Downtown Vaughn Pics, Canada's Newest Subway City

CharlesMunroe · #1 Posted **Mar 30, 2007, 11:52 PM**

After reading about how many cities across Canada are in need of some sort of rapid transit I thought I'd show some picture's of downtown Vaughn, last stop on the Spadina subway extension. Especially since with federal funding we're all going to help pay for the cool $2 billion price tag.

Vaughn doesnt actually have a downtown. I guess the word is too dirty for them because they have something called Vaughn Corporate Center instead which I'm assuming is the same as a "downtown"? Anyway these were taken at the main intersection of Vaughn Corporate Center in downtown Vaughn at Jane & Hwy 7. Last subway stop.

For those unfamiliar with Vaughn, it was flat farmland 15-20 years ago. Today it is big box stores, warehouses, light industrial/office units, and home to 260 000 people living in winding, twisting, cul-de-sac subdivisions.

Vaughn is a cold, heartless place. It has no soul. If there is such thing as a corporate municipality, Vaughn is it. It is basically a giant sandbox owned by rich developers and corporations who screw the whole country into paying for unnecessary infrustructure, like subways. I am convinced this is the closest Canada has to hell.

Eat your heart out Winnipeg, Victoria, Ottawa, and Toronto. Too many politicians have been in bed with developers in Vaughn for too long to make your pity ass problems higher priority then "Vaughn Corporate Center"...

Stop this madness. We are being robbed.
To the east of this intersection is nothing but light industry, to the west nothing but big box stores. I find it interesting that 3 fair size hotels have popped up in the past year immediately to the west among the big boxes of Ikea and WalMart. I hear rumours of a Pearson/Vaughn Corporate Center rail connection now.

mersar · #2 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 12:13 AM**

If it wasn't for the sideways traffic signals, I would have sworn that was actually part of SE Calgary. Not quite the type of area that needs a subway, a BRT maybe but subway is a bit overkill if you ask me.

niwell · #3 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 2:13 AM**

While I agree that there are other areas in Toronto that may have a more pressing need for subway, the idea isn't as flawed as it may appear. Extending the subway to York U makes perfect sense, and given the current state of development it is extremely easy to extend it Northwards at this point in time. This area is targeted by the Places to Grow act as a site for intensification, and IIRC there are already plans in place for a dense transit oriented community. Basically, they are using transit as a catalyst for development. Although that seems to have fallen out of favour recently, it has been proven to work time and time again.

Basically, if the subway (or some other form of rail transit) doesn't go to Vaughan, I don't think we will see any change.

samne · #4 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 2:16 AM**

Vaughan is an urbanists nightmare. At least theyre getting a subway.

WhipperSnapper · #5 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 2:51 AM**

Quote:

Extending the subway to York U makes perfect sense

fuck no it doesn't

newflyer · #6 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 4:03 AM**

Subway??? .. you don't even have sidewalks.

You must be confused with that sandwich business.

Footlong Veggie please...

newflyer · #7 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 4:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersar

If it wasn't for the sideways traffic signals, I would have sworn that was actually part of SE Calgary. Not quite the type of area that needs a subway, a BRT maybe but subway is a bit overkill if you ask me.

Yeah it kind of reminds me of 58th SE near the blackfoot inn.... lots of trucks and lowrise commercial and retail business and light industry.

Yeah hopefully they make a fancy station for such an important area.

Wooster · #8 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 4:29 AM**

Yeah, not the best use of limited resources.

bc2mb · #9 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 6:29 AM**

looks depressing!

is this near Vaughan Mills? (the mega mall)

niwell · #10 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 7:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodlookin'

fuck no it doesn't

Why? It's one of the largest universities in Canada, and most of the student body commutes.

salvius · #11 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 7:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

Why? It's one of the largest universities in Canada, and most of the student body commutes.

Because an LRT is all it needs! York U students also are truly regional commuters, so one subway line jutting to it doesn't do much good... AT ALL.

And don't even get me started on Vaughan. I can't believe we're actually going to do this crap. What a farce.

Taller Better · #12 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 1:44 PM**

First, a little correction:

"Especially since with federal funding we're all going to help pay for the cool $2 billion price tag"

That "federal funding" is a small fraction of the money that gets sucked out of
Toronto and Ontario every year in the name of "equalization". Toronto coughs up 9 to 14 billion dollars per year to the provincial and federal governments that does not come back. It is not some sort of gift from the people of Canada, it is sheer bribery by the Conservative Party to buy votes in suburban and rural ridings. They will not be giving "federal funding" like this for transit in the City of Toronto as they know they are not going to get many votes here. They shower money upon regions where they think they stand a chance to buy votes.
And in some regions it appears to be an effective method.

