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Dundas station (Toronto)

Coordinates: 43°39′23″N 79°22′51″W / 43.65639°N 79.38083°W / 43.65639; -79.38083
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Dundas
General information
Location3 Dundas Street East
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°39′23″N 79°22′51″W / 43.65639°N 79.38083°W / 43.65639; -79.38083
PlatformsSide platforms
Tracks2
Connections
  •  97  Yonge
  •  305   Dundas
  •  320   Yonge
  •  505  Dundas
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteOfficial station page
History
OpenedMarch 30, 1954; 70 years ago (1954-03-30)
Passengers
2022[1]72,637
Rank6 of 70
Services
Preceding station Toronto Transit Commission Following station
Queen
towards Vaughan
Line 1 Yonge–University College
towards Finch
Location
Map

Dundas is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[2] It is located at the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.[3]

History

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Dundas Station opened in 1954 as part of the original stretch of the Yonge subway line from Union to Eglinton station. The original address, 300 Yonge Street, is still commonly used in TTC system maps.

When Toronto's Eaton Centre was built in the 1970s, a pedestrian tunnel was constructed under the tracks outside the fare-paid areas, connecting the two separate concourses. The station was refurbished in 1982, with the original Vitrolite tiles being replaced with yellow ceramic tiling.[4]

On September 27, 1997, 23-year-old Charlene Minkowski was killed when she was pushed onto the tracks in front of an oncoming train at Dundas by Herbert Cheoung, a diagnosed schizophrenic. Cheoung was given a sentence which included no parole for 15 years.[5]

As part of the construction of Yonge–Dundas Square in the early 2000s, a new entrance staircase was created, giving access to the station directly from the square. In 2002, this station became accessible with the addition of elevators.[6]

Following controversy over the namesake of Dundas Street, Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, who delayed the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade,[7] Toronto City Council voted in 2021 to rename Dundas Street and other civic assets named after Dundas – such as Dundas station.[8] A new name will be chosen in April 2022.[8] In December 2023, Toronto City Council passed a motion which directed the TTC board to rename the station by the fourth quarter of 2024. Toronto Metropolitan University expressed an interest in covering the $1.7-million cost associated with the renaming of the station if it is named after the university.[9]

Station description

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Entrance from Toronto Eaton Centre

The station is located under Yonge Street at Dundas Street and is built on three levels, with entrances on every corner of the intersection. and all being accessible except for the northwest one, which is a sidewalk staircase at the Atrium on Bay. The southeast, southwest, and northeast entrances are located at Yonge Dundas Square, in the Eaton Centre and at 10 Dundas East inside the Cineplex Cinemas building respectively. All elevators that connect the entrance to the station are not provided by the TTC, but by the respective managements.

Dundas is the only station in Toronto where the northbound and southbound platforms are in separate fare-paid areas, owing to the constrained space and difficult geology at this location. Separate street entrances had to be used for each direction until the Eaton Centre was built, at which time a tunnel was constructed under the tracks outside the fare-paid areas, which is considered the third level. If on the wrong platform, passengers (including Presto card holders) can take a transfer from the transfer machines available on the platform, exit the station, and re-enter the station on the other platform by showing the collector at the booth the transfer obtained.

The station has underground connections to the Toronto Eaton Centre, 10 Dundas East and the Atrium on Bay, and is one of five stations connected to PATH.

Architecture and art

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The station features William McElcheran's Cross Section, located by the northwest entrance and along the under-platform crosswalk. It depicts a vibrant urban scene of pets, shoppers, businessmen and other commuters. The piece was created out of terra cotta and fired in two-foot-square tiles.[10] The artwork was donated by Atrium on Bay in May 1984.

Mural of people meeting
Mural of dogs meeting
Two sections of William McElcheran's mural Cross Section, showing people and dogs

Subway infrastructure in the vicinity

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North of the station, the subway continues to travel through its tunnels underneath Yonge Street, passing over a double crossover,[11] before entering College station. South of the station, it continues underneath Yonge Street, over Lower Queen station, before fully entering Queen station.

Nearby landmarks

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Nearby landmarks include Yonge-Dundas Square, the north end of the Eaton Centre, the former Toronto Coach Terminal, Toronto City Hall, the Ed Mirvish Theatre, and 10 Dundas East. Buildings on the campus of Toronto Metropolitan University surround the station to the west, north and east. Nearby public art galleries include the Image Centre and Gallery Arcturus.

Surface connections

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A 505 Dundas streetcar by the station entrance

A transfer is required to connect between the subway system and these surface routes:

TTC routes serving the station include:

Route Name Additional information
97C Yonge Northbound to Eglinton station and southbound to Union station
(Rush hour service)
305 Dundas Streetcar; Blue Night service; eastbound to Broadview station and westbound to Dundas West station
320 Yonge Blue Night service; northbound to Steeles Avenue and southbound to Queens Quay
505 Dundas Streetcar; eastbound to Broadview station and westbound to Dundas West station

References

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  1. ^ "Subway ridership, 2022" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved May 4, 2024. This table shows the typical number of customer-trips made on each subway on an average weekday and the typical number of customers travelling to and from each station platform on an average weekday.
  2. ^ "TTC Dundas Station". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  3. ^ "Wi-fi Now Available At". TCONNECT. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2015. Each of the 65 underground stations will have wireless and Wi-Fi service by 2017
  4. ^ "Toronto Transit Commission Annual Report 1983" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. 1983. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Man pleads guilty to Toronto subway murder". CBC News. December 1, 1998. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  6. ^ "Milestones". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2021. 2002 - Davisville Station, Dundas Station, Dundas West Station, and Queen's Park Station become accessible subway stations
  7. ^ "Recognition Review Project Update and Response to the Dundas Street Renaming Petition" (PDF). Toronto City Council. June 29, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Toronto city council votes to rename Dundas street, other amenities with same name". CTV News. July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Toronto City Council approves renaming Yonge-Dundas Square, asks TTC to rename two subway stations". CP24. December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  10. ^ McIlveen, Eli (December 17, 2006). "Art on the TTC". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  11. ^ Grills, Wendy (February 25, 2011). "Why the Yonge subway is closing again". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
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Media related to Dundas station at Wikimedia Commons