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Pictures by Scott Simpson, text by James Bow.
Scott Simpson of 680 News, who supplied me with dozens of excellent pictures previewing the Sheppard subway, came back to me with another letter. On June 17, 2002, the TTC decided to show off its almost complete Sheppard subway to the media and various politicians. Scott was in attendance.
In his words: "We gathered at Don Mills station and walked down for a tour of the platform ... Westbound to Sheppard-Yonge for a look around ... eastbound to Bayview for a look around ... then back on the train to Don Mills. I may have some of that mixed up, but that's about all we saw. The mosaic murals were fantastic, and some of the effects at Bayview were cool, too. I noticed that the advertising stuff isn't up yet ... Brian Ashton didn't know why, but he called over one of the TTC fellas who said it'll be put up later .. and not as much advertising as on the other lines -- which makes sense, since it'd be a hard sell to get people to buy ads on a line with so little traffic. We noticed that the route maps inside the train didn't have the Sheppard line on 'em."
"In attendance were Transport Minister David Collenette, Rick Ducharme, some MPP, David Miller, Brian Ashton, the art director for the Sheppard line, ... a bunch more politicians .. TTC media relations types .. all the media ..."
Scott's photographs are below.
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Dignitaries gathered at Don Mills station. Among them (pictured here): Federal Transport Minister David Collenette and Toronto City Councillor David Miller. |
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Dignitaries briefed on the upcoming tour. |
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Gentlemen... start your cameras! Note the entrance to Fairview Mall behind. |
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The Don Mills station mezzanine level, basically complete. |
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As the dignitaries and the media trooped down to the platform level, they found a T-1 train waiting for them. |
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Here's the empty track opposite. Note the sign covered in paper. |
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From Don Mills, it's on the T1 and over to Sheppard-Yonge station (mostly complete). Everybody gets out to look around. Note the fenced off centre platform. |
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The mural art at Sheppard-Yonge station, up close... |
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Another portion of the mural, further away. The art at Sheppard-Yonge station is meant to depict Yonge Street in an earlier country setting. |
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Then the dignitaries pose for more pictures... |
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A shot across Sheppard-Yonge's central platform, to the mural on the other side. |
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A shot of more of the Sheppard-Yonge mural. |
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A shot of the elevator, the arched roof, and the Ellis Don contractor sign. The Yonge subway is directly beneath this spot, and Yonge Street just a few feet above. |
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A final shot of the Sheppard-Yonge platform, showing mural, elevator and tailtrack. |
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After switching ends in the tail track, the T-1 train returns to Sheppard-Yonge station, ready to pick up the dignitaries who have moved to the eastbound platform. |
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Then it was onto Bayview station... |
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...Which still needed a bit of work. |
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Bayview station is perhaps the first subway station in Toronto to have a floor show. Through the use of tiles and other techniques, passengers will be walking on the art. |
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The art at Bayview station includes a few tricks in perspective. |
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Another trick of perspective. |
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Another art piece at Bayview station. |
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Scott Simpson managed to have a look inside a collector's booth under construction at the Bayview station mezzanine. |
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Addressing the guests at the Bayview station mezzanine. |
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Then it was back on the train to Don Mills station, where the tour came to an end. |
Scott Simpson would like to thank the organizers of this media tour for putting together such a fascinating event. I would like to thank Scott Simpson for immortalizing this event in pictures.
