put The Depot up for sale in 1998 when Mr. Knapman's health problems became serious, but they were determined to find
3276-597: The 9.8 acres (0.040 km) to the railway. The lot is located on a Native trail surveyed by Charles Rankin in 1834. By September 1872, the Collingwood to Meaford branch of the Northern Railway (aka the North Grey Extension Company, or North Grey Railway) was operating, and by 1881, five trains were arriving at Craigleith's platform stop each day. In 1882, the Northern Railway company was purchased by
3367-719: The Bay and York concourses give access to GO train platforms. The Bay West Teamway provides access to platforms 4 to 13 and the Bay South Concourse. The Bay East Teamway provides indoor access to platforms 4 to 13 directly from the Union Station Bus Terminal . As of 2023 , Metrolinx is constructing the new South Concourse. This will connect the south ends of the Bay, Via and York Concourses, and span between Bay and York Streets. It will also provide access to Union Square and Scotiabank Arena. Trains arrive and depart from
3458-605: The Blue Mountain Watershed Trust. In September 2001, a Visibility Strategy was undertaken and presented to the Town of the Blue Mountains regarding what was to become of the Craigleith Depot. The successful option was to turn The Depot into a heritage centre and trailhead with a commercial component. The Craigleith Heritage Committee and Blue Mountain Watershed Trust undertook many years of fundraising to ensure
3549-482: The Fleming family. Planted in 1901 by Stationmaster Wilson's wife, the lilacs have become a signature of the depot. Some say the lilacs were planted there because Wilson's wife was congratulating him on the job of station agent, some say they were there to cover the smell of the outhouses outside the train station, some say they were given as a gift, others say they were planted to remind her of her native Britain. Either way
3640-570: The GTR and the CPR who each held 50% of the TTR shares. The TTR supervised construction of the new station which began in 1914 and proceeded to 1920, having faced significant delays in the shortage of construction material and workers as a result of the First World War , as well as the GTR's deteriorating financial position due to its ill-fated transcontinental GTPR railway project. The resulting construction saw
3731-528: The General Roadmaster dated May 6, 1902, outlining the wages of the railway station workers. The foreman at the Depot received $ 45.00 per month. All regular section laborers received $ 1.20 per day. The foreman rates covered all services performed, there was no allowance for overtime. The ski industry was one of the businesses which benefited by the railway stop. In the 1940s, private ski facilities were opened to
Craigleith Heritage Depot - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-486: The Grand Trunk Railway or Canadian Pacific Railway at the time of the station's construction. Many remain destinations on Via Rail routes. While historically shared by many different services, the Great Hall is now occupied primarily by Via Rail, whose agents also provide services to Amtrak passengers. The hall is home to Via's ticket and baggage desks, business class lounge , and several small displays, as well as
3913-483: The TTR and its owners. During this time in 1923, the bankrupt GTR was fully nationalized by the Government of Canada and merged into the Canadian National Railways (CNR), which would assume the GTR's 50% ownership of the TTR and thus the third Union Station. Although the station was incomplete, its building was complete and the station was opened by Prince Edward, Prince of Wales , on August 6, 1927, in
4004-630: The Toronto City Council approved an update of this plan which was projected to cost $ 640 million, with construction lasting from 2010 to 2014. Much of the work was undertaken by or managed by Carillion . The work also involved a complete overhaul of the GO concourses, deepening them to create two storeys of space. The lower level (the food court section of which opened in January 2019) will provide retail space and room for pedestrian traffic flow, and
4095-632: The Toronto Terminals Railway, a joint venture of the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway , which directs and controls train movement along the Union Station Rail Corridor, the largest and busiest rail corridor in Canada. Constructed in 1927, Union Station has been a National Historic Site of Canada since 1975, and a Heritage Railway Station since 1989. Its central position in Canada's busiest inter-city rail service area, " The Corridor ", as well as being
4186-656: The York East Teamway, as well as an entrance to a Path tunnel leading across Front Street, between York Street and University Avenue. The York West Teamway is connected to Union Station via the Skywalk. Historically, the 3,700-square-metre (40,000 sq ft) Bay Street Concourse was the hub of GO Transit operations for almost 40 years. The Bay Concourse was closed on August 16, 2015, for revitalization, and reopened on July 27, 2021. The concourse features 72 departure screens, 30 Presto devices, seven ticket vending machines and six self-service Presto reload machines. Both
4277-454: The arches and accidentally severed the cable which controlled the railway signals for miles. Warning bells and red lights went out of control for the next 12 hours. In addition, a heavy rainstorm during the night destroyed the Lilac Arch. No towns have been persuaded to participate in the revival of the floral arch since. Phillis Gertrude Wilson was born at the depot in 1909. Her grandfather was
4368-465: The axial symmetry, classical detailing in both structural and decorative elements, heavy ornamentation, and formal setting is typical of the Beaux-Arts style. The station housed a gun range on the seventh floor from 1927 until 2008. The range was operated for "Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway police to practice their shooting skills. It eventually opened to members of the public". It
4459-476: The building could be fully restored and reopened to the public as The Craigleith Heritage Depot Community Interpretation Centre. The building has kept the original flooring from the train station. It is evident on this flooring where visitors and travelers have frequently walked. The Craigleith Heritage Depot joined with the Town of the Blue Mountains Public Library in 2016. The decision to unite
4550-539: The busiest airports in the world. The consolidated TTR trackage included a flyover west of the station to permit freight trains to cross CN's Oakville subdivision without blocking GO Transit's commuter trains. The flyover was constructed in 1982–83 and also allowed GO trains destined for the CN Weston subdivision to cross over the tracks used by GO and Via trains using the CN Oakville subdivision. The CN Tower had revamped
4641-577: The central hub of GO Transit's commuter rail service, makes Union Station Canada's busiest transportation facility and the second-busiest railway station in North America (behind New York Penn Station ), serving over 72 million passengers each year. More than half of all Canadian inter-city passengers and 91 percent of Toronto commuter train passengers travel through Union Station. Via Rail and Amtrak provide inter-city train services while GO Transit operates regional rail services. The station
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#17328730867114732-697: The corner of Esplanade and Yonge Street. Toronto's Union Station is Canada's largest and most opulent railway station. The Montreal architecture firm of Ross and Macdonald designed the building in the Beaux-Arts style as a joint venture between the Grand Trunk Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, with help from CPR architect Hugh Jones and Toronto architect John M. Lyle . In 1975, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada cited its design as being of "national architectural significance as one of
4823-489: The depot's land. The application was approved and the land was severed into four blocks of land just east of the depot for building lots. In 2001, with the support of the Craigleith Heritage Committee and many concerned citizens, the Craigleith Depot was purchased by the Town of the Blue Mountains for $ 380,000, with $ 350,000 being contributed by the municipality and Craigleith Heritage Committee, and $ 30,000 by
4914-415: The elimination of Lorne Street located between Simcoe and Bay from Front to Esplanade with tracks leading west of the new station now in place. Although the new station's headhouse and east and west office wings (the station building visible from Front Street West) were completed in 1920, it did not open to the public for another seven years, until the system of approach tracks was designed and implemented by
5005-406: The entablature above the columns. These columns are composed of three separate segments on top of an incongruous octagonal plinth, implying an Ionic order or Corinthian order ; however, the capital is sculpted in a Doric order . Consequently, these columns appear to be unfinished. The original plan for the columns is not known. A wraparound dentil cornice and a recessed peaked hipped roof creates
5096-414: The finest examples of Beaux-Arts railway station design in Canada". The bilaterally symmetrical building comprises three connecting box masses facing Front Street West, with the main structure in the middle. Together, the three parts measure 752 feet (229 m) long and occupy the entire south side of the block between Bay Street in the east and York Street in the west. The exterior Front Street façade
5187-517: The harbour and the post office dates from 1854. Rail service reached Thornbury on September 2, 1872, when the Northern Railway of Canada 's North Grey Railway was built westward through Grey County from Collingwood to Meaford; the line reached Meaford later that year, in December. The line was originally planned to extend all the way to Owen Sound, but this vision went unrealized due to factors such as terrain, financial limitations, and competition from
