Dundas station (Toronto) explained

Dundas
Symbol Location:toronto
Symbol:1big
Style:Toronto Transit Commission
Address:3 Dundas Street East
Toronto, Ontario
Country:Canada
Structure:Underground
Platform:Side platforms
Tracks:2
Accessible:yes
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail-metro
Marker-Color:
  1. FFCB0C
Zoom:15

Dundas is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1] It is located at the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.[2]

History

Dundas Station opened in 1954 as part of the original stretch of the Yonge subway line from to Eglinton station. The original address, 300 Yonge Street, is still commonly used in TTC system maps.

When Toronto's Eaton Centre was built in the 1970s, a pedestrian tunnel was constructed under the tracks outside the fare-paid areas, connecting the two separate concourses. The station was refurbished in 1982, with the original Vitrolite tiles being replaced with yellow ceramic tiling.[3]

On September 27, 1997, 23-year-old Charlene Minkowski was killed when she was pushed onto the tracks in front of an oncoming train at Dundas by Herbert Cheoung, a diagnosed schizophrenic. Cheoung was given a sentence which included no parole for 15 years.[4]

As part of the construction of Yonge–Dundas Square in the early 2000s, a new entrance staircase was created, giving access to the station directly from the square. In 2002, this station became accessible with the addition of elevators.[5]

Following controversy over the namesake of Dundas Street, Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, who delayed the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade,[6] Toronto City Council voted in 2021 to rename Dundas Street and other civic assets named after Dundassuch as Dundas station.[7] A new name will be chosen in April 2022. In December 2023, Toronto City Council passed a motion which directed the TTC board to rename the station by the fourth quarter of 2024. Toronto Metropolitan University expressed an interest in covering the $1.7-million cost associated with the renaming of the station if it is named after the university.[8]

Station description

The station is located under Yonge Street at Dundas Street and is built on three levels, with entrances on every corner of the intersection. and all being accessible except for the northwest one, which is a sidewalk staircase at the Atrium on Bay. The southeast, southwest, and northeast entrances are located at Yonge Dundas Square, in the Eaton Centre and at 10 Dundas East inside the Cineplex Cinemas building respectively. All elevators that connect the entrance to the station are not provided by the TTC, but by the respective managements.

Dundas is the only station in Toronto where the northbound and southbound platforms are in separate fare-paid areas, owing to the constrained space and difficult geology at this location. Separate street entrances had to be used for each direction until the Eaton Centre was built, at which time a tunnel was constructed under the tracks outside the fare-paid areas, which is considered the third level. If on the wrong platform, passengers (including Presto card holders) can take a transfer from the transfer machines available on the platform, exit the station, and re-enter the station on the other platform by showing the collector at the booth the transfer obtained.

The station has underground connections to the Toronto Eaton Centre, 10 Dundas East and the Atrium on Bay, and is one of five stations connected to PATH.

Architecture and art

The station features William McElcheran's Cross Section, located by the northwest entrance and along the under-platform crosswalk. It depicts a vibrant urban scene of pets, shoppers, businessmen and other commuters. The piece was created out of terra cotta and fired in two-foot-square tiles.[9] The artwork was donated by Atrium on Bay in May 1984.

Subway infrastructure in the vicinity

North of the station, the subway continues to travel through its tunnels underneath Yonge Street, passing over a double crossover,[10] before entering College station. South of the station, it continues underneath Yonge Street, over Lower Queen station, before fully entering Queen station.

Nearby landmarks

Nearby landmarks include Yonge-Dundas Square, the north end of the Eaton Centre, the former Toronto Coach Terminal, Toronto City Hall, the Ed Mirvish Theatre, and 10 Dundas East. Buildings on the campus of Toronto Metropolitan University surround the station to the west, north and east. Nearby public art galleries include the Image Centre and Gallery Arcturus.

Surface connections

See main article: List of Toronto Transit Commission bus routes. A transfer is required to connect between the subway system and these surface routes:

TTC routes serving the station include:

RouteNameAdditional information
97CYongeNorthbound to Eglinton station and southbound to Union station
305DundasStreetcar; Blue Night service; eastbound to Broadview station and westbound to Dundas West station
320YongeBlue Night service
northbound to Steeles Avenue and southbound to Queens Quay
505DundasStreetcar; eastbound to Broadview station and westbound to Dundas West station

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TTC Dundas Station . Toronto Transit Commission . August 2, 2014 . August 8, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140808043141/https://ttc.ca/Subway/Stations/Dundas/station.jsp#StationDescription_ . live .
  2. Web site: Wi-fi Now Available At . TCONNECT . Each of the 65 underground stations will have wireless and Wi-Fi service by 2017 . January 1, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141204204305/http://www.tconnect.ca/stations.php . December 4, 2014 .
  3. Web site: 1983. Toronto Transit Commission Annual Report 1983. live. July 16, 2021. Toronto Transit Commission. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106145250/https://www.ttc.ca/Coupler/Annual_Reports/1983%20Annual%20Report.pdf . January 6, 2017 .
  4. News: Man pleads guilty to Toronto subway murder . . December 1, 1998 . September 25, 2009.
  5. Web site: Milestones. live. July 16, 2021. Toronto Transit Commission. en. "2002 - Davisville Station, Dundas Station, Dundas West Station, and Queen's Park Station become accessible subway stations". https://web.archive.org/web/20080915195513/http://www3.ttc.ca:80/About_the_TTC/History/Milestones.jsp . September 15, 2008 .
  6. Web site: June 29, 2021. Recognition Review Project Update and Response to the Dundas Street Renaming Petition. live. June 29, 2021. Toronto City Council. https://web.archive.org/web/20210628160811/https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-168523.pdf . June 28, 2021 .
  7. Web site: July 14, 2021. Toronto city council votes to rename Dundas street, other amenities with same name. July 14, 2021. CTV News. en. April 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220403205423/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-city-council-votes-to-rename-dundas-street-other-amenities-with-same-name-1.5509387. live.
  8. Web site: 2023-12-14 . Toronto City Council approves renaming Yonge-Dundas Square, asks TTC to rename two subway stations . 2023-12-15 . CP24 . en.
  9. Web site: McIlveen . Eli . Art on the TTC . Transit Toronto . December 17, 2006 . September 25, 2009 . December 13, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141213060351/https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Projects/Station_Improvements/Lawrence_West_Station/index.jsp . live .
  10. News: Grills . Wendy . Why the Yonge subway is closing again . August 19, 2014 . Toronto Star . February 25, 2011 . August 20, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140820053854/http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2011/02/25/why_the_yonge_subway_is_closing_again.html . live .