Halifax Hillbilly · #13 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by goodlookin'
fuck no it doesn't

Why? It's one of the largest universities in Canada, and most of the student body commutes.

Montreal built the Blue Line to connect University of Montreal and when schools not in session ridership is pretty low.

miketoronto · #14 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 3:07 PM**

I may not agree with the subway going all the way to Vaughan at the moment, but to say this extension is not needed is not true.

The subway extension atleast as far as York Uni, and Steeles Ave West, is needed.
This extension will greatly improve public transit services in North West Toronto, where transit is slow at the moment.
Instead of people from North West Etobicoke, having to ride buses for 45-60min to access a subway station They will now with this extension be able to access a subway station within 15-20min.
That right there, is going to be a massive improvment.

And to say that LRT is all that is needed. I think the SRT on the east end shows that switching modes half way is not the way to go. People do not like to transfer, and I see no problem with building the subway atleast out to Steeles Ave at the moment.

I find that the people against projects like this, are people who don't live out in the outter areas of Toronto. And therefore you have no clue on just how slow transit is out there. And how extensions like this are needed.

To be honest alot of you guys make me laugh. If we followed the ideas you guys have of never building any subways or extensions, etc. Then Toronto would not have any subway network today.
Sometimes it is not about money. Sometimes you gotta spend money to build what is needed to make our city flourish.

Toronto flourished as a model metro area untill the 80's, because our gov had the vision to expand subways(yes in the suburbs to), public transit, etc.

And we have not done nothing since the late 80's, and our region is paying for it big now.

So bring on the subways. We need them. And if you don't like the extension to York, then you don't have to ride it.

I remember what a former mayor of Toronto said on a TV show about Toronto. He basically said
"we are living with the legacy of great public transit planning from 3 decades ago, and we have done nothing as of late to continue that legacy". He was mainly talking about how we have not continued subway expansion.

ScottFromCalgary · #15 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 3:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taller Better

First, a little correction:

"Especially since with federal funding we're all going to help pay for the cool $2 billion price tag"

That "federal funding" is a small fraction of the money that gets sucked out of
Toronto and Ontario every year in the name of "equalization". Toronto coughs up 9 to 14 billion dollars per year to the provincial and federal governments that does not come back. It is not some sort of gift from the people of Canada, it is sheer bribery by the Conservative Party to buy votes in suburban and rural ridings. They will not be giving "federal funding" like this for transit in the City of Toronto as they know they are not going to get many votes here. They shower money upon regions where they think they stand a chance to buy votes.
And in some regions it appears to be an effective method.

Well, let's get this regional pissing contest on then...

WhipperSnapper · #16 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 3:44 PM**

Quote:

To be honest alot of you guys make me laugh. If we followed the ideas you guys have of never building any subways or extensions, etc. Then Toronto would not have any subway network today.

building subways to a university built in the middle of a heavily industrialized area with a few swaths of low density housing is not the same as building the Bloor/Danforth line from Keele to Islington or Woodbine to Warden - this is nothing more than politics justified by some ideal circumstance of making a mistake of the past become a viable link of today - good luck

Taller Better · #17 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottFromCalgary

Well, let's get this regional pissing contest on then...

LOL! I just noticed you list your city as: "Location: Calgary, Republic of Alberta", so I gather you are no stranger to regional pissing contests!

I just don't think when a small portion of the tax money we pay out comes back to Greater Toronto that it is a great and generous gift from Canada to us. Toronto has more than paid its share in the past decades toward Canada's tax fund and it deserves something back now and then.

niwell · #18 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 5:26 PM**

A lot of you people really aught to read documents such as Toronto's official plan and the Places to Grow Act before you demonize this line. There ARE other transit priorities that I think should have been addressed first (Shepperd for one), but in the long term this extension makes sense.

alps · #19 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 5:41 PM**

The city above Toronto!

I take the bus to Vaughan every time I go to Toronto, for Canada's Wonderland.

It is a pretty despressing place, the houses all look the same, I think I'd go crazy if I lived there.

DC83 · #20 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 5:51 PM**

Very Beautiful!

I wish I had subway access to an empty lot! Maybe I'll take a trip one day just so I can get hit by a car flying by!

Sweet!

ps.: I'm sure all the stuck up suburbanites will LOVE getting on a dirty TTC Subway! What an excellent use of $1 billion!!
I was lucky enough to meet some people from the Tri-Suburb area (Maple-Vaughan-Woodbridge) the other day. They were in Hamilton. According to them, everyone was "fat trash" b/c they weren't wearing Gucci or D&G. So I'm pretty sure they would have an anxiety attack on a TTC train. Sad.