5278-438: The illusion of a flat roof, just like a palazzo. On either side of the main entrance, a blind arch with an ornamental keystone contains a set of three steel-framed doors, along with a large arched window. Decorative friezes separate the arched window from the doors. When these entryway elements are combined, they create a processional experience through the entryway into the grand interior space. The flat-roof illusion, together with
5369-438: The many exhibits currently in storage include Canada's largest private collection of railroad documents and one of the world's largest cigar-band collections. The Northern Railway of Canada acquired the parcel of land that The Craigleith Heritage Depot currently occupies from Sandford and Andrew Fleming in 1872. Sandford Fleming was one of the chief surveyors for the railway and he persuaded his father Andrew Fleming to donate
5460-413: The meeting, council attempted to purchase it but wanted only the building and not the rest of the property. Fearing splitting the parcel would result in the remaining land being difficult to sell, the Town could not come to an agreement with Suryea Knapman and she sold the building to Roger Lockhart, who was under no obligation to preserve the historic building. Lockhart applied for rezoning and severances of
5551-520: The museum with the library was controversial. There is an ongoing project at the Craigleith Heritage Depot called Then and Now , it includes images and video of local history, including an interview with Mrs. Helen Speck Gibson who was born in the Craigleith Railway Station as her father was the station master. Outside the railway station there are Lilacs from the local Fleming's farm, it is believed they were brought here from Scotland by
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#17328730867115642-504: The north side of the train shed. There is an island platform between all pairs of tracks except between tracks 1 and 2 and tracks 11 and 12. Odd numbered platforms are on the north side of a track while even numbered platforms are on the south side of a track. There is a formula to compute the platform number given the track number, with an exception for track 1: Occasionally, freight trains from both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific networks pass through Union Station using two tracks on
5733-402: The outside facade, enduring materials such as bronze, limestone, marble, tiles, and translucent glass create a sense of enduring quality. The entire space is lit with diffused natural light from clerestory windows refracted throughout the lobby. Each end of the Great Hall also features four-storey tall arched windows, based on those of Roman baths. The two-storey-high vaulted ceiling, which
5824-469: The platforms. A new southern entrance, adjacent to the Air Canada Centre, opened in 2010. The 2009 Ontario and Canada government budgets included financing to assist GO, Via and the city in redeveloping and restoring the station. Track has been upgraded with better signals and snow cleaning devices to reduce winter delays to train movement. In 2016, it was realized that the renovated train shed roof
5915-455: The prince passed in his open observation car. In 1974 when a special excursion of hundreds of railway fans retraced the route taken by the prince, a member of the planning committee suggested a revival of the floral arches, however only Craigleith decided to put up the arches. In an attempt to hold back the lilac blossoms, they were stored in a local apple storage plant. On the evening before the train trip, post diggers went to work to dig holes for
6006-533: The program of Standard Time in use today. The site includes a still thriving stand of lilacs, known throughout the area, thought originally imported from Scotland and planted by the Fleming family. Following steady rail and Station service, including the famous ski trains that helped develop the area ski industry and as recognized by the Canadian Ski Museum, passenger rail service was terminated in 1960." The Blue Mountains, Ontario The Blue Mountains
6097-480: The public. Skiers could take a 7:00am train from Union Station to Craigleith Station, then board the Weider horse-drawn sleigh for 25 cents which would go right to the ski hill now called Blue Mountain . Father Don Plater drove the sled. The ski train service was suspended in 1942 due to the war effort and shortage of rail transportation. Service to Craigleith Station resumed after World War II in 1947 and continued until
6188-558: The road immediately south of the depot is now called Lilac Lane. The building has been protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act , so designated by the Town of the Blue Mountains since 2003. The Notice of Intention to Designate the building notes "The property is considered for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, chapter 0.18, R.S.O. 1990, as amended, as representing both an historical site and as
