I took a walk today to see what things were like at what should be TTC strike hotspots – the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 headquarters, and the Wilson Complex, the largest depot in the system with both a major bus garage and the main subway yards for the Yonge-University-Spadina subway. I found both to be strangely devoid of any activity, but at least the walk itself was interesting.
I walked along Wilson roughly from Keele Street to Wilson Station. I noticed more pedestrians than usual walking along the streets, but in general, at the intersections, there were fewer feet on the street, as so much pedestrian activity in this part of Toronto are people walking to or from bus stops or transferring between them. Many of the pedestrians were carrying bags or carts of groceries from the plazas in the area. But the roadway itself, which closely parallels Highway 401, wasn’t any busier than normal, apart from more taxis. In fact, without the buses, things were noticeably quiet.
Walking along Wilson, one is able to notice the interesting variety of retailers along this stretch of low-rise rental apartments and two-story strip plazas that are easily missed speeding by in a car or even on the bus. There’s an eclectic mix of restaurants, hairstylists, grocery stores and social clubs catering to the local Italian, Latin American and Vietnamese communities.
At Garrett Boulevard, I spotted an older lady standing by the bus stop waiting. She was grateful for me telling her that the buses weren’t running, and was a bit shocked about it. She then started to walk down in the other direction with patient resignation. Even at 2PM, some people still had no idea that the TTC was on strike. The best on-street notice was actually the Toronto Sun boxes, located at many TTC stops (but not the one the lady was waiting at).
The ATU Local 113 headquarters are on this stretch of Wilson. It is usually full of cars (I guess ATU staffers don’t ride the TTC) during the week. It was all quiet there at 2PM, no cars in the driveway. I would have thought it’d be all hands on deck for the union staffers, even on a Saturday. Not even a police car to protect against “angry and irrational” customers.
At the Wilson Complex, things were even stranger. Both the garage and yard complex and the sprawling station were completely deserted, but the sounds of buses going in and out of the garage and into the station from the busy 29, 96 and 165 routes usually make this a busy and noisy place. Normally, one associates strikes with images of picketers, flames in barrels, barricades, and angry messages, but there was none of that. The entrance to the property was wide open. Are TTC workers not even willing to picket?
The Wilson Station complex is a maze of parking lots, ramps, platforms and walkways, all tied into the Allen Road expressway. Only a few skateborders were making use of the wide-open property. I think the station is rather ugly and inhosptiable, but I have a soft spot for the round passenger pick-up building.
And of course, no notice on any of the doors of the strike or station closure.
The parking lot (the one pictured is only one of three at this station) was barren. I also noted the sad state of the bike posts at Wilson. The TTC really needs to do more to encourage biking to its stations. 
Finally, across from Wilson Station is the kind of development that shouldn’t be anywhere near a subway station. The SmartCentres Downsview Complex features a Home Depot, Costco and other big-box retailers, in a way that is pedestrian hostile. While it is hard to put urban uses in the approach to the Downsview runway (used by Bombardier), it’s hardly friendly to walk-up or subway users. Only the LCBO attempts with an entrance that faces the sidewalk.
13 comments
Nice story.
I agree about the pickets. It seems to me that strikers have a duty to not just sit at home but get out and make their grievances known, especially when their strike effects the general public so widely.
The union probably thinks that pickets would just lead to direct conflict with the general public, and I’m sure it would. Kinnear mentioned a demonstration but there’s no date for that. If that went ahead it should provide members of the public with the opportunity for a lively riposte.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that too; the most theoretically subway-friendly Costco in town, isn’t. Unless they’re holding out for a Wilson Station rebuild. (Then again, the kind of SUV-scale shopping one typically does at Costco isn’t inherently subway-friendly.)
Fascinating stretch of Wilson, though; after all, it’s downtown Dehavillandville, the ultimate in postwar lunchbucket suburban striptopia, transitioning into the present. Nothing chic about it, whatsoever; what a relief…
“In fact, without the buses, things were noticeably quiet.”
I live near a streetcar line and I REALLY noticed how quiet it was – man, those streetcars make a huge amount of rumbly noise! I’ve never really liked streetcars – loud, easily blocked and they really wear out the streets. I miss the electric trolley buses Toronto used to have – all the maneuverability of regular buses but without the noise and fumes. Ditch the streetcars and bring back the trolleys!
yes, regrettably those streetcars are Red Rumbles, tho I also can call them Red Rackets, not sure which is better. They’re really heavy, and I worry about the new ones not being too much better. The old PCC cars were likely comparatively okay for noise/rumble…
It’s too dangerous for the strikers to be on a picket line, it’s one of the very reasons they are on strike(protection from attacks by the public).They have a democratic right to be on strike!
George, if you really believe that the old excuse of “worker safety” is the reason behind this strike, you’re totally wrong.
That’s the same excuse they dragged out when they went on strike illegally two years ago, when the real reason was the maintenance worker schedule changes. If you read into it more, it’s the maintenance workers leading the militancy, and they’re not the ones in contact with passengers. This time, it’s the alleged threat of replacing their work with CAW-union workers at Orion and Bombardier for warranty work.
So I think the real answer is much closer to the ATU mechanics protecting their turf, and Bob Kinnear trying to save his presidency by taking such a sudden withdrawal of service, and then blaming the “angry and irrational” public.
You mean the union is in the middle of a “revolution?”
So its a fight about which union workers get to do the work on new vehicles?It sounds like there is a battle for the publics money,and its the public that is paying for this dispute.If this is true its an even sadder future that we face in Toronto.
Thank You for your honesty Sean
Shawn, did you bike or drive up to Wilson? It’s been many years (15+) since I was in that part of town. Rather humbling to think that most of Toronto has more in common with this area than it does with Bloor St. I’ve had my share of walking while carrying groceries etc in many a Canadian suburban wasteland…ugh!
Why no pickets today? I have a feeling the strike was just a nice way of giving the TTC workers a quiet weekend to enjoy the warm Spring weather! And living above a subway line, it sure is pleasant not to have the vