Showing posts with label Queen subway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queen subway. Show all posts

Dec 19, 2010

Queen Street Subway

Queen Street Subway
The Queen subway station is located on the Yonge-University-Spadina line of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).  It was opened in March 1954 and serves about 58,000 people a day.  

Took this one inside the Eatons centre
As you exit past the turnstiles from the Queen subway you are faced with a decision of entering the south end of the Eaton’s Centre or the Hudson’s Bay Queen Street store. 


On street level there is a glass bridge which connects the two stores.  The Hudson’s Bay building is made of sandstone and was built in 1896 for the Simpson’s department store to replace the original 6 storey store that burned down a year prior.  This was the site of the famous Christmas window displays many years ago.

Man playing Erhu
Hudson's Bay Main floor
Located just outside the Queen station, we stopped and listened to a Chinese man I thought was playing a piece of iron but as it turns out it was an erhu, which is otherwise known as a “Chinese violin”.  It only has 2 strings but it is an extremely versatile instrument and can make traditional and contemporary melodies.  Read about the Erhu

Other landmarks located at Queen street subway that deserve honorable mention is Toronto’s old and new city hall.  Old city hall is now utilized as a courthouse.  It was built in 1899 for city council and has since been designated an historical site.  It has a clock tower which can be seen along nearby Bay street.

Old and New City hall
Toronto’s current city hall has a distinctive design and was built in 1965 by a Finnish architect who won the competition.  City Hall has two towers of uneven height that surround a white dome which is city council.  Even years after, there is still a futuristic look and feel to look of City Hall.