6279-611: The same era, is just to the east of the station, at the corner of Front and Bay Streets. Other major buildings near Union Station are Telus Tower , Royal Bank Plaza , and Brookfield Place . Brookfield Place is home to the Allen Lambert Galleria, a six story high pedestrian thoroughfare, as well as the Hockey Hall of Fame , which holds the Stanley Cup . Scotiabank Arena , Rogers Centre , Metro Toronto Convention Centre , and
6370-486: The second Union Station for a new passenger terminal and in 1905 both the GTR and the CPR decided to proceed with the design and construction of a third union station. The decision to undertake the third union station was made against a backdrop of significant change in the Canadian railway industry. At the same time, the Government of Canada was encouraging the GTR to build a second transcontinental railway (what would become
6461-428: The south doors to the tracks located several hundred feet to the south while the new viaduct, concourse and train shed were under construction. Demolition of the second Union Station began almost immediately and was completed in 1928. The third Union Station project was not fully completed until 1930 when the train shed was completed; its construction was supervised by the TTR from 1925 to 1930. The TTR also constructed
6552-436: The south side of the train shed. Union Station's west wing is west of the Great Hall. Metrolinx is headquartered in the west wing at 97 Front Street. Across from these offices is an official tourism information centre that provides maps, visitor guides, brochures and tourism specialists to provide help to city visitors. A pathway known as the SkyWalk continues west from the west wing, overtop of York Street. The SkyWalk
6643-626: The station in order to replace them with two new tracks and two new wider platforms to increase safety and capacity. The train shed was designed by A. R. Ketterson and built between 1929 and 1930. It is a variation of the Bush train shed invented by Lincoln Bush . A reconstruction of the train shed began in January 2010. The east and west sides of the shed, totalling approximately 30,000 square metres (320,000 square feet) were renovated and restored with input from Parks Canada to help preserve its heritage character. This renovation came with plans to have
6734-644: The station to connect the Path with the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Rogers Centre. In 2000, the City of Toronto purchased the station building from the TTR, while GO Transit purchased the railway corridor and the Union Station train shed. On July 24, 2003, the City of Toronto agreed to lease Union Station to Union Pearson AirLink Group, a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin , for a term of 100 years. A subsequent announcement on May 24, 2006, addressed several issues for commuters including: constructing
6825-463: The station's grand clock, a Traveller's Aid desk, and Via's departure board. Passengers can connect with GO Transit services through the 62,000 sq ft (5,800 m ) York Concourse, which opened on April 27, 2015, west of Union Station. This new concourse supplemented the York South Concourse that provided access to platforms 24 to 27. The York and York South Concourses connect to
6916-550: The station; the passenger cars in the train shed; CNR and CPR yard facilities in the area now occupied by the Gardiner Expressway , Rogers Centre and Scotiabank Arena ; the CPR's Royal York Hotel ; the Dominion Public Building; the federal post office building adjacent to the station; and the CN/CP Telecommunications building on Front Street. The first major change to Union Station took place in 1954 when
7007-490: The stationmaster's wife, Phylis Wilson, went to get the original lilac roots and planted them. The lilacs took off impeccably around the depot. They were cared for by the stationmasters and the Knapmans, who provided cuttings to those who wanted to take some home lilacs home without hurting the bushes. The Depot restaurant has also put on a two-week Lilac Festival. The lilacs at the depot have since become an Ontario landmark, and
7098-530: The subway station in 1979 when the subway station mezzanine was renovated and enlarged. In 1990, the TTC's Harbourfront LRT project added an underground streetcar loop now used by the 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcar lines. TTC passengers using the Union subway and streetcar station may transfer between both modes without entering Union Station proper. During the early 1970s, Canada's two major passenger railways,
7189-408: The track master George Wilson. Helen Speck Gibson was also born at the depot on February 23, 1922, when her father, Alan Speck was the stationmaster. In the 1960s, Dr. Sandford Goodchild used the depot as a cottage and after rail service ended, the station was purchased by a former mayor of Collingwood who also used it as a cottage for many years. Presently hung on the wall is an original document from
