Victoria Park subway station to get $32M makeover

More than $32 million has been approved by the city to revamp Victoria Park subway station.

The TTC had planned a scaled down revitalization of the station’s bus terminal and parking garage, plus the addition of elevators to make it accessible. But according to Councillor Janet Davis, the $32.8 million earmarked for the project in the recently passed city capital budget means almost the entire station will be refurbished.

“That additional money will transform that station into a beautiful station with a new front entrance, two new elevators, new ramps and an interior modernization,” she said. “We have a commitment from the transportation department to redo the sidewalks and rehabilitate the pedestrian bridge to Crescent Town.”

A traffic light, controlled by buses turning from Denton Ave. onto Victoria Park, will be added on Victoria Park Ave. It will also allow pedestrians to cross at street level.

There are plans to allocate for potential development surplus land located just north of Danforth Ave, by the Dentonia Park golf course.

While no proposals for a development on this site are being considered at this time, “the official plan calls for intensification at TTC stations,” Davis said.

The city has been working on a plan for the area around the station for more than a year now. In public meetings, the city and TTC have been trying to determine where to put potential green space and what type of developments would be suitable. Once finalized, the plan will detail heights, setbacks from the street and whether commercial or residential is the type of zoning that will be permitted.

More public meetings are planned to discuss the future of the site. A city planning report is expected in June.