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Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station

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Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (also known as Vaughan, Vaughan Metro Centre or VMC) is a rapid transit station in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. Opened on December 17, 2017,[3] it is the north terminus of the western section of the Toronto subway's Line 1 Yonge–University. It is operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and is one of two subway stations in the system outside of Toronto's city limits. It provides connections to a York Region Transit (YRT) Viva bus rapid transit route along the Highway 7 Rapidway, which is also used by a Brampton Transit Züm route, as well as several local YRT bus routes.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre
General information
Location3150 Highway 7 West
Vaughan, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°47′39″N 79°31′39″W / 43.79417°N 79.52750°W / 43.79417; -79.52750
PlatformsCentre platform
Tracks2
Connections YRT  77  Highway 7 (on-street)
Bus interchange SmartVMC Terminal
Bus rapid transit Highway 7 Rapidway
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Parking900 spaces
AccessibleYes
ArchitectGrimshaw Architects
Architectural styleContemporary architecture
Other information
WebsiteOfficial station page
History
OpenedDecember 17, 2017; 6 years ago (2017-12-17)[1]
Passengers
2023–2024[2]20,394
Rank40 of 70
Services
Preceding station Toronto Transit Commission Following station
Terminus Line 1 Yonge–University Highway 407
towards Finch
Location
Map

Located in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the suburban city's planned downtown, the station is designated by Metrolinx as a mobility hub, one of several multimodal transit terminals in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.[4] The station has a 900-space park-and-ride lot, which is privately owned and operated by SmartCentres, unlike other TTC rapid transit station parking lots which are owned by the TTC and operated by the Toronto Parking Authority.[5][6]

Description

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Main station entrance building
 
Station concourse
 
Artwork Atmospheric Lens with coloured mirrored panels on the station dome

The subway station is located on the northwest corner of Millway Avenue and Highway 7, west of Jane Street, and is one of two new stations that are outside the City of Toronto in York Region. This is the northernmost station in the subway system.[7]

Grimshaw Architects designed the station, which has a domed ovoid entrance building just north of the Rapidway platforms on Highway 7. The building has four main entrances in an X pattern, plus an underground connection to two office buildings,[8] one of which contains the David Braley Vaughan Metropolitan Centre of Community, which houses a YMCA and the VMC branch of the Vaughan Public Library.[9] The main entrance features a cool roof, and a nearby electrical substation located on the south side of Highway 7 has a green roof.[10] Toronto-based Paul Raff Studio provided the station's artwork, titled Atmospheric Lens,[11] consisting of coloured mirrored panels and windows located on the domed ceiling, and visible by looking up stairwells.[12][13]

Underground corridors lead both north and south from the station's concourse level to two York Region Transit (YRT) bus terminals. The north corridor leads to the SmartVMC Bus Terminal, where passengers can transfer to conventional YRT bus routes, and the south corridor leads to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Vivastation on the Highway 7 Rapidway, where riders connect to Viva and Züm bus rapid transit routes. The fare-paid area features a Gateway Newstands kiosk.[14]

History

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On November 27, 2009, the official groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE), and tunnelling began in June 2011. The project was expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2016,[15] but the timeline was revised, with the station planned to open by the end of 2017.

The opening of the extension to Vaughan took place at the station on December 17, 2017, attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne and Mayor of Toronto John Tory.[3] The station replaced Sheppard West as the northwestern terminus of Line 1.

While VMC, along with the five other TYSSE stations, had a fare booth installed as per original station plans,[16] it never housed collectors, as the station was among the first eight (along with the first two south of the extension) to discontinue sales of legacy TTC fare media such as tokens and tickets. Presto vending machines were available at its opening to sell Presto cards and to load funds or monthly passes onto them.[17] On May 3, 2019, this station became one of the first ten stations to sell Presto tickets via Presto vending machines.[18]

Station name

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During the early planning stages of the TYSSE, the City of Vaughan proposed the name "Vaughan Corporate Centre" for the station, after its planned downtown area. After changing the name of the development to "Vaughan Metropolitan Centre", the city requested that the station be named accordingly.

On September 30, 2010, a TTC committee recommended that the name be shortened to "Vaughan Centre". However, the official decision was delayed until February 2012,[19][20] when the TTC adopted Vaughan's desired name.[21] The original reason for rejecting the full name was to avoid linking the station to a specific development. Moreover, the length of the name was seen as inconvenient, and "Vaughan Centre" was more consistent with other regional station names (i.e. North York Centre and Scarborough Centre).[22]

A survey conducted by the TTC between September 23 and October 21, 2011, found that 80% of respondents supported "Vaughan Centre", 5% supported "Vaughan Corporate Centre", 9% supported "Vaughan Metropolitan Centre", and 7% supported other names such as "Highway 7", "Highway 7 West", "Jane North", "Edgeley", "Creditstone", and "Applewood".[22]

The exterior destination signs on Toronto Rocket subway trains only show "Vaughan" and, on trains with side exterior destination signs, "Line 1 towards Vaughan", rather than the full station name.

