Dupont station explained

Dupont
Symbol Location:toronto
Symbol:1big
Style:Toronto Transit Commission
Address:263 Dupont Street
Toronto, Ontario
Country:Canada
Coordinates:43.6746°N -79.4068°W
Structure:Underground
Platform:Side platforms
Tracks:2
Architect:Dunlop-Farrow Architects
Accessible:Yes
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail-metro
Marker-Color:
  1. FFCB0C
Zoom:15

Dupont is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Spadina Road at Dupont Street in The Annex neighbourhood of the city. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.[1]

History

The station opened in 1978, as part of the "Spadina" extension of the subway line from to station.

The 1995 Russell Hill subway accident happened on August 11, 1995, when a train southbound from station rear-ended another stationary train just north of Dupont station. Three people were killed and 30 were taken to hospital with injuries, and this section of the subway line was shut down for five days. Subsequent investigations found that a combination of human error and a design flaw in a mechanical safety device caused the accident.[2]

On June 1, 2006, at 9:30 a.m., as a train entered the station, a metal cover in the bottom of the last subway car came loose and wedged in the third rail. This filled the train with smoke, forcing the evacuation of the station and disrupting service for about an hour.[3] The possibility that this incident may have resulted from sabotage by striking TTC personnel was discarded by the Toronto Police.[4]

Three elevators and improved fare gates were constructed, to make the station accessible.[5] An open house was held on September 24, 2015, to outline the work involved.[6] The elevators opened on September 30, 2020.[7]

Architecture and art

Dupont Station was designed by Dunlop-Farrow Architects.[8] The two entrances to the station, located at the northwest and southeast corners of Dupont Street and Spadina Road, take the form of glass "bubbles" with orange-painted metal frames covering the stairways and escalators. A motif of rounded surfaces and finishes is used, with the interior walls of the station being clad in small circular orange tiles and all corners curved. On the platforms unique built-in concrete benches are also rounded and covered with the same tiles as the walls and the use of large circular lighting fixtures throughout the station reinforces the theme. The overall effect of the interior's rounded surfaces and colour scheme is of an earthly cavern.[9]

The main artwork in the station consists of murals designed by James Sutherland, entitled Spadina Summer Under All Seasons.[10] Using thousands of pieces of glass, colourful mosaics of flowers were created directly within the station's tiling. Two large mosaics of a giant flower in cross-section face each other across the tracks, reaching upward to a mezzanine level lined with smaller flower mosaics. Sculptor Ron Baird designed massive circular interlocking doors which provide access to the electrical substation, which is nestled behind the northwest entrance.[11]

In mid-2021, to celebrate the TTC's 100th anniversary, a temporary art installation titled Yonge Subway Construction by John DeRinzy was put on display at the station.[12] It was located at the subway platform levels and was removed in July 2022.

Nearby landmarks

The station is located on the north side of The Annex neighbourhood. Nearby landmarks and destinations include Casa Loma, Spadina House, Casa Loma campus of George Brown College and the City of Toronto Archives.

Surface connections

A transfer is required to connect between the subway system and these surface routes:

See main article: List of Toronto Transit Commission bus routes.

TTC routes serving the station include:

RouteNameAdditional information
26DupontEastbound to St. George station and westbound to Jane station
127DavenportEastbound to Spadina station and westbound to St. Clair Avenue West and Old Weston Road

Notes and References

  1. News: There's now free WiFi at over 40 TTC subway stations . blogTO . December 21, 2016 . September 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170912082156/http://www.blogto.com/city/2016/11/theres_now_free_wifi_at_over_40_ttc_subway_stations/ . live .
  2. News: Joseph . Hall . Ten Years After . August 6, 2005 . Toronto Star . June 2, 2010 . September 10, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090910010250/http://transit.toronto.on.ca/archives/data/200508061136.shtml . live .
  3. News: Staff reporter . Mechanical failure leads to evacuation of Dupont subway station . . June 1, 2006 . June 26, 2009.
  4. Web site: Dupont Station . MyTTC.ca . June 26, 2009 . April 26, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090426071555/http://myttc.ca/dupont_station . live .
  5. Web site: Dupont Station: Easier Access Program . TTC . May 17, 2015 . May 18, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150518094238/https://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Projects/Station_Improvements/Dupont_Station/index.jsp . live .
  6. Web site: Open House . September 24, 2015 . Dupont Station – Easier Access Project . TTC . May 1, 2016 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203834/http://www.ttc.ca/PDF/Transit_expansion_PDFs/Dupont-OpenHouse_DisplayBoards_Sep24-2015_w.pdf . live .
  7. Web site: Construction Notice: Dupont Station is accessible – Easier Access Project Update . TTC . September 30, 2020 . October 18, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201018221110/https://mikelayton.to/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Dupont-Station-is-Accessible-Fall-2020-update-20200930.pdf . October 18, 2020.
  8. Web site: Dupont Subway Station . 2008 . TO Built . Bob Krawczyk . June 26, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706205759/http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/tobuildings_more.php?search_fd0=3632 . July 6, 2011 . dead .
  9. Web site: Bow . James . The Spadina Subway . Transit Toronto . April 24, 2008 . June 26, 2009 . April 8, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130408081027/http://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5106.shtml . live .
  10. Web site: McIlveen . Eli . Art on the TTC . Transit Toronto . December 17, 2006 . June 26, 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 .
  11. Web site: Ron Baird: Dupont Subway Gate . August 10, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150220080516/http://www.ronbairdartist.com/project.php?c_id=4&p_id=91 . February 20, 2015 . dead .
  12. Web site: 2022-04-18 . Photography Exhibits . 2022-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220418061002/https://www.ttc.ca/about-the-ttc/TTC-celebrating-100-years-of-moving-Toronto/Photography-Exhibits . 18 April 2022 . dead.