Compiled by Pete Coulman

See Also

• 185 DON MILLS ROCKET (2016-2018)
• 303 DON MILLS BLUE NIGHT (1987-2015)
• 325 DON MILLS NIGHT
• 925 DON MILLS EXPRESS

July 1, 1954

Coincident with the takeover of suburban bus operations in Metropolitan Toronto by the Toronto Transit Commission, service begins on a new TTC route replacing the former Hollinger Bus Lines IBM service. Buses on DON MILLS run from Pape and O'Connor (looping via south on Peplar Avenue, west on Woodville and north on Don Mills Road) via Don Mills Road through the Don Valley to Lawrence Avenue, looping via north and east on the Donway East and west on Lawrence. Service operates throughout the day on weekdays.

During rush hours, service is extended north on Don Mills to York Mills and west to the Sheriff's Plant located just west of the CNR railway crossing, looping in the parking lot.

One bus, operating out of Woodbine garage, provides a base service of every sixty minutes. During rush hours, a second bus increases service to every half hour.

Service on the "York Mills" branch is extended into a large counterclockwise loop west from the Sheriff's Plant, south on Leslie Street and west on Lawrence to route. Initially, this service is operated on a 90 minute headway. Saturday service is added to the "Lawrence" branch, operating from 12:30p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

A note from the period mentions that the TTC was considering extending service on Eglinton Avenue, possibly as a branch of this route. At this time, Eglinton Avenue ended at Laird Drive, and�did not resume until Don Mills Road. Leslie Street also ended at Lawrence Avenue. Metropolitan Toronto would not extend Eglinton Avenue for another year, and it would be another three years before Leslie Street was extended from Lawrence to meet up with Eglinton.

April 1, 1957

The 25A "York Mills" branch now operates every forty-five minutes during rush hours.

August 26, 1957

In conjunction with�the opening of the Eglinton Avenue extension between Laird and Victoria Park, and the inauguration of the 34 EGLINTON EAST bus, 25 DON MILLS is rerouted to run from Eglinton subway station via east on Eglinton and north on Don Mills, abandoning service south of Eglinton Avenue, but providing Don Mills residents direct access to�the subway.

September 8, 1958

Weekday evening service is added, with the last bus departing at 12:30 a.m. Saturday service remains the same.

April 9, 1959

On this day, three buses operate on the 25A "York Mills" service, completing the 13 mile round trip in 70 minutes for a service frequency of every 15 minutes during the morning rush hour. During the midday, one bus operates the "York Mills" service at 60 minute intervals. During�the afternoon rush hour, 2 buses provide 20 minute service. During the evening and on Saturdays, 1 bus provides hourly service. A fourth rush hour bus was added on September 14 of this year, and a fifth on November 11.

December 14, 1959

DON MILLS SHOPPERS route inaugurated and written as part of the Don Mills schedules. Route runs Monday to Friday only, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., every half hour.

Buses operate from Parkview Village Plaza at Victoria Park and Ellesmere via west on Parkwoods Village Drive, west on Brookbanks Drive, Three Valleys Drive and Laurentide Drive, west on York Mills Road and south on Don Mills Road before turning west on Lawrence Avenue and Banbury Road to loop clockwise via Larkfield Drive, returning via the reverse route.

May 11, 1960

DON MILLS SHOPPERS route - service reduced, with a single bus providing hourly service. At this time, the operation boasted an average of 65 daily boardings.

July 15, 1960

DON MILLS SHOPPERS route discontinued for the summer months

November 12, 1960

DON MILLS SHOPPERS route resumed service for the Christmas shopping season

December 30, 1960

The last day of operation for the DON MILLS SHOPPERS service. Route discontinued due to low ridership.

January 29, 1961

Sunday service added to the 25A "York Mills" branch, operating from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A TTC timetable from April 19, 1965 illustrates the diversion that occurred.

March 2, 1965

25 DON MILLS service diverted due to bridge construction over the railway tracks near Bond Avenue. During normal hours and weekends, buses run from Eglinton Station over the regular route to Lawrence, then east on Lawrence, north on Donway East, south on Donway West, west on Lawrence, north on Leslie, east on York Mills and south on Don Mills to an off-street loop at Bond Street and return. During middays and evenings and on Saturdays, buses operate every 35 minutes. During Sundays and holidays, buses operate every 70 minutes.

During rush hours, service is split into two parts. One part operates from Eglinton station via the normal route to the Donway, looping via the Donway counterclockwise. The part circles the Donway and then runs via west on Lawrence, north on Leslie, east on York Mills and south on Don Mills to Bond, looping at an off-street loop. Both services operate at ten minute intervals.

July 25, 1965

CNR Rail bridgework completed south of Bond Street and 25A normal 'through' routing resumes.

