[max]

I'm just happy shovels are on the ground for this and it's truly happening. Will be quite transformative for the city.

Are shovels are in the ground? It looks like they knocked down a building but I've yet to see any sign they've started on actual construction.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Are shovels are in the ground? It looks like they knocked down a building but I've yet to see any sign they've started on actual construction.

Mostly "early work" such as lengthening the passenger tunnels at Exhibition, preparing for the TBM's, and clearing the area for construction material storage.

From link.

Existing Unopened Passenger Tunnel Extension and Tunnel Entrance Building​

An existing out of service passenger tunnel extension and station entrance will be opened. This newly opened tunnel and entrance with a walkway to Atlantic Avenue will be in service until the new north entrance is completed. The existing platform access at the bottom of Atlantic Avenue will be removed to accommodate construction of the new north GO platform and the GO Track 1 shift. Once the new north entrance is open, the Atlantic Avenue walkway will close and the tunnel extension and vertical access will continue to provide passenger access.

 

[AlbertC]

 

[Red Mars]

Jan 28, 2023

 

[indense]

I think that this design is really a wasted opportunity to connect Exhibition with the city to the north.
The station should basically be a very wide bridge north to south, over the tracks and under the Gardner. Forget about pedestrian tunnels under the tracks. Stick a roof on it and elevators, escalators down to the tracks on either side of the bridge. Ideally, you would lower the tracks in this section so you don’t need to go up before crossing but $$$.
It needs to be able to handle crowds from sporting events and the CNE.
It’s a pretty common design in Japan except there would also be a department store. This is a photo I found of Saitama Shintoshin station. It’s open on both ends.

Do whatever you want with the roof.
Then take Pardee Ave and pedestrianize it, add patios, etc. and link the Ex with Lamport Stadium.
With BMO field, the Marlies rink, Lamport, the Raptors facility, the Indy, really lean into the area as a sports hub and give it an identity. Convert some of the existing buildings to community sporting uses - ice pads, gymnastics facilities, a ninja warrior gym, rock climbing, skate boarding. Build new fill in buildings for whatever can’t be converted while burying the parking underneath.

 

[AnnetteMeetsJane]

I think that this design is really a wasted opportunity to connect Exhibition with the city to the north.
The station should basically be a very wide bridge north to south, over the tracks and under the Gardner. Forget about pedestrian tunnels under the tracks. Stick a roof on it and elevators, escalators down to the tracks on either side of the bridge. Ideally, you would lower the tracks in this section so you don’t need to go up before crossing but $$$.
It needs to be able to handle crowds from sporting events and the CNE.
It’s a pretty common design in Japan except there would also be a department store. This is a photo I found of Saitama Shintoshin station. It’s open on both ends.
View attachment 453441

Do whatever you want with the roof.
Then take Pardee Ave and pedestrianize it, add patios, etc. and link the Ex with Lamport Stadium.
With BMO field, the Marlins rink, Lamport, the Raptors facility, the Indy, really lean into the area as a sports hub and give it an identity. Convert some of the existing buildings to community sporting uses - ice pads, gymnastics facilities, a ninja warrior gym, rock climbing, skate boarding. Build new fill in buildings for whatever can’t be converted while burying the parking underneath.

@indense for Mayor!

 

[Northern Light]

I think that this design is really a wasted opportunity to connect Exhibition with the city to the north.
The station should basically be a very wide bridge north to south, over the tracks and under the Gardner. Forget about pedestrian tunnels under the tracks. Stick a roof on it and elevators, escalators down to the tracks on either side of the bridge.

I'm a bit confused here..........

The design for this station, unless it has changed, does show a 'bridge' or 'roof' over the tracks with platforms accessed from above. The render is on p.1 of this thread.

The only distinction here between what you're saying and what the render shows is that the deck over the tracks is actually above the height of, and would not fit under the Gardiner.

I would imaging the height selected reflects minimal acceptable clearance for certainly bi-levels to pass under catenary, but probably also doublestack freight.

 

[ben.thebean1]

I think that this design is really a wasted opportunity to connect Exhibition with the city to the north.
The station should basically be a very wide bridge north to south, over the tracks and under the Gardner. Forget about pedestrian tunnels under the tracks. Stick a roof on it and elevators, escalators down to the tracks on either side of the bridge. Ideally, you would lower the tracks in this section so you don’t need to go up before crossing but $$$.
It needs to be able to handle crowds from sporting events and the CNE.
It’s a pretty common design in Japan except there would also be a department store. This is a photo I found of Saitama Shintoshin station. It’s open on both ends.
View attachment 453441

Do whatever you want with the roof.
Then take Pardee Ave and pedestrianize it, add patios, etc. and link the Ex with Lamport Stadium.
With BMO field, the Marlins rink, Lamport, the Raptors facility, the Indy, really lean into the area as a sports hub and give it an identity. Convert some of the existing buildings to community sporting uses - ice pads, gymnastics facilities, a ninja warrior gym, rock climbing, skate boarding. Build new fill in buildings for whatever can’t be converted while burying the parking underneath.

That's essentially exactly what they're doing, it just won't go under the gardiner and the tracks will be at the same level they've always been. There will be a large concourse over the tracks with escalators and elevators down to each platform exactly how you described, and there will be access from both sides. We can assume that there won't be any fare gates for at least the main concourse so you'll be free to use the station as a pedestrian right of way over the tracks without having to enter a fare-paid zone.

Reference this rendering here:

 

[AnnetteMeetsJane]

I liked indense's idea that the station served the secondary function of linking the areas north and south of the Gardiner together seamlessly. The fact that the station does not extend underneath the Gardiner means that isn't really the case.

AmJ

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

From the Exhibition TOC Planning Rationale Report:

https://engageio.ca/sites/default/files/2.21.10.01_exhibitiontoc_planning_rationale.pdf (p. 50/54 of PDF)

The south linkage to Exhibition Place seems to be a bit wishy-washy based on these early documents.

AoD

 

[TossYourJacket]

I liked indense's idea that the station served the secondary function of linking the areas north and south of the Gardiner together seamlessly. The fact that the station does not extend underneath the Gardiner means that isn't really the case.

AmJ

As a counterpoint, if you put a station entrance, where does the Western streetcar extension go? The likely reason there is no entrance proposed there is it's in the planned streetcar ROW. So either we add an entrance south of the Gardiner, or we have the Waterfront West Streetcar. I think one of those is more useful than the other. And it's not a redundant station entrance.

That said, I'd fully support moving the streetcar loop closer to the GO/OL station and working a new entrance into exhibition station into that. But it's a bigger project than just "put a skybridge under the gardiner"

 

[W. K. Lis]

They already demolished the "Centennial" building east of the Dufferin Gates. That building was built on the cheap.

 

[rakesh]

That's essentially exactly what they're doing, it just won't go under the gardiner and the tracks will be at the same level they've always been. There will be a large concourse over the tracks with escalators and elevators down to each platform exactly how you described, and there will be access from both sides. We can assume that there won't be any fare gates for at least the main concourse so you'll be free to use the station as a pedestrian right of way over the tracks without having to enter a fare-paid zone.

Reference this rendering here:
View attachment 453515

Demolish the Gardiner, build a new linear park with pedestrian and bike access and build green space over the rail corridor connecting Exhibition Place to the city

 

[innsertnamehere]

Demolish the Gardiner, build a new linear park with pedestrian and bike access and build green space over the rail corridor connecting Exhibition Place to the city

Good luck with that one!

 

[rakesh]

Good luck with that one!

Lol. Honestly will cost less than the repairs or the rebuilding of the eastern section. Can't believe we are throwing billions of dollars into this eyesore.