Community feedback is helping decide where a future station will be located along the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension in west Toronto.

In Dec. 2021, Metrolinx presented residents with options for the location of the Kipling-Eglinton station along the new transit line.

The results are in, and the community feedback helped the project team to move forward. Before diving into the results of the consultation, here’s some quick background on the station in question.

Kipling-Eglinton Station

This future station is unique compared to the other underground stations along Eglinton Avenue.

Unlike the stations at Martin Grove, Islington, and Royal York, the underground platform area at Kipling where customers will board the trains, known as the station box, is directly under Eglinton Avenue West.

At the other underground stations, the station box is on the north side of the road with the station entrance stacked on top. At Kipling, the location of the underground platform means the station entrance buildings could be located on either side of the road.

The community was asked to weigh in on two options: a northwest option, which places the station entrance on the northwest corner of Kipling and Eglinton on the boulevard and a hybrid option, which would stack the station entrance on top of the station box and require a realignment of the existing roadway.

Want to learn more about the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension? Click here.

A third option, placing the station entrance on the southwest side, did not move forward for further consideration, as it would involve a major relocation of the gas main and other significant construction hurdles that would lengthen construction timelines.

The northwest option would provide the shortest transfer time to and from TTC buses and also has the shortest construction time. However, this option would have a greater impact to the woodlot on the corner, with about 20 per cent of the area affected by construction.

The hybrid option would have similar transfer times, be more direct for passengers heading down to the platform and would only affect about seven per cent of the woodlot. However, Eglinton Avenue West would need to be permanently realigned in this area and construction would take longer.

Through the survey, which was open for a month, the community identified that protecting the woodlot was the highest priority, followed by community improvements and customer experience, and minimizing traffic disruption.

Reducing construction timelines was ranked as the lowest priority compared to the others.  

As a result, the majority of respondents selected the hybrid option for the station location. Those who preferred this option felt the long-term protection of the environment and preservation of the woodlot was most important, as well preserving the community feel in the area and making it easier for people to get down to platform level.

After reviewing this feedback, the project team is moving the hybrid option forward for further consultation and design work. As this work unfolds, the community will have more opportunities to provide input and guidance on plans for the area.

Virtual open house

Metrolinx hosted a virtual open house last night (Mar. 30) to present the station design principles for the project and show more detailed plans for the underground stations – Martin Grove, Kipling, Islington, and Royal York.

West End Connectors Construction (the contractor for the project), was also on the panel to provide an update on construction.

What’s next?

At the next virtual open house in April, Metrolinx will share the latest plans for the two elevated stations at Scarlett Road and Jane Street. Metrolinx will also share the results of the survey on the elevated section, which closes today (Mar. 31).

As design work progresses, Metrolinx will continue to share information on the stations with the community to gather local insights and factor in community input wherever possible.

For any questions or comments, reach out to Metrolinx’s dedicated community relations team through the project’s 24/7 hotline at (416) 202-8001 or send an email to EglintonWest@Metrolinx.com