A sneak peek at TTC's new Downsview Park subway station - Action News
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Toronto

A sneak peek at TTC's new Downsview Park subway station

Downsview Park, one of the six new stations that make up the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE), opened its doors to the media Monday to give riders a sneak peek at what they can expect when it opens almost a year from now.

Media tour of the new station, which includes conceptual art, new technology, natural light at track level

At platform level, the public art installation "Spin", by artist Panya Clark Espinal, includes a spinning metallic globe between two pillars. (Trevor Dunn/CBC)

Downsview Park, one of the six new stations that make up the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE), opened its doors to the media Monday to give riders a sneak peek at what they can expect when it opens almost a year from now.

Just inside the main doors, there's a vantage point fromwhich the big black brush strokes on the floors, walls and ceilings of the station come together as a unified ring.

Photo of construction of the Downsview Park subway station part of the Toronto-York Spadina subway extension taken in Toronto, Ontario on January 23, 2017. (David Donnelly/CBC)

This is part of Spin, the public art installationby artist Panya Clark Espinal. It also includes a metallic globe that spins between two pillars at the platform level.

Natural light, sloped glass walls and green roofs are some of the architectural features of the station. (David Donnelly/CBC)

Downsview Park's architecture allows natural light all the way down to the subway platforms.

There is a small retail space at the ground level of the station. The retailer hasn't been determined.

Future retail space in the new Downsview Park subway station. (Trevor Dunn/CBC)

The GO Barrie line will also stop at Downsview Park and the station will provide "seamless integration" between the two transit modes, according to the TTC.

Photo of construction of the Downsview Park subway station part of the Toronto-York Spadina subway extension taken in Toronto, Ontario on January 23, 2017. (David Donnelly/CBC)

Located inside Downsview Park, the station is roughly one kilometre from the current Downsview Station, which will be renamed Sheppard West Station.

According to TTC CEO Andy Byford, the 8.6-km TYSSE is now 91 percent complete and "bang on target" for completion in December. The line has been plagued by significant delays and is hundreds of millions of dollar over budget.

"Ample" natural light from the station's large windows will reduce hydro costs and help wayfinding, according to the TTC. (David Donnelly/CBC)
The station is located inside Downsview Park. Some of the surrounding area is zoned for mixed-use development. (David Donnelly/CBC)

Downsview Park will be fully-equipped with the Presto card payment system "from day one", Byford said.

The TYSSE will also be equipped with the TTC's new Automated Train Control signalling system. An upgrade that officials say will greatly improvereliability.

Downsview Station will be equipped with automated machines for Presto card purchase, payment and reloading. (David Donnelly/CBC)

The new system is expected to be installed on the rest of Line 1 by the end of 2019, with Line 2 to follow.

The $3.18 billion dollar TYSSE is jointly funded by the federal government, the province of Ontario, the City of Toronto and York Region.

The track is complete and testing is underway. The TTC says the next step is electrifying it. (David Donnelly/CBC)