Kennedy station

Coordinates: 43°43′57″N 79°15′49″W / 43.73250°N 79.26361°W / 43.73250; -79.26361
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Kennedy
Kennedy station exterior
General information
Location2455 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°43′57″N 79°15′49″W / 43.73250°N 79.26361°W / 43.73250; -79.26361
Platforms
Tracks
  • 2 (Line 2)
  • 1 (Line 3)
  • 2 (Line 5)
Connections
  •  12  Kingston Rd
  •  20  Cliffside
  •  21  Brimley
  •  34  Eglinton East
  •  38  Highland Creek
  •  43  Kennedy
  •  57  Midland
  •  86  Scarborough
  •  113  Danforth
  •  116  Morningside
  •  129  McCowan North
  •  131  Nugget
  •  133  Neilson
  •  201  Bluffer's Park
  •  300   Bloor–Danforth
  •  334   Eglinton East
  •  343   Kennedy
  •  903  Kennedy Stn–Scarborough Express
  •  905  Eglinton East Express
  •  938  Highland Creek Express
  •  939  Finch Express
  •  943  Kennedy Express
  •  954  Lawrence East Express
  •  985  Sheppard East Express
  •  986  Scarborough Express
Kennedy GO Station
Construction
Structure type
  • Underground (Lines 2 and 5)
  • Elevated (Line 3)
Platform levels4
Parking729 spaces
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteOfficial station page
History
Opened
  • Line 2: November 21, 1980; 43 years ago (1980-11-21)
  • Line 3: March 22, 1985; 39 years ago (1985-03-22)
OpeningLine 5: 2024; 0 years ago (2024)
ClosedLine 3: July 24, 2023; 8 months ago (2023-07-24)
Passengers
2019[1]
  • 77,205 (Line 2)
  • 36,756 (Line 3)
  • 113,961 (total)
Rank5 of 75
Services
Preceding station Toronto Transit Commission Following station
Warden
towards Kipling
Bloor–Danforth Terminus
Future services
Preceding station Toronto Transit Commission Following station
Ionview
towards Mount Dennis
Eglinton
(opens 2024)
Terminus
Warden
towards Kipling
Scarborough extension
(opens 2030)
Lawrence East (future)
Former services
Preceding station Toronto Transit Commission Following station
Terminus Scarborough Lawrence East
towards McCowan
Location
Map

Kennedy is the eastern terminal station on Line 2 Bloor–Danforth of the Toronto subway system. Opened in 1980, it is located east of the Kennedy Road and Eglinton Avenue intersection.[2] With the adjacent Kennedy GO station on the Stouffville line of GO Transit, Kennedy is an intermodal transit hub and the fifth busiest station in the system, after Bloor–Yonge, St. George, Sheppard–Yonge, and Union, serving a total of approximately 113,961 customer trips a day.

The station's main complex consists of four floors with wheelchair accessible entrances. The ground level is the bus terminal surrounded with ten platforms that serve 16 Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus routes. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.[3]

Kennedy station was previously the southern terminus of Line 3 Scarborough before it was permanently closed on July 24, 2023. The line was opened in 1985. The station's bus terminal is being expanded to handle replacement buses.[4]

Construction to expand the station began in 2017 to add a platform for the future Line 5 Eglinton, which will terminate at the station when its first phase opens in 2024.[5]

Station complex[edit]

Aerial view of Kennedy station and Kennedy GO Station

The station is located south of Eglinton Avenue, east of Kennedy Road. The station complex consists of four levels. Trains of the former Line 3 Scarborough previously ascended via a bridge to the platform located at the top level of the station complex. The ground floor (third floor, but labelled 2 in the elevator) consists of ten bus platforms surrounding the main building. Three satellite pedestrian entrances to the station can be found at the South Parking Lot, next to the Don Montgomery Community Centre, and the passenger pick-up and drop-off roundabout on Transway Crescent. (A fourth entrance, at the service road of Eglinton Avenue, was demolished in 2018 and no longer exists.) Below the ground level is the concourse that spans the length of the station, connecting to all pedestrian entrances. Below the concourse is the platform for subway trains on the Line 2 Bloor–Danforth.

