Transportation
&
Beyond
Originally planned as an extension into York University, after 10 years, the new TTC subway expansion to Vaughan is finally here Written By Brandon Harripersaud
S
ome may be asking, “Why Vaughan?” But those who live in the area certainly understand why. With an already dense population and more and more homes being built, research indicates that growth in the York region of the GTA is going to surge immensely in future. People will be needing methods of transportation that do not contribute to the already congested roads. Enter the TTC subway extension. According to Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, it was built not only for current needs, but also with the future in mind. “The subway extension signifies a new era for Vaughan,” he says. “It will continue the transformation we are witnessing in the VMC and across our growing city.” The extension runs along six new stations. The largest of these is the terminal station, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC), a vast building off of Highway 7 with a bus terminal and retail space. Surprisingly, VMC does not have TTC parking lots, but there are two city parking lots nearby. Kelly Graham (planner) and Justin Polce (business office manager) of Weston Consulting say that VMC is Vaughan’s new “downtown and urban growth centre.” Mayor Bevilacqua adds, “Our new downtown, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, is taking shape and is now a major transportation hub connecting communities and getting people where they need to go in a faster, more efficient way.”
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is the new terminus of Line 1. With a bus terminal and unique coliseum-like architecture, VMC is the new hub for Vaughan’s downtown centre
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CITY LIFE MAGAZINE
Feb/Mar 2018
www.mycitylife.ca