If you live in the the Discovery District of downtown Toronto or its surrounding area, then you may be wondering about the history of the two TTC stations that likely make up a part of your daily commute – College and Queen’s Park. Today, we make it our mission to enlighten you.
Opened in 1954 at Yonge and College Streets is College subway station. According to Wikipedia, nearby the station are the College Park mall, the College Park courts, the Residences of College Park, the Toronto Police Headquarters, and the Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens, all of which make College station quite busy. Easily accessible, below on the platform of the station is a pair of murals that were created by Charles Pachter in 1984, one depicting the Maple Leafs on the southbound side while faced with the Montreal Canadiens on the northbound side. Named after Hockey Night in Canada, both murals are depictions of the decades-old rivalry between these two famed NHL clubs.
Nine years later, in 1963, Queen’s Park subway station emerged at College Street and University Avenue. Like its counterpart, Queen’s Park is easily accessible. It is surrounded at ground level by hospitals including Sick Kids Children’s Hospital, Mount Sinai, Princess Margaret, Toronto General, and Women’s College Hospital. One of only two stations in the TTC to have a tubular shape, according to Wikipedia, Queen’s Park also has a ceramic tile mural, a gift from the Government of Portugal, installed in 2003. Designed by Ana Vilel, the mural was inspired by the Portuguese exploration of the New World and is located within the fare-paid area of the mezzanine.
Both stations are on the Yonge–University–Spadina line and as such share the surface connection of the 506 Carlton streetcar; a streetcar with a ridership of over 56,000 passengers per weekday. It is said to be the most well-patroned surface route. But, before the 506 Carlton streetcar became one route, it was split into four.
According to transit.toronto.on.ca, the route of the 506 Carlton streetcar now starts “from an off-street loop at Main Street Station on the Bloor Line, out in Toronto’s older eastern suburbs, the Carlton Streetcar proceeds south along Main Street, and then turns west along Gerrard. After heading to Coxwell, the streetcar jogs south one block to rejoin Gerrard Street, and then continues to Parliament. Another jog north takes the car to Carlton, which changes into College Street at Yonge. Just past Lansdowne Avenue, the streetcar moves from College Street onto Dundas Street, turns west at Howard Park Avenue, and loops inside High Park. With streetcar service provided 24 hours per day, passengers can take in a long line of sites from Little India, East Chinatown, the Don River, Cabbagetown, Regent Park, Allan Gardens, Maple Leaf Gardens, Queen’s Park, College Park mall, the University of Toronto, Kensington Market, Little Italy, Roncesvalles, and High Park.
Regardless if you decide to take the subway or the streetcar, you are sure to have something to look at and admire, be it on the inside or outside.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_(TTC)
https://www.ttc.ca/Subway/Stations/College/station.jsp
http://myttc.ca/college_station
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen’s_Park_(TTC)
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=28bee3de1662de6d13f35d47a987b4de
http://www.ttc.ca/Routes/506/Eastbound.jsp
