May 2008

The TTC and the Toronto Community Foundation (TCF) unveiled the results of the Museum Station makeover last month to the embracing sounds of “ooohs” and “aaahs” from passing subway riders.

“This is what you get when you take an inspired vision, a commitment to the public space in this great city and put it together with an innovative partnership,” said TCF President Rahul Bhardwaj.

The Arts on Track initiative, influenced by the City of Toronto’s Clean and Beautiful City Initiative, calls for more art and culture in Toronto’s public spaces.

Jack Diamond, of Diamond and Schmitt Architects, developed the platform treatment by capturing the cultural influences of the Royal Ontario Museum and the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art located above the station.

The station’s most dramatic features are the five sets of paired columns representing First Nations Canada, Ancient Egypt, Mexico’s Toltec Culture, China’s traditional culture and the Parthenon of Ancient Greece.

“We have to renew our subway and to make sure that people take advantage of it everyday in surroundings, which are befitting for a world class transit system,” said Ontario Deputy Premier George Smitherman.

The train way walls have been covered with aluminium panels that accentuate the station’s name in large, bold letters, which are highlighted with hieroglyphs.

Another feature of the platform makeover is the improved lighting that brightens the platform. The original platform lights were cleaned and re-lamped, while other light fixtures were replaced and new spotlights were installed, said Senior Project Engineer David Lawson.

“The vision of Diamond and Schmitt Architects was that these columns would have a sparkle and the way to get that was to spotlight them, which emphasizes the shadowing,” he said.

TTC Chair Adam Giambrone announced the construction of a second entrance to be built over the next year-and-a-half as the TTC continues upgrading features on the 45-year-old station.

The University Subway Station Renaissance Program calls for unique upgrades to St. Patrick and Osgoode stations.