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December 12, 2004
Viva York Region!
01:55 AM
Everyone, I’d like you all to meet my new girlfriend, Viva.
Viva is the new rapid transit brand for York Region, and I must say I’m really loving her. Even though she doesn’t exactly exist yet, but she’s cumming. Phase 1 of Viva will be completed in Fall 2005, which will involve all-new low riding rapid transit buses, queue jump lanes, transit signal priority, and up-to-the-minute transit information at bus stops. Although this is still far from efficient transit service, I really feel this is a great and positive step in York Region.
Phase 2 will be what I really dream about. Although York is still negotiating a contribution agreement, I would think that the project will be finalized sometime late 2005-early 2006. Phase 2 will involve fully dedicated bus lanes (similar to the Spadina LRT, but with BRT) in the centre of the following avenues:
> Yonge from Newmarket to Finch Station
> Highway 7 from Martin Grove in Vaughan to Cornell in Markham
> Vaughan Interchange District to the new York University Station.
> Markham Centre to Don Mills Station.
Here’s the transit route map for more details.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Although I estimate that I will be 30 by the time this project is complete, it’s still better late than never. Too bad it’s not close enough to my house, but Denison and McCowan Stations would benefit me most.
… there’s a Phase 3, but let’s just not even go there. I’d by an old granny before that time comes. It involves light rail.
There’s this one thing about the Viva logo. I must give credit to Novae Res Urbis — an municipal politics newsjournal — for this interesting finding?
Viva La Diff?nce?
Along with York’s ambitious rapid transit plan, York has also developed a strong regional growth strategy. Following this strategy is definitely another story. I attended a few presentations from York officials this term about how they’re striving to build more sustainable land-uses. Let me show you a visual timelines they’ve developed on how the urban landscape will change in the next decades. The images are almost surreal. I was thinking of making a GIF of these images to really show the essence of the changes, but I didn’t install ImageReady.
Here they are. The location depicted is around Interchange Way aka “Vaughan Corporate Centre”. Home of IKEA Vaughan, Dave & Busters, FP Colossus, and what I call ‘Outlet Mall Country’:
> Vaughan Stage 1
> Vaughan Stage 2
> Vaughan Stage 3
> Vaughan Stage 4
> Here’s another perspective on Yonge Street.
Personally, as a planner who really wishes to see this kind of development, it almost seems unreal that this can materialize especially in Vaughan— which is undeniably the worst municipality in York in abiding Smart Growth principles.
As a proud suburbanite, even I think that the developments in Vaughan are disgustingly depressing and they definitely don’t reflect on the efforts to bring more sustainable growth in the rest of York. Given the circumstances York being a Toronto suburb, Markham and Richmond Hill are doing a great job in changing its previous sprawl development habits— at least doing a better job than Cambridge , Vaughan and Mississauga. As for Richmond Hill, it’s land is pretty much completely utilized, so the only way to grow there is up— which is great to know.
What am I getting at again? I always do this. I just want to let you all know how enthusiastic I am about the developments in York Region, and hopefully, I have sparked some enthusiasm to you all as well— WOO, Go Viva! Go York! I’d love to talk up Markham, so bring it on! I’d love to talk about it.
Note: Due to database corruption issues from November 7, 2004 to December 21, 2004, entry comments may been deleted, or misplaced. I have tried to recall some of the comments that was mentioned.
Filed under Transit, published In Waterloo
9 Comments
November 12, 2004 10:40 PM
Shima:
Novae Res Urbis is this journal and talks about municipal politics and affairs, mainly dealing with land development and infrastrucuture.
Tiff:
Anova and Viva Lee. Hey I kinda like it!
November 12, 2004 11:26 PM
hey i've placed the images together, lemme know if you'd like a copy
December 13, 2004 01:28 AM
Which Andrew is this? I'd love a copy of the four images.
December 13, 2004 07:48 AM
this might be dumb, but what is nova res urbis?
December 13, 2004 09:15 AM
Viva lee. hmmmm.
December 13, 2004 07:45 PM
1. What is the plan York is using to make those changes possible? (I mean the changes in the 4 Interchange pics)
2. I don't understand how is Vaughan and Mississaga different from Markham and Richmond Hill in their development practices? I still see brick houses built everywhere. Is it because they built Vaughan Mills?
3. I also don't see how Richmond Hill is used up. Unless I'm getting my city boarders mixed up... I remember seeing stretches of empty land in Richmond Hill, especially on Hwy 7.
December 14, 2004 04:26 PM
Question 1:
Efficient transit attracts denser development. With admendments to existing zoning designations, this could (I repeat, "could") be achieved. North York Centre has become this successful due to its accessibility, and the changes to zoning along Yonge Street.
The areas along the Sheppard subway line intends to have a similar result over time.
Kudos to Mel Lastman, he is a mastermind for creating wonders for the City of North York.
Question 2:
Markham and Richmond Hill in the past few yeras rigourously promoted "Smart Growth" principles. Surely Markham and Richmond Hill are not off the hook for when it comes to sprawl, but if you've noticed homes north of 16th Avenue are all denser "New Urbanism" type developments. No longer do you see 40' and 50' feet lot-homes being developed.
Also Markham and R.H. limited the size of big-box developments. They are simply incomparable to the appauling ever-expanding Heartland Centre in Mississauga; and Vaughan Mills and the Interchange District in Woodbridge.
Question 3:
Well it's not all used up, but it definitely doesn't have much room left. The Oak Ridges moraine will stop its sprawl northward. Highway 7 would be its prime area of growth, however the 407 and the hydro corridors does cause concern for some development areas. Leslie and Highway 7 will expect major dense development and redevelopment.
December 14, 2004 04:26 PM
No. I think that it's just for show, since the TTC is such a branded logo. But the Greater Toronto Transit Authority (GTTA) is in the works.
July 22, 2005 01:42 PM
Hello ...
Please keep the pressure on the government to get this approved ASAP!!!
Thanks!
Clara
Here's the email that I submitted to the ministry of environment, Onatrio on July 22, 2005
To: The Honourable Laurel C. Broten
Hi
As per the email response attached below from VIVA - the rapid transit system in York region, GTA , the system is awaiting for your approvals to extend the Hwy 7 route to the Cornell neighbourhood from McCowan.
Could you please let me know the status of the review for this route is as well as an approximate planned timeline for the approval? Thanks in advance!
I will forward your response to the Cornell and Greensborough community websites as we are really looking forward to access to Viva from our neighbourhoods.
Regards,
Clara
-----Original Message-----
From: contactus@vivayork.com [mailto:contactus@vivayork.com]
Sent: July 18, 2005 3:58 PM
Hi,
Unfortunately there is no final date for when the Cornell line will be active as
we are waiting for approvals from the Ministry of the Environment. Visit the
website for updates.
Viva runs every 5 - 15 min weekdays from 6 am - midnight
Sat. 7 am - midnight
Sun 9 am - midnight
Cheers,
Viva
> HI
Could you please let me know whether the planned VIVA route service on
> Hwy 7 will extend to Markham Stoufville Hospital (Cornell) in September 2005
> ? If not, could you please let me know when it is scheduled for?
> Thanks!
Could you let me know when the proposed schedules and timetables
> will be finalised ... so that I can download them from the internet.
> Thanks!
Regards,
Clara