Subway infrastructure in the vicinity

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The station crossover with a departing train crossing into the southbound track
 
Looking north to the end of the west (southbound side) tail track
Photos taken in 2018, several months after the station opened. Note the clean tunnels still free of accumulated deposits.

As this is a terminal station, there is a diamond crossover to the south of the platform for arriving trains to cross over to the southbound track, and for departing trains on the northbound track to cross to the southbound track. There are also tail tracks beyond the north end for overnight storage for two trains, with a trackless extra tunnel between them for a future potential third.[23][24]

Fare zone

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Despite being located outside Toronto in York Region, the station has always been within the Toronto TTC fare zone to avoid implementing a payment-on-exit system.[25] This was the case even before the implementation of the One Fare program on February 26, 2024, which allows riders paying by Presto card, credit card, or debit card to transfer for free to and from regional buses serving the station.[26] This was in contrast to TTC-contracted bus routes, when all riders were required to pay extra fare (either YRT or TTC) when crossing the municipal boundary at Steeles Avenue. This is analogous to the situation in 1968, when the TTC had an internal fare zone system and "Zone 2" fares were charged when crossing the zones on buses or streetcars, yet no extra fare was required to reach five new subway stations which opened outside the pre-amalgamation Toronto city limits in Zone 2 that year, although the Zone 2 fare was charged when transferring to connecting bus routes in the suburban municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto.[27] Similarly, at this station (as well as at the adjacent Highway 407 station), separate fares were charged for all transfers between the TTC subway and connecting regional buses, which are the only surface routes serving it.

Surface connections

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No TTC buses connect to this station, but the aforementioned two bus terminals serve regional buses:

SmartVMC Bus Terminal

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SmartVMC Bus Terminal
 
SmartVMC Bus Terminal at night
General information
Location173 Millway Avenue,
Vaughan, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°47′47″N 79°31′41″W / 43.79639°N 79.52806°W / 43.79639; -79.52806
Owned byRegional Municipality of York
Operated byYork Region Transit, Brampton Transit
Bus routes
  •  10  Woodbridge
  •  20  Jane
  •  26  Maple
  •  320  Jane Express
  •  MP  Mobility Plus (paratransit service)
   501  Queen
Bus stands9
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteOfficial station page
History
OpenedNovember 3, 2019 (2019-11-03)[28]

SmartVMC Bus Terminal (originally named SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal) is a YRT bus terminal on the northwest corner of Apple Mill Road and Millway Avenue north of the station,[29] outside the fare-paid area.[30][31] Diamond Schmitt Architects designed the terminal in a horseshoe shape. The building features open architecture that can be accessed from every direction. There is a passenger kiss-and-ride area on Millway Avenue and an underground walkway linking it with the subway station and Viva rapidway station on Highway 7.[29][32]

The total cost of the terminal was approximately $32 million. The terminal was named after its developer, SmartCentres REIT, who contributed $15 million in financing for an underground connection between the bus terminal and the station.[32]

The terminal was opened on November 3, 2019,[28] nearly two years after the station. It was expected to open in early 2018, shortly after the station itself, but it was delayed due to unspecified "unforeseen circumstances".[33] Prior to the opening of the terminal, buses used the current kiss-and-ride area.

Passengers using Presto, credit, or debit cards can transfer for free under the One Fare program between the TTC and YRT / Brampton Transit's Züm buses. The province reimburses each transit agency for lost revenue from the free transfers.[26] As free card transfers need to be recorded for reimbursements, both the SmartVMC terminal and the Vivastation will remain outside the station's fare-paid area. This is also necessary to enforce double-fare payment for riders ineligible for free transfers.

The following YRT routes serve the terminal:[34]

Route Name Notes
10 Woodbridge Westbound to Martin Grove Road
(Rush hour service only)
20 Jane Northbound to Teston Road via Vaughan Mills Terminal and Major Mackenzie West Terminal; southbound to Pioneer Village station via Highway 407 station
26 Maple Local Northbound to Maple GO Station via Vaughan Mills Terminal
(Rush hour service only)
320 Jane Express Northbound to Major Mackenzie West Terminal via Vaughan Mills Terminal; southbound to Highway 407 station
Mobility Plus

It is also served by a Brampton Transit bus rapid transit route, the 501 Züm Queen (which also stops at the Vivastation on Highway 7):[35]

Route Name Notes
501 Züm Queen Westbound to Brampton Downtown Terminal

The following YRT route uses an on-street stop at the station's main entrance on Highway 7 and does not stop inside the terminal or Vivastation:[36]

Route Name Notes
77 Highway 7 Westbound to The Gore Road
Eastbound to Finch Bus Terminal (Finch station)

Vivastation

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Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Vivastation
 
Viva Orange bus at VMC Vivastation
General information
LocationCentre of Highway 7 Rapidway
Coordinates43°47′36″N 79°31′40″W / 43.79333°N 79.52778°W / 43.79333; -79.52778
Platforms2 (1 eastbound, 1 westbound)
Bus routes  Viva Orange
   501  Queen
Construction
Structure typeCovered transfer facility within dedicated right-of-way
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteOfficial station page
History
OpenedDecember 17, 2017 (2017-12-17)

