TTC seeks 6 new station names in subway survey

The TTC is requesting public input for the naming of six new subway stations set to open in 2015.

Tunnelling and construction is already underway for the Spadina subway extension, which will run north from the existing Downsview station into York Region. But the TTC wants to know what residents think would make sense for new subway station names before they're set in tile.

Anonline survey on the TTC websitewelcomes people to fill out consultation forms.

The additions and changes may require some shifting around of existing names, explained Brad Ross, who speaks for the transit commission.

"Right now, the line terminates at Downsview station. The next newest station north from there will actually be in Downsview Park, so one of the things we're recommending is renaming the existing Downsview station to Sheppard West station," he told CBC's Matt Galloway Thursday on Metro Morning.

"The new station, for example, would be renamed Downsview Park station because that's physically where that station would be."

Ross said there will be opportunities for people to come up with their own suggestions.

Corporate naming ruled out

"Creativity is fine, but at the end of the day we want to make sure that the station name makes sense," he said.

Still, Ross dismissed the possibility ofselling naming rightsto corporationsa prospect that ruffled some feathers not long ago.

Instead, the TTC would be abiding by its official naming policy for stations, which must be based on geography and uses cross-streets or landmarks.

"We want to make sure that people who are travelling in the system, navigating the system, know where they are when they're in the subway," he said.

Ross stressed that the call-out for public input wasn't so much a contest in which the most popular name wins, but more of an invitation to make suggestions that make sense based on the routes.

"There might be some suggestions, some ideas that the public has that we hadn't considered, and so we want to make sure that we get all that input and consider any potential options for names that we hadn't thought of," he said.

City councillors will make the final decisions on the new station names, although the consultation forms will be considered.