City
Renovating Union Station
Photo: "ED5141" by blogTO Flickr pooler omiala.
They've been talking about improving Union Station for years now. In 2003 Union Pearson Group group had a deal in place to renovate the station, but that deal eventually fell through. Since then $2.75 million has been spent on Union Station improvements. They've repaired and refurbished the west window in the main hall and installed a new skylight in the building. Reportedly plans call for at least $8.9 million in additional repairs and improvements.
In addition there are plans to see new restaurants and shops eventually move into the station. Could Harvey's eventually see some competition for commuters' money?
Hopefully new plans call for more than fast food restaurants, dilapidated arcades, and dreary lighting. Apparently they've been looking toward major North American rail stations for inspiration. The building itself is beautiful and historic, but Union Station could be so much more. Again it seems that lack of funding and a complete absence of creativity are causing a major Toronto landmark to be less than it could be. Cleaning the building and showing off its beauty is a great start.
How about some public art? The white horses that hung from the ceiling during LuminaTO were wonderful. Perhaps we could see more of that. Maybe the station could have some sit down restaurants, indoor patios, or a market of some sort. Commuters spend plenty of time in the station so give them something to do other than scarf down burgers and pick up some liquor on the way home. While you're at it, do something with the SkyWalk as well. An area that was once filled with restaurants and sports-oriented shops is now mostly empty, filled only with a gym and the Porter Airlines shuttle pick up.
Union Station is the first thing that many people see when they enter our city. It should be an inspiring place that is representative of Toronto and the people who live here. It should have culture, it should have variety, it should be a place that Torontonians are proud of, rather than a place we rush through on the way out of the city.
Or at least add a Tim Horton's.
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Why can't Union Station be a hub for fine restaurants, fresh food and architectural treasures like Grand Central?
Here's some info from the Grand Central website:
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The heavens above, the hustle below. That?s the experience you will have at the three Grand Central balcony restaurants and lounges, Cipriani Dolci, Charlie Palmer?s M?trazur, and Michael Jordan?s The Steak House N.Y.C. For a walk back in time, dine in the world famous Oyster Bar & Restaurant, located on the lower level, which opened the same year as the Terminal itself.
And be sure to discover one of the Terminal?s great treasures, The Campbell Apartment. Once the 1920?s era office of businessman John W. Campbell and designed as a hall of a 13th-century Florentine palace, this elegant room is now an outstanding cocktail lounge.
The Dining Concourse, on the lower level of Grand Central, is a cornucopia of food choices. Three sit down restaurants, Junior?s, the famous Brooklyn establishment known for their outrageous cheesecakes, Z?calo, a Mexican favorite of New Yorkers and Two Boots, the most incredible pizza, are among twenty eateries to be found there. Indian to Mediterranean cuisine, hot dogs to pasta, pizza to panini, the Dining Concourse has food for every taste. And you can enjoy that food in the unique ?dining car? seating areas, which are reminiscent of train cars of yesteryear.
The Grand Central Market is New York?s most exciting gourmet European-style food hall. This culinary treat located on the east end of the Terminal is not to be missed. The vibrant colors of fresh fruits and vegetables intertwine with delights from the ocean, the smells of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked goods, and the finest cuts of prime meat, exotic cheese and chocolate confections.
Union Station is neglected, dull, and uninspiring place that just serves a function. Getting people from A to B.
The difference is that New York aspires to greatness, excellence and beauty, while Toronto aspires to the bland, the ugly and the mediocre.
There needs to be major public pressure and a call for dramatic action from the public and journalists if we are to have any hope for greatness in this mediocre, dull city.
Creativity and funding do not matter when all people do is bitch and complain when so called dramatic action is taken.
While other cities are putting great energy into making themselves beautiful, we seem incapable of doing so. We are complacent and content with our state of incompetance and mediocrity. This has got to be one of the ugliest, most uninspiring cities of its size anywhere.
Union Station should be a spectacular gem, a vibrant, dynamic, inspiring, beautiful place -- not a tired, old, crappy, badly-lit, poorly-maintained train station!!
Toronto always TALKS about its culture and the friendliness of its citizens. But the truth is Toronto is none of those things. The streets of Toronto are so much dirtier than those in New York. After a week in New York City, not one person was rude. In fact they looked you in the eye when they spoke to you. Within half an hour of being back in Toronto, a woman told us rudely to move our suitcases and get out of her way. She didn't know if we were residents or tourists and she didn't care. Toronto these days is not friendly or great. The people just don't care. They're completely ambivelant.
People in Toronto don't care what kind of impression they give off to visitors. That's why places like Union Station are neglected and why the island has nothing on it and why the waterfront is ignored.
And people in this city do whine too much. But we need politicans with great vision to stand up to them, encourage development, bring in jobs and general enjoyment to this city.
Toronto is the economic capital of Canada. We have the money to do great things. We have smart, ambitious, worldly people living in this city. So WHY can we not get past mediocrity?? Why are we incapable of raising the bar higher?
Ugh. This city never fails to disappoint.
It's sad. Very sad.
That way the first impression visitors would have upon arriving at Union station is that this city has class, style and fantastic culinary arts. Union Station would also become a hot spot for Torontonians working and living downtown to hang out at during lunch or after work.
It's not hard to do this. It just takes someone in charge of Union Station to actually have a good idea and to act on it. Someone at Union Station would have to approach these chefs with a business plan!
But I fear that the yahoos in charge of this renovation are going to put in the tackiest of the tacky fast food restaurants or implement other cheap, pathetic ideas. Why don't we sent a petition to the people in charge to raise the bar and think of elegant, creative, dynamic ideas. I agree that the public needs to take charge and start demanding excellence for our city.
Haven't we lived with crappy mediocrity for long enough?
This happens a lot in Toronto, and in Canada in general. Usually the argument comes from one group claiming it's a waste of 'their' taxpayer money. The next time it's another group claiming it's a waste of 'their' taxpayer money. Invest in highways and transit riders claim its a waste of their taxpayer money. Invest in transit and drivers claim its a waste of their taxpayer money.
People need to stop being so selfish. Not everything is going to benefit them all of the time. They need to accept that sometimes things need to be done that will only benefit other people than themselves. And instead of bitching and complaining they can just be happy that another group is getting something they so badly need and take comfort that soon it will be their turn.
Union Station could and should be spectacular. We shouldn't settle for crappy, mediocrity and use it as an excuse for "Toronto being itself."
Please!!