Four park and ride lots, that had a combined total of 729 spaces, used to be located around the station.[6] As of August 21, 2023, these lots no longer exist.[7]

Line 2 Bloor–Danforth[edit]

Line 2 Bloor–Danforth was opened on February 25, 1966, and was extended westwards to Warden station on May 10, 1968, and to Kennedy station on November 21, 1980.[8]

An extension of Line 2, called the Scarborough Subway Extension, is under construction that will make Kennedy a through-station. From Kennedy station, the three-stop, 7.8-kilometre (4.8 mi) extension will travel east under Eglinton Avenue, then north under Danforth Road and McCowan Road to terminate at Sheppard Avenue.[9]

Line 5 Eglinton[edit]

Kennedy is being expanded to become the eastern terminus of Line 5 Eglinton. The Line 5 station will be underground, south of Eglinton Avenue East, and about 30 metres (98 ft) north of the Line 2 platforms.[10]

The main entrance to Kennedy station at the southwest corner of West Service Road and Transway Crescent was demolished and has been replaced by a new entrance to access the Line 5 concourse to be located one level above the Line 5 platforms. Two elevators will connect the Line 5 concourse to the Line 5 platform. Two north–south passages will connect the Line 5 concourse to the existing Line 2 concourse. There will be few changes to the Line 2 concourse. A secondary entrance on the east side of the existing GO rail corridor serves as the main entrance to the GO station.[10]

Line 3 Scarborough[edit]

Line 3 train leaving the station, showing the sharp curve that would complicate replacing it with heavy rail

In 1985, Kennedy station was expanded to serve Line 3 Scarborough, an elevated light metro line with six stations. In 2023, Line 3 was decommissioned and is planned to be replaced by a Line 2 extension to Scarborough City Centre.

Although Line 3 trains had bidirectionally operated metro trains, the tracks for Line 3 extended beyond the top-floor platform into an above-ground turning loop, similar to those found on the Toronto streetcar system. This was because Line 3 had been planned as a dedicated right-of-way streetcar line rather than a metro line. As such, the top-floor platform was designed to operate streetcars. Line 3 was later built as a medium-capacity rail transport line to use the Intermediate Capacity Transit System train models built by Bombardier Transportation. The line began using two-car trains, which were able to travel along the turning loop, but was later converted to use four-car trains, which could not be operated along the tight loop. Thus, the use of the loop for reversals was discontinued after 1988, although the loop's elevated structure remains over the passenger pick-up and drop-off building and was occasionally used as a tail track to store trains. The station platform was reduced to a single track and began using the Spanish solution of unloading and boarding passengers at Kennedy. Original floor finishing and platform edge markings for the planned light rail can also be seen along the current tracks.

Line 3 trains originally looped at the west end of the station, which was double-tracked, but was converted to single track with the platforms on both sides now providing access to the reversing trains.

Public art[edit]

A Sense of Place. Only the left half remains in 2023, and what remains is behind temporary fencing.

Kennedy station used to feature a mural titled A Sense of Place by artist Frank Perna. The mural was completed in 1997[11] and used to wrap around the station's main entrance, but when the entrance was demolished in 2018,[12] half of the mural was destroyed.

As part of a program to install artworks at major interchange stations along Line 5 Eglinton, Kennedy station will feature two new artworks when the line opens. A mural titled Reorganization of One Hedge by artist Dagmara Genda will consist of photographs of leaves taken from the same hedge that will be printed on the glass of a skylight.[13] A second artwork, titled Locations of Meaning by artist Joseph Kosuth, will consist of etched tiles with stainless steel inserts, each spelling the word "meaning" in one of 72 languages used in Toronto.[14]

Surface connections[edit]

Line 2 platform
A photo of a glass panelled light rail station with the name "Kennedy" in bold white lettering on the side. The structure is mostly completed, but signage over the entrances has not yet been added.
New Kennedy station entrance for the eastern terminus of Line 5
Concourse level of the station
Bus platform level of the station

There are two bus platforms at Kennedy station. Platform A, within the fare-paid zone, contains bus bays 1 through 10. Bus platform B, opened on October 8, 2023, is located outside of the station building on the south side of platform A and contains bus bays 11 through 18, primarily serving buses running express to Scarborough Centre station.[15] As of February 18, 2024, bus bays 6 through 10 are closed for construction related to the Scarborough Subway Extension.[16]

While the subway is closed, passengers may board buses outside the station near Transway Crescent. TTC routes serving the station include:

