Richard White said:
Does anyone have idea what the side ramps are actually being used for post-reno
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Won’t they return to being a main route for arriving VIA passengers going to the subway? Not the only option as I reckon there will again be short links from the VIA Concourse to Bay...
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Richard White said:
Does anyone have idea what the side ramps are actually being used for post-reno
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What they were used for before. To (originally) bring VIA (or CN/CP) arriving passengers from the trains "To the City" and separate arriving from departing passengers. (Departing passengers were supposed to use the Great Hall and what is now the VIA Concourse.) The ramps down bring one to the 'square' at the bottom of the ramp going UP to Front Street and (for last 50 years) the TTC subway.
 
DSC said:
What they were used for before. To (originally) bring VIA (or CN/CP) arriving passengers from the trains "To the City" and separate arriving from departing passengers. (Departing passengers were supposed to use the Great Hall and what is now the VIA Concourse.) The ramps down bring one to the 'square' at the bottom of the ramp going UP to Front Street and (for last 50 years) the TTC subway.
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Actually these are what I was referring to. They are currently blocked with cinder blocks.

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DSC said:
There was some discussion about them here a few months ago - if I remember correctly, they were entrances to platforms in the 'olden days'.
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They are. Just wondering what they will do with them now that they won't be putting shops and things back there.
 
Despite the serious walls it was just recently I heard the plan is to have stairs there again - to Track 3, I presume.

Not sure how the cinder blocks help support that theory, so I take this with a big grain of salt...
 
I and another Union regular probably helped redirect over 300 people in an hour spent in the old Arrivals area this aft. We just stood by the four columns that held the Gateway Newsstand and waited for perplexed faces. Many, many were so used to the old route and some would have bumped into the wall, I tell you.

Like a real quagmire though— most felt their only option was to go upstairs, the temporary signs to the moat being just too far to make out properly.
 
EdDrass said:
I and another Union regular probably helped redirect over 300 people in an hour spent in the old Arrivals area this aft. We just stood by the four columns that held the Gateway Newsstand and waited for perplexed faces. Many, many were so used to the old route and some would have bumped into the wall, I tell you.

Like a real quagmire though— most felt their only option was to go upstairs, the temporary signs to the moat being just too far to make out properly.
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Ed,

What was the traffic like heading into the shops? I got the sense they would die a slow and painful death when traffic was rerouted.
 
Richard White said:
What was the traffic like heading into the shops? I got the sense they would die a slow and painful death when traffic was rerouted.
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I’m concerned about that but only have my own anecdotal benchmarks to judge against. Unless they somehow capitalize on helping lost patrons ... it’s going to be a lean six months or so. That said, yesterday I saw patrons in each of Pilot Coffee, Calii Love and the biscotteria. Unless they have had enough time to develop repeat regulars ... the latter particularly seems at risk although it sure has some great looking, but very pricey products.

This morning there were steady streams of riders heading north out of the VIA Concourse into this area, with a good proportion heading up the ramp to Front St. Ironically some eyeballs will notice the biscotti place for the first time ...

I’m guessing the majority of those coming from lower VIA headed northwest past Danish (which also serves coffee, btw) into the moat.

The moat seems so busy now during rush, even more than I imagined were passing through the Leather Shop Bypass, though I’m no expert in judging passenger flows. However this morning the westernmost stairs from Front down to the TTC seemed totally jammed, as people headed into those two westernmost doors to the subway. I did not see the other stairwell ... but the lower doors between TTC and the unopened Bay Concourse were relatively clear. Likewise the west Presto gates were lined up while the south gates were wide open.
 
..... the latter particularly seems at risk although it sure has some great looking, but very pricey products.
Richard White said:
I once paid 70 dollars there for a 12 treats. Never again.
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No doubt the stores in the Front Street Promenade will get fewer customers while the work continues around them and they are no longer on the main route BUT we have no idea if their rent has been adjusted to compensate them for this. This closure is hardly a surprise so if they were foolish enough to sign up for space without working out some arrangement with Osmington (who have the 'head lease" ) they were not too smart.
 
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