Busy Toronto subway station will be partially demolished and rebuilt

A busy Toronto subway station is about to undergo a major transformation. 

A new report heading to the TTC Board on July 22 reveals that plans are in motion ahead of a proposed demolition and rebuild of a portion of Spadina Station in conjunction with the construction of a planned 35-storey development at 350 Bloor St. W.

If you've ever sprinted into Spadina Station through the little entrance just north of Bloor and Spadina's northwest corner (past the now-shuttered 7-Eleven), enjoy it while you can. 

While the subway station itself isn't going anywhere, the existing entrance building will disappear, making way for a modern, fully integrated entrance at one of the TTC's busiest interchange stations, where Line 1 and Line 2 connect. 

The Spadina Station entrance will be demolished and rebuilt. Photo: Google Street

The report recommends declaring approximately 320 square metres of TTC-owned land at 6 Spadina Rd. as surplus so it can be sold through the City to the developer, but the catch is that the developer is responsible for paying for and building the new entrance and a series of "capacity improvements" for Spadina Station. 

The new entrance will also be fully accessible, featuring an elevator connecting street level with the subway concourse, as well as a new staircase and fare line, all funded by the developer. According to the report, they are to pay a "one-time TTC entrance connection fee" of about $293,000.

While the proposal appears to be more of a surplus land declaration, it's still one of the biggest changes proposed for Spadina Station in recent years.

Demolition of part of Spadina Station won't begin until 2028 and is projected to take "approximately four years." But anyone who's spent enough time navigating construction in Toronto knows dates can sometimes feel more aspirational than actual.

Throughout construction, signs will be posted directing TTC riders to use the existing station entrances at 9 Walmer Road and 7 Spadina Rd. in the interim.