December 19, 2006

TTC

A TTC rendering illustrates the proposed interregional bus terminal redevelopment for Kipling Station. The $58.4 million project will connect Mississauga Transit with the TTC and GO Transit systems.

Development

New station serves many purposes

BRIAN BAKER

staff writer

The future 345,000-square-foot corporate head office for SNC-Lavalin is no place for a hectic bus terminal, but the company’s request to move Islington Station from SNC’s proposed office site is helping the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) accomplish one of its goals.

Originally included in a TTC study in 2005, the commission designed a new bus terminal concept at Kipling that would allow Mississauga Transit (MT) and GO Transit to move from Islington to Kipling.

From the new terminal, MT and GO would more easily access their bus routes on Highway 403 and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on Highway 427.

SNC’s request to move Islington Station is the catalyst behind the TTC moving up its plans for Kipling by almost eight years. The project also helps the City of Toronto develop the Bloor-Islington neighbourhood.

Charles Wheeler, manager of property development, TTC, said a revised concept is building a new bus terminal at Islington, making it a fully accessible “slotted” bus bay.

“Making Islington accessible was probably 10 or 15 years down the road. Now that SNC wants us to move the bus terminal, there is an opportunity to pull that capital investment forward to today and get both an accessible subway station and development on the land,” Wheeler said.

“It’s a real win-win.”

Both the Islington Station and Kipling projects were approved at a cost of $58.4 million.

The TTC is negotiating funding agreements between GO, MT and the province with how the projects will be financed.

SNC-Lavalin plays into the redevelopment with its agreement in principle to purchase a portion of the land at Bloor-Islington from the City of Toronto.

Phase 1 of the Bloor-Islington project will be construction of SNC-Lavalin’s corporate office while Phase 2 is development of bus terminal lands.

“It’s not just SNC that wants to move Islington Station. The city and TTC want to do this, too,” added Wheeler. “SNC is the catalyst for doing it sooner, but we would have done this in any case.”

SNC-Lavalin won’t elaborate on its negotiations with the city.

“SNC is buying the land from the city and, in turn, the city is using the proceeds from the sale to help for their share of these projects,” said Wheeler.

If the project makes it through any red tape, construction will start in late 2007 or early 2008.

“Before we start building the terminals, we have to replace the commuter parking, entrances and passenger pick-up and drop-off facilities that are affected by the two terminals at Islington and Kipling,” said Wheeler.

Wheeler added the TTC aims to finish the projects by early 2010.

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