While officials may have declared a formal end to the City of Toronto’s Union Station revitalization project, construction projects at Canada’s busiest rail station are expected to continue throughout 2022 and into the next several years.
It was at the end of July when Mayor John Tory and various dignitaries said the mammoth project, one that began in 2009 and was affected by issues with cost overruns and contractors, marked the end of major works that fell under the responsibility of the municipality.
The formal reopening brought with it several new amenities: expanded retail space, new and expanded GO Transit and Via Rail concourse spaces, improved PATH connections, parking for bicycles and various heritage improvement projects.
Fast-forward to today and one can still see tarps, fencing and construction-related hoarding inside and outside of Union Station.
Ellen Leesti, a spokesperson with the City of Toronto, said the formal project is indeed complete. However, she went on to say there are at least two projects that will be finished this year.
“There’s ongoing work to support the building and make it even better,” she told CityNews in an interview on Friday.
The first one involves installing a large brass door at the northeast corner of the building, which has seen a large orange trap and fencing for some time. The entrance connects to municipal offices.
“That is also a heritage element to make sure we get it right,” she said.
The second project involves replacing several concrete barricades along Front, Bay and York streets that were put in as a temporary safety measure following the Yonge Street van attack. By the end of the year, Leesti said those will all be replaced with stainless steel concrete bollards.