February 26, 1966

Coincident with the opening of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY, 25 DON MILLS service is rerouted off of Eglinton Avenue to operate via south on Don Mills, west on Overlea Boulevard, south on Millwood Drive, across the Leaside Viaduct and south on Pape to the new Pape station. Service is also extended north via north on Don Mills, past Sheppard, to loop around�the "Peanut Plaza" in Don Valley Village. During rush hours, service operates express from Pape station to Overlea Boulevard, stopping only at Mortimer and O'Connor, while local service is provided by 81 THORNCLIFFE PARK. Additional rush hour service is provided from Pape station to Lawrence, looping via Donway West. Service on Leslie is discontinued, replaced by the new 51 LESLIE bus.

January 30, 1967

A service note on this date states that 25 "Don Valley Village" service operates at 20 minute intervals during weekday middays (9:10 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.) and evenings (7:00 p.m. - 12:20 a.m.) and during the daytime on Saturdays (5:45 a.m. - 6:40 p.m.). During the evenings on Saturdays (7:00 p.m.-12:20 a.m.) and on Sundays (8:45 a.m.-12:20 a.m.), service operates at 40 minute intervals.

25B "Don Valley Village Express" buses operate rush hours only at 12 minute intervals (5:45 a.m.-8:50 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.-6:52 p.m.) while four buses provide service on 25C "Lawrence" during rush hours.

September 16, 1968

Due to the closure of the Leaside Viaduct, southbound 25 DON MILLS buses detour off of Overlea and Millwood, running on Don Mills Road south of Overlea, through the Don Valley and up to O'Connor Drive before turning west on O'Connor and south on Pape to Pape station. Northbound buses reverse this routing.

February 8, 1969

With the reopening of the Leaside Viaduct to traffic, regular service resumes on 25 DON MILLS.

A selection of DON MILLS transfers, circa the 1970s

January 5, 1971

Service is extended north from the "Peanut Plaza" via north on Don Mills and east on Finch to a new off-street loop on the north side of Finch serving Seneca College.

Note: Owing to the large loop formed by the "Peanut" in the Don Valley Village, passengers who so desire may board buses northbound at Godstone Rd and at Deerford Rd and travel to the southbound zone boundary at Eglinton Ave on one Zone 2 fare, paid when boarding. To avoid misunderstandings, drivers will set transfers for southbound travel when northbound at Fairview Mall Drive.�

January 6, 1971

Service begins on a new rush hour branch serving the Lesmill Industrial area. Buses run from Pape station over the regular route to York Mills and then run west on York Mills, north on Lesmill, north on Valleybrook and west on Duncan Mill Road to Don Mills and south on Don Mills to route. This service replaces the 25C "Lawrence" branch.�

May 25, 1971

Service on the Lesmill loop is expanded. Buses now loop via Lesmill and Duncanmills, abandoning service on Valleybrook Drive. Buses operate every 16 minutes during rush hours.�

March 30, 1974

Concurrent with the extension of Don Mills Road across the Hydro right-of-way north of Finch, and the extension of the YONGE SUBWAY to Finch, all regular and express DON MILLS buses are extended north on Don Mills to loop at Steeles via east on Steeles, south on Townsend and west on Freshmeadow to Don Mills. Service to Seneca College is replaced by the new 39 FINCH EAST bus route from the newly opened Finch station. Service on the 25A branch is unchanged.

March 22, 1985

Last day of operation of 25B EXPRESS branch. Starting the following Monday (March 25), all rush hour buses run local between Pape station and Steeles Avenue.

August 30, 1985

Last day of operation for 25A "Lesmill' branch. Starting the following Tuesday (September 3), service into the Lesmill Industrial area is provided by the new 122 GRAYDON HALL route operating from York Mills station.�

September 3, 1985

Service begins on a rush hour short-turn branch operating from Pape station over the regular route to Lawrence, looping via Donway West and returning.

March 1986 (or earlier)

While the exact date is unknown (the January 1986 Ride Guide does not show this change), by this month, service on the 25A "Lawrence" loop is extended, with buses from Don Mills and Donway running via west on Donway West, west on Barber Green Road, north and east on Overland Drive, north on the Donway West, south on the Donway East, back to Don Mills. No change to the destination signs, although some buses operate with a window card reading, "VIA BARBER GREENE".

September 8, 1987

On the request of the Town of Markham, a new rush-hour extension is launched, running from Pape station, over the regular route to Steeles Avenue and then continuing north across Steeles and up Leslie Street to Highway 7, looping counterclockwise via west on West Pearce, north on West Bever Creek Road and east on Highway 7 to Leslie, and return.

Fall 1987�(exact date unknown)

The 25A "Lawrence" rush hour short turn service resumes its loop on Donway West. Service no longer provided on Barber Greene.

May 24, 1988

At the request of the Town of Markham, weekday midday and Saturday daytime service is added to the 25C "Highway 7" branch. During rush hours, service is extended over a new branch to 16th Avenue, operating over the regular route to Highway 7 and then taking a large clockwise loop via west on Highway 7, north on West Bever Creek Drive and Granton, east on 16th Avenue, south on Mural and East Beaver Creek Drive and west on Highway 7 to Leslie and returning. Service operates half hourly during the morning rush hour, and every 29 minutes during the afternoon rush hour.