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Vivastation is a covered transfer facility in the centre of the Highway 7 Rapidway. It allows Viva Orange buses and Brampton Transit–operated 501 Züm Queen through-service buses to quickly serve the subway station without having to pull into the SmartVMC terminal, although the 501 does terminate there (though it formerly continued to York University) while also serving the Vivastation. The facility is located directly above the station's concourse and connects to it via escalators and elevators.[37] It is located south of the main station building and bus terminal, both of which can be accessed from the Vivastation either underground through the concourse or at ground level via crosswalks.[29]

City centre development

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Main article: Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

Vaughan plans to build a transit-oriented city centre from scratch around the station in what is a low-density area featuring big-box stores and vacant land. Vaughan projects that by 2031, the new downtown will have 25,000 residents and employment for more than 11,000 people. Vaughan planning commissioner John MacKenzie said that Mississauga took 20 to 25 years to build its city centre without a subway, but hopes to accelerate the process in Vaughan with the help of the subway extension.[38]

References

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  1. ^ Beattie, Samantha; Spurr, Ben (December 16, 2017). "After delays, cost overruns, and tragedy, a subway to Vaughan is complete". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on December 17, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  2. ^ "Subway ridership, 2023-2024" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved November 12, 2024. This table shows the typical number of customer-boardings made on each subway line and the number of customers travelling to and from each station platform on a typical weekday in Sep 2023-Aug 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Justin Trudeau joins premier, mayor at TTC line 1 extension opening". CBC News. December 15, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  4. ^ "Vaughan Corporate Centre" (PDF). Mextrolinx.com. September 19, 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 6, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017. this hub is planned to integrate subway, rapid transit and local bus service
  5. ^ "subwayparking.com". SmartCentres REIT. December 17, 2017. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  6. ^ "Paid parking will be available for subway riders at Vaughan station". yorkregion.com. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  7. ^ "First Look: New TTC Map – Vaughan Metropolitan Centre". Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. November 18, 2015. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  8. ^ "Vaughan Corporate Centre Station – Approval of Conceptual Design" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. December 16, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  9. ^ Yoyo Yan (June 24, 2022). "3 things you need to know about the newly opened Vaughan metropolitan community centre". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  10. ^ "TTC Green Initiatives". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  11. ^ "Vaughan Metropolitan Station". Paul Raff Architects. Retrieved April 1, 2024. Atmospheric Lens is a public artwork integrated into the dome of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Transit Station in Toronto.
  12. ^ Dixon, Guy (September 29, 2017). "A subway station worth lingering in". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  13. ^ Michelle Adelman (July 7, 2014). "Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  14. ^ transittoronto (December 19, 2017), News: Opening Day for the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension, archived from the original on December 14, 2021, retrieved December 20, 2017
  15. ^ "Schedule Status Update" (PDF). Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Project. Toronto Transit Commission. October 24, 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  16. ^ "York University station – Site plan (P. 19)" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  17. ^ "New Customer Service Agents at TTC stations". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  18. ^ "TTC extends sales of Presto Tickets to 10 stations". Toronto Transit Commission. May 6, 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension - Station Names" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. September 30, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  20. ^ Fletcher, David (August 19, 2011). "Subway stops need names". YorkRegion.com. Metroland Media Group. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011.
  21. ^ David Nickle (February 29, 2012). "TTC gives blessing to Vaughan's preference on station name". InsideToronto. Metroland Media Group.
  22. ^ a b "Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension - Station Names in the City of Vaughan" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. February 28, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 26, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  23. ^ "TTC: A Tour of Vaughan's Metropolitan Centre Station". UrbanToronto. December 22, 2016. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  24. ^ "Detailed Toronto transport map: Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station trackage". cartometro.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  25. ^ James Bow. "A Subway to York University and Beyond: North of Finch". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Double fares now dropped for TTC riders under new program". CityNews. February 25, 2023.
  27. ^ James Bow. "A History of Subways on Bloor and Queen Streets: Celebrating the Subway's first stop in the suburbs". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  28. ^ a b "SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal". yrt.ca. York Region Transit. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  29. ^ a b c "Transit Terminal Vaughan". Vivanext. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  30. ^ "Spadina Subway Transit Strategy" (PDF). 2015 Annual Service Plan. York Region Transit. 2015. p. 145. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  31. ^ "YRT/Viva Spadina Subway Transit Strategy" (PDF). York Region Transit. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2014.
  32. ^ a b Mackenzie, Robert (January 12, 2017). "Bus Terminal at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Gets Underway". UrbanToronto. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  33. ^ "SmartCentre Place Bus Terminal Frequently Asked Questions". yrt.ca. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  34. ^ "SmartVMC Bus Terminal" (PDF). YRT. April 28, 2024.
  35. ^ "City of Brampton | Brampton Transit | COVID-19 Updates". www.brampton.ca. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  36. ^ "Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station (VMC)" (PDF). YRT. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  37. ^ "Highway 7 West / VMC". Vivanext. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  38. ^ Noor Javed (April 6, 2012). "Toronto's subway brings downtown vision to Vaughan". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
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