OTTAWA—The main Via Rail Ottawa train station on Tremblay Road celebrated its 50th anniversary with the announcement of a major renovation project and new departures between Toronto and Ottawa.
The announcement was made on Sept. 29 by David McGuinty, MP for Ottawa South, on behalf of Marc Garneau, minister of transport and Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, president and CEO of Via Rail Canada.
According to a release, the renovation project, valued at $20 million, will bring the facilities in line with international accessibility standards and will support Via Rail’s commitment to sustainable mobility. The work, scheduled to run from now to the fall of 2017, will include the construction of an elevated and heated passenger platform, installation of elevators to provide access to the tunnel and boarding platforms and construction of a new electrical room as well as the installation of an upgraded electrical system. An additional $1.7 million will also be invested in partial roof renovations and other improvements. This investment will come from the federal funding for infrastructure announced in the 2016 budget.
This work follows a series of renovations that began in 2007 after an investment of $5.4 million, that included, among other projects, the installation of new escalators, additional work spaces, automatic door replacement, washroom upgrades, business lounge renovations, ticket booth replacement, rotunda improvements, the renovation of parking facilities and restoration of the steel structure inside the station as well as improvements to the ventilation system and the boarding platform, adds the release.
"The Ottawa train station is truly an architectural gem," declared Desjardins-Siciliano in a statement. "Its remarkable design has garnered designation as a heritage train station. Once the renovations are complete, our facilities will be more accessible and mobility within the station as well as boarding and disembarking from our trains will be easier for everyone. The Ottawa train station is at the heart of our future dedicated tracks project, which will draw more passengers with increased train frequencies, shorter travel times and more convenient and reliable schedules. Until then, we will increase the departures from our nation’s capital in order to serve a growing market."
In addition to station improvements, dignitaries also announced there will be more flexibility for travellers between Ottawa and Toronto starting Nov. 1. Via Rail is expected to run a new schedule between Ottawa and Toronto and travellers will have a choice of two new afternoon departures (one departure each way), bringing the service offering up to nine daily departures in each direction during the week.
The Ottawa train station was inaugurated on Aug. 1, 1966. In 1967, the architecture firm behind the building design, John B. Parkin and Associates, received the Governor General’s Massey Medal for its outstanding work. The Via Rail station was designated a heritage building in 1996, 30 years after it was opened. In 2000, it was named one of the top 500 buildings produced in Canada during the last millennium and, in 2007, was presented the Ontario Association of Architects’ Landmark Award.
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