[Richard White]

I wonder if the fact that the info booth or at least something similar has been there in the center of the Great Hall since construction means there is heritage protections on it much like the rest of the station.

It could be that Parks Canada may not want it completely removed anymore for heritage reasons.

 

[Le Gique]

View attachment 168307View attachment 168308View attachment 168309

All four pillars are fully visible now (including the Bay Concourse column, as the hoarding has been moved closer to the East Wing).

I’m alright with them except they display premature info (viz. Bay, plus the VIA Concourse indicates “Gate*” 3 is accessible in that direction, which is still not so.)

And are they to be illuminated? Because GO’s green logo is not visible against that dark background.

*I like that the train symbol/emoji obviates the use of Gate, Porte, Platform, Voie or Track... ;-)

 

[Le Gique]

It could be that Parks Canada may not want it completely removed anymore for heritage reasons.

I imagine there is quite the heritage pushback but all that discussion seems to be occurring off the public record.

 

[Richard White]

And are they to be illuminated? Because GO’s green logo is not visible against that dark background.

I believe there was lighting put behind the GO transit signage. I recall seeing it when the pillars were installed, I think it was the only section illuminated.

 

[union2pearson]

I wonder if the fact that the info booth or at least something similar has been there in the center of the Great Hall since construction means there is heritage protections on it much like the rest of the station.

It could be that Parks Canada may not want it completely removed anymore for heritage reasons.

It is not considered Heritage. It will eventually be removed and plans are still pending to replace it with something else.

 

[Richard White]

It is not considered Heritage. It will eventually be removed and plans are still pending to replace it with something else.

Glad to hear it is being replaced. Many years ago I was doing Doors Open Toronto with the TRHA. I think it was in or around 2010 when the marble slab that was the counter dropped off the booth. It was never replaced.

The booth itself is not heritage but the station would be lacking without something in the middle of the hall be it a clock or a booth.

 

[Le Gique]

I reckon the original circular counter lasted until the late sixties or mid seventies (when VIA was created) and that square info-column was put in.

(If you trace a circle a foot or two larger than the existing desk, there is a gentle groove in the marble floor, presumably caused by people gradually wearing down the stone as they waited for information. A similar groove running in front of the former north side ticket booths is currently covered by hoarding or the row of temporary chairs.)

Photo: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1172, Series 2, Item 19.

 

[ToroTO]

If the current info screen and booth are being replaced, hopefully they are planning on recreating the original and put a historically suitable departure board somewhere else.

Don't know what happened old clock or exactly when it was replaced but here is a picture of the old clock from 1964:

This and other photos can be found here:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ves-union-station-in-pictures/article4364849/

 

[Richard White]

This is new..

 

[DSC]

That's an interesting 1964 photo

This is new..

View attachment 168845

This is actually the same thing they put up LAST winter (and it was put up last week). It is to allow them to work on the floor etc of the east end of the east Front moat. Let's hope it proves more useful or used than the version they had in 2017/18 when little or no work was actually done. Personally, I am waiting for them to complete the final section of roofing over the west end of the east Front moat so that that area gets weather protection but the fact they installed the temporary barrier shown in the photo leads me to suspect that this is not imminent.

 

[DatTranzitGuy]

Here is what the York concourse looked like before revitalization

 

[Transportfan]

This is new..

View attachment 168845

It looks like these are the stairs that are going to be removed to make a level floor to the food court/retail level.

 

[DSC]

It looks like these are the stairs that are going to be removed to make a level floor to the food court/retail level.

The stairs between TTC and (former) GO Concourse (to become the Bay Concourse) were removed ages ago. The weather-proofing is to allow work (on the floor finish?) to continue.

 

[Richard White]

The stairs between TTC and (former) GO Concourse (to become the Bay Concourse) were removed ages ago. The weather-proofing is to allow work (on the floor finish?) to continue.

I can only assume they are prepping the closed off section for some sort of future pedestrian access. The current path from the TTC to the station is in need of work but you cannot have people walking into a construction site...

 

[DSC]

I can only assume they are prepping the closed off section for some sort of future pedestrian access. The current path from the TTC to the station is in need of work but you cannot have people walking into a construction site...

Well, duh! There are currently two (or 3) not very good routes from TTC to Union. (I think all will be retained and improved) One is all inside up stairs and ramps directly from TTC station (this is probably in its finished state/location, at least inside TTC area.). The other two use the east Front Street Moat, one by going up the partially finished 'exterior' stairs at the west end and the other using the (temporary) metal stairs inside the future Bay Concourse. The exterior stairs (at both ends of the east Front Street Moat) need to be completed and the moat itself needs to get its final flooring (similar to that already in most of the west Front moat.)

Clearly they will need to completely close off the west end of the east Front moat to complete work on the roofing and to deal with the 'exterior' staircase at that end and will thus need to provide better access via the Bay Concourse. I assume the 'winterised' section of the moat is getting its final flooring and that once this is done people will be sent to/from Union that way - possibly using not only the existing metal stairs but also up others (and escalators?) in the future Bay Concourse.