25C "Highway 7" service now runs middays only, Monday to Friday and Saturdays (12 hrs). NEW Monday to Friday rush hour extension to 16^th Avenue running over the regular route to Highway 7, then a large clockwise loop via west on Highway 7, north on West Beaver Creek Drive and Granton, east on 16^th Avenue, south on Mural and East Beaver Creek Drive and west on Highway 7 to Leslie and return AM 30-00 / PM 29-00)

June 1989 (exact date unknown)

25A "Lawrence" rush hour short-turn service is discontinued.

September 4, 1990

At the request of the Town of Markham, the 25C and D loops are reversed. Buses now loop via east on Commerce Valley Drive East, north on East Beaver Creek Drive, north on Mural, west on 16th Avenue, south on Granton Drive, south on West Beaver Creek Drive, east on Highway 7, south on Commerce Valley Drive East and south on Leslie Street to route.

July 19, 1992

Weekday midday and Saturday daytime service added to the 25D "16th Avenue" branch. Service on the 25C "Highway 7" branch discontinued.

May 12, 2002

Weekday early-evening, Saturday early evening and daytime Sunday and holiday service is added to the 16th Avenue branch, at the request of York Region. Service operates every 30 to 40 minutes. There is no change in service levels or trip times south of Steeles Avenue.

November 24, 2002

Coincident with the opening of the SHEPPARD SUBWAY, all 25 DON MILLS buses enter the new Don Mills station in both directions.

May 11, 2003

At the request of York Region, weekend and holiday service is discontinued on the 25D "16th Avenue" branch. Service operates during weekdays only (5:30 a.m. - 9:20 p.m.).

September 4, 2005

Service is made accessible with the use of Orion VII low-floor buses.

May 25, 2009

Bike rack service begins.

May 7, 2010

Last day of service on the 25D "16th Avenue" branch. On May 10, York Region Transit replaces service north of Steeles Avenue with augmented service on its 90B route.

March 27, 2016

Coincident with the launch of the parallel, limited-stop 185 DON MILLS ROCKET service, frequencies on the newly "local" 25 DON MILLS route are cut back all day weekdays and during the daytime on weekends and holidays. Service is blended between the two routes. No change to destination signs.

January 8, 2017

In order to maintain reliable service during the construction of the EGLINTON-CROSSTOWN LRT, service on 25 DON MILLS is revised, splitting the route at Don Mills station on the SHEPPARD subway. During weekday evenings and all day on weekends and holidays, buses will operate on the 25A "Paps Stn-Steeles" route, which matches the current route. During peak periods and midday on weekdays, however, buses on the 25B route will follow the normal route from Paps station to Don Mills and terminate there, while buses on the 25C route will operate from Don Mills station to Steeles. Additional running time is also added on the route.

25 Don Mills Image Archive

	A TTC bus painted for Christmas in 1958 passes Eglinton Avenue in service on the 25A branch of 25 DON MILLS. Photo courtesy the Toronto Archives.
	An issue of TTC's "Headlights", describing changes to bus services coincident with the extension of the YONGE SUBWAY to Finch on March 30, 1974.
	A photograph of a Danforth Division side rollsign, circa 1986, showing the 25 DON MILLS exposures. The photograph was taken by James Bow and the rollsign is courtesy the Rob Lubinski collection.
	A map off a TTC timetable for 25 DON MILLS, effective February 3, 1969.
	A page from the TTC's 1985 Service Planning document, which discusses the proposed revision of the 25 DON MILLS "Lawrence" loop via Barber Greene.
	An official TTC map of 25 DON MILLS operations, effective January 1, 2013.
	A news report from the August 1957 Coupler Magazine announces the new services on 25 DON MILLS and 34 EGLINTON EAST that launched in response with the opening of the Eglinton Avenue East extension.
	TTC GM New Look #2900 pauses at Sherborne garage during a November 1978 fan trip, showing off a 25B DON MILLS EXPRESS rollsign. Photo by Ted Wickson, courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC GM "New Look" bus #3966 pulls past construction on the Leaside Bridge, circa 1960, while a striker protests unsafe working conditions at the site. Image courtesy the Toronto Archives.
	TTC Flyer D-901 bus #6172 on 25 DON MILLS seen at Sheppard and Don Mills on June 30, 1999. Photo by Felix Tse.
	TTC Orion VII bus #7442 is seen here departing Pape Stn. at Lipton Avenue and Pape Avenue on route 25 DON MILLS on the first day of the year, January 1, 2017. Photo taken by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Orion VII bus #7462 passes a chartered Orion V bus and pulls in the left lane, heading southbound on Don Mills approaching Don Mills station on the afternoon of Saturday, August 30, 2014. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Orion VII bus #7642 seen here at Don Mills Stn. servicing the 25 DON MILLS route on February 5, 2013. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8360 waits at Pape station in service on 25 DON MILLS. The date is unknown, but is likely in the early 1980s. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC Flyer D-901 bus #8473 seen in service on route 25 DON MILLS in August 1998. Photo by Fred Tang
	TTC GM New Look #8949 waits at Pape station to make a run in service on 25 DON MILLS in March 1984. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.