7280-405: The upper storey will be dedicated to passenger traffic onto the platforms. This will expand not only the current GO concourse in the east of the building, but also open up the western end; GO Transit's presence in the building will nearly quadruple. Additional aesthetic points include glass roofs over the moat space around the north sides of the building, and a tall atrium over the central portions of
7371-407: The vision of Toronto's waterfront rail yards and proposals were made to construct what would later become SkyDome (1989) and Air Canada Centre (1999), resulting in further changes to the Union Station trackage. The Path pedestrian tunnel network was built to connect Union Station's passengers with many of the downtown office towers and the SkyWalk was constructed over the terminal trackage west of
7462-425: Was 8 ft (2.4 m) diameter, height 17 ft (5.2 m). The shed was 12 ft (3.7 m) by 20 ft (6.1 m), height 9 ft (2.7 m). In 1898, the stable was built with frame, shingle roof and dimensions of 12 ft (3.7 m) by 16 ft (4.9 m), height 12 ft (3.7 m). The addition was 17 ft (5.2 m) by 12 ft (3.7 m), height 7 ft (2.1 m) with
7553-598: Was amalgamated with the Township of Collingwood. Thornbury is home to the architecturally unique L.E. Shore Memorial Library, named after the founding partner of the architectural practice of Shore Tilbe Irwin + Partners , and designed by the firm. During the Southern Ontario Tornado Outbreak of 2009 , a tornado passed through the Blue Mountains area on August 20. The tornado passed by Thornbury and hit Craigleith before moving out onto Georgian Bay . Ravenna
7644-415: Was being viewed as valuable real estate. Both CN and CP began to abandon their extensive waterfront rail classification yards south of the passenger station to make way for urban redevelopment. The Gardiner Expressway project was constructed over part of the railway property and CN had proposed constructing a telecommunication tower (what would become the CN Tower later that decade). CN and CPR proposed
7735-423: Was first incorporated in 1831 and divided from Collingwood Township in 1887 as a separate administration. This existed until 2001 when it remerged with Collingwood Township to form Town of The Blue Mountains municipality. The town was a shipping and processing centre for local agricultural produce especially apples through its harbour on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. There was also a small fishing fleet that operated from
7826-517: Was known as the Canadian National Recreation Association (CNRA) handgun club. The city closed the range in 2008 as a symbolic gesture to its effort to reduce gun violence. The front entranceway opens on to the expansive Ticket Lobby, informally known as the "Great Hall". This part of Union Station runs the entire length of the main section. It is 250 feet (76 m) long and 88 feet (27 m) high at its highest point. Like
7917-688: Was originally a train station called Craigleith Station, then a restaurant called The Depot, currently it is a museum and an adjoined public library. Displays in the museum showcase the history of the Petun First Nations, Craigleith Station, Blue Mountain Pottery , the Township of Collingwood, the Mary Ward (ship) , fossils found in Craigleith , the local apple industry, Craigleith Oil Works, Osler Castle, local war memorabilia, and old newspaper articles. Some of
8008-444: Was presented with the first ticket issued at the station: one "valid for all time" and "between all stations". He proceeded to the Canadian Pacific Railway 's wicket, where he was given a first-class fare from Toronto to High River , Alberta , where his ranch was located. Prince George was given similar tickets. Four days later, the track network was shifted from the second Union Station. To get to trains, passengers would walk from
8099-438: Was removed and replaced with a glass atrium. The structure floats above the tracks and allows daylight to reach the platforms. Platform 3 is the northernmost platform at Union Station and is the only platform at the station serving just one track. It reopened for service on January 10, 2022, after a renovation of its heritage features. Allowing a lower, lighter shed roof in the age of steam, the smoke vents over tracks 1 and 2 are
8190-417: Was replaced by a second Union Station on the same site, opening in 1873. The Canadian Pacific Railway began using the facility in 1884 and it was completely rebuilt, opening in 1896. The Great Toronto Fire of 1904 destroyed the block south of Front Street West, immediately east of the second Union Station (bounded by Bay and York streets), but did not damage the station. The GTR acquired this land east of
8281-512: Was the first person to step off of a train into Union Station; a mixed choir composed of soloists from the city's churches sang the royal anthem, " God Save the King ", as the royal party walked through the concourse. Once he was in the Great Hall, the Prince of Wales quipped, "you build your train stations like we build our cathedrals". He was then escorted to a nearby Canadian National Railway wicket and
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