Bay number Route Name Additional information
Platform A
1 Unloading only
2 34A Eglinton East Westbound to Eglinton station
34B Westbound to Don Mills Road and Wynford Drive
(Saturday only)
954 Lawrence East Express Eastbound to Starspray Boulevard via Kennedy Road
3 12A Kingston Road Westbound to Victoria Park station via Brimley and Variety Village
12B Westbound to Victoria Park station via Brimley Road
116 Morningside Eastbound to Finch Avenue East and Morningside Heights
201 Bluffer's Park Southbound to Bluffer's Park
(Seasonal service)
4 86A Scarborough Eastbound to Toronto Zoo
86B Eastbound to Highland Creek
(Rush hour service)
86C Eastbound to Sheppard Avenue East
86D Eastbound to Beechgrove Drive via Lawrence Avenue East
Wheel-Trans
5 905A Eglinton East Express Eastbound to Conlins Road via Ellesmere Road and U of T Scarborough
(Weekdays only)
905B Eastbound to U of T Scarborough
(Weekends only)
986 Scarborough Express Eastbound to Sheppard Avenue East
(Rush hour service)
6 Under construction
7
8
9
10
Platform B
11 903A Kennedy Stn – Scarborough Express Northbound to Centennial College via Scarborough Centre station[17][18]
903B Northbound to Scarborough Centre station
985A Sheppard East Express Westbound to Don Mills station via Scarborough Centre station
12 939A Finch Express Westbound to Finch station via Scarborough Centre station
939B Westbound to Finch West station via Scarborough Centre station and Finch station
334 Eglinton East Blue Night service; eastbound to Neilson Road and Finch Avenue East via Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue
13 129A McCowan North Northbound to Major Mackenzie Drive East via Scarborough Centre station
(Extra fare required north of Steeles Avenue)
129B Northbound to Steeles Avenue East via Scarborough Centre station
131 Nugget Eastbound to Old Finch Avenue and Morningview Trail via Scarborough Centre station
300B Bloor–Danforth Blue Night service; westbound to West Mall
14 38A Highland Creek Eastbound to Rouge Hill GO Station via Scarborough Centre station
38B Eastbound to U of T Scarborough via Scarborough Centre station
133 Neilson Northbound to Morningside Heights via Scarborough Centre station and Centenary Hospital
938 Highland Creek Express Eastbound to U of T Scarborough via Scarborough Centre station
(AM rush hour service)
334 Eglinton East Blue Night service; westbound to Eglinton station
15 57 Midland Northbound towards Steeles Avenue East
Line 2 Shuttle Bus Westbound towards Warden station
Operates during subway service disruptions
16 43A Kennedy Northbound to Steeles Avenue East
43C Northbound to Village Green Square
(Rush hour service)
943 Kennedy Express Northbound to Steeles Avenue East
(Rush hour service)
343 Kennedy Blue Night service; northbound to Steeles Avenue East
17 21C Brimley Northbound to Steeles Avenue East via Scarborough Centre station
43B Kennedy Northbound to Scarborough Centre station via Progress Avenue
18 20 Cliffside Westbound to Main Street station
113 Danforth Westbound to Main Street station
Future: to be implemented upon the opening of Line 5 Eglinton[19]
34 Eglinton Westbound to Mount Dennis Station
To replace all branches of current bus route 34 Eglinton East

See also[edit]

  • Eglinton East LRT, a proposed surface-level LRT line to run east from Kennedy station via Eglinton Avenue, Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue to Sheppard Avenue

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Subway ridership, 2019" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2023. 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 Kennedy Station". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  3. ^ "Kennedy Station". www.ttc.ca. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  4. ^ The future of TTC’s Line 3 Scarborough (SRT)
  5. ^ Ranger, Michael (May 16, 2023). "Eglinton Crosstown won't open until 2024, construction group to take legal action: Metrolinx". CityNews. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  6. ^ "Kennedy Station". www.ttc.ca. Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "Kennedy Station Commuter Lot - Parking Reduction". Toronto Transit Commission. 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "2013 TTC Operating Statistics". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  9. ^ "Scarborough Subway Extension". Metrolinx. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Eglinton Crosstown LRT Interchange Stations – Final Designs" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. March 20, 2018. pp. 4 & Attachment 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  11. ^ Perna, Frank. "Kennedy Station Mural 1997" (Portfolio entry). Frank Perna. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  12. ^ Andrew (March 7, 2018). "Kennedy Station demolition: Mural at entrance to Kennedy Station" (Flickr photostream). Retrieved December 1, 2023.[better source needed]
  13. ^ Spurr, Ben (January 15, 2018). "Art installations will enliven Eglinton Crosstown LRT". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  14. ^ "See the new art installations going up at Eglinton Crosstown LRT stations". Metrolinx. June 30, 2022. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ^ "903 Kennedy-Scarborough Centre Express". Toronto Transit Commission. October 8, 2023.
  16. ^ "Kennedy Station north Platform A closure". www.ttc.ca. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "The future of TTC's Line 3 Scarborough (SRT)". Toronto Transit Commission. October 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "October (2023) service adjustments". Toronto Transit Commission. October 8, 2023. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  19. ^ "2024 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. November 17, 2023. p. 106.

External links[edit]