Rosedale Subway Station

The Rosedale Subway station is on the Yonge-University Spadina Line of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It opened March 30, 1954 to the public and is an open concept station. It was designated as a "Heritage Property", under the Ontario Heritage Act which passed in 1990. This basically means that no alterations or demolitions can done to the station or surrounding area without first applying to the City of Toronto for a permit. The station has undergone some structural improvements due to the exposure of the outside elements but has remained within proper limits as to maintain its historical integrity.

Rosedale is the wealthiest neighbourhood in Toronto and was once an estate owned by an outgoing entrepreneur named William Bostford Jarvis who lived until 1864. He also founded Yorkville with Joseph Bloor who was a land speculator. Bloor Street was named after Joseph Bloor. The station has very low volume of passengers, which is surprising considering how close it is to downtown Toronto. With my camera in tow with plenty of storage space I was ready to take plenty of pictures of the surrounding parkland and ravines. The homes and property as you can imagine, in the neighbourhood, are spectacular.

We arrived too late in the day as we came to look at accessories for our costumes, so due to night falling quickly, my pictures were limiting. I met up with an artist, who had a studio upstairs from the costumer and bought a print from her that I found inspiring. Here's what it looks like. I'll have to take a trip back to Rosedale someday before the leaves are gone just to enjoy the Fall colors.

Spadina Subway Station

The Spadina Subway Station is on the Yonge-University-Spadina Line and Bloor-Danforth Lines of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The station is located near Bloor and Spadina Avenues. The Bloor Avenue (at Spadina) entrance has been open to the public since 1966, and the Spadina entrance (at Kendal) has been opened since 1978.

Much like the St. Clair Avenue West subway station, Spadina has a streetcar (#510) which runs through an underground tunnel that channels mid line on Spadina Avenue and brings passengers right onto a platform into the station.

On the street level, Spadina exits into what is known in Toronto as “the Annex”. As well as long term residents (average income of over $65,000) the Annex is home to many frat houses for university students as well as homes to the university faculty.

This busy corner comprises of The University of Toronto Schools, the Trinity-St. Paul United Church and the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre. Toronto is highly recognized for its multi-racial multi-cultural and all multi-religious character. This is what makes us so unique. Every segment of the city offers an abundance of food choices, musical venues, art and entertainment for everyone. It’s like visiting a little part of the world in every piece of the city.

We went to look for an memory card for my camera since I take so many photographs; I needed a card that would allow me to take more pictures. Not surprisingly, the Spadina/College area has long been a favourite to find bargains on all your computer needs. The street is basically known as the “Computer Strip” as there are over 20 stores virtually side-by-side from Spadina and College, all competing for your business, all offering discounts, computers, cameras, peripherals and technical support. If you need some time, take all the time you need. Open 7 days a week.   

By the way, I got a 2GB card for $9 and had a buffet dinner for $10. A hop, skip and a jump and I’m back at Spadina subway with a full stomach and a full camera!

Kennedy Subway Station

The Kennedy Subway Station is on the Bloor / Danforth and Scarborough RT Lines of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). On the street level it is situated on the South east Corner of Kennedy and Eglinton Avenues that opened in 1980. Kennedy station has come a long way since its humble beginnings as the last stop on the Eastbound tracks back in the 80's.

My fiance and I lived just a block away in 1985 in this building and I remember walking from the station home every night at 6:00.  Today Kennedy Station is a 4-level facility operating RT rails on the top level, buses on the ground level, GO Transit and parking lots are below that and the subway platform on the bottom.  Historically, there have been a string of violent crimes that occurred in and around the Kennedy station. In 2003, a 19-year-old was shot several times while waiting for a bus at the Kennedy subway station. Friday April 13, 2007 Nick Brown, 21 succumbed to his death from stab wounds while traveling on the last train out of Kennedy station. Suspect was arrested and charged a week later. Five days later, a 16 year old boy was stabbed twice over music he was listening to. Three men were charged with attempted murder. December 15, 2008, a 16 year old girl stabbed by another girl during an altercation and was rushed to Sunnybrooke. She survived her injuries.  A successful anti-crime campaign initiated by The Toronto Transit Authority, City Council and Law & Police Enforcement has made vigilant efforts to increase public awareness and safety. These have all contributed to the success of the anti-crime campaign that has left the area virtually safe today. The purpose of discussing crime was to demonstrate that even a problem area can be solved through perseverance and dedication to public safety because as of 2010, the City has approved a $100M facelift to expand the station to include the newest Light rail transit cars and by by 2015 Kennedy will be the largest and most complex station in the entire system of the TTC. Now thats quite an achievement that we all can be proud of!

St. Clair West Subway

The St. Clair Avenue West station is located on the Yonge-University-Spadina line of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and was opened in 1978 to the public. I think by far it's been the most captivating of all the subway stations I've been to so far. It has underground tunnels that streetcars pass through that bring you right into a spacious tiled platform leading you right into the subway station. St. Clair Avenue West station is the first station to have an underground streetcar loop as well as the first station to have a bicycle shelter right on the premises. There is a Loblaws store which runs the entire expanse of the upper level of the station. I have since learned that there has been some sad history here though. On a muggy summer day on August 11, 1995 an inexperienced subway driver was travelling southbound from St. Clair West station and rear ended another subway in front of him causing an impact so great it has been to date the worst subway accident in Canadian history. The impact caused the death of 3 passengers and injured over 35 people. Investigation into the incident determined human error and faulty signal design. It has been labelled as the "Russell Hill subway incident". During a walk through the nearby Nordheimer Ravine located just outside the station, I found this emergency exit, that I later read was the exit used during the accident so many years ago. Since that time, grass has grown, leaves have fallen and snow has drifted over the entrance and it has not been used since. I found it quite eerie that such an emergency exit was built even prior to the incident.

I took some pictures while hiking through the ravine and found some breath taking fall views. I could also see Casa Loma and the Spadina Museum were a short distance away as well.

I am amazed every day how beautiful this City of Toronto is, and how much we miss in a car because things just go by so quickly ;)

Chester Subway Station

The Chester Subway Station is on the Bloor-Danforth line of The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It was opened in 1966. I think it’s pretty fair to say that it is without a doubt the most boring station on the system. There are no buses coming in or out of Chester, no street cars or interchanges so it is the least used station. But, boring can have its uses. For example whenever there are problems up ahead, the trains will wait at Chester until all systems are a go.

I got off a Chester station today to meet a friend for lunch at an all you can eat Japanese sushi bar. You can never have enough sushi;) Mariko Japanese Buffet is located just a little walk outside the station. Chester Station is located right off Danforth Avenue and is right in the middle of “Greektown”, so there are plenty of restaurants around, as well as little shops including Toronto’s favourite health food market Mall, “Carrot Common Mall”. Inside the mall they sell gourmet coffee, and plants, books, oils and minerals, unique clothes and of course health food. They have a massage parlour upstairs as well as Yoga facilities.

When my two sons were small, I used to walk down Danforth near Chester station. Just south on Logan is one of the prettiest parks in Toronto, called Withrow Park. The kids and I used to have a ball and spent most of the afternoons there in the summer months playing in the sandboxes, splashing in the wading pool, and playing in the playgrounds. In the winter, we used to take the kids ice skating and tobogganing. It was nostalgic to look at it again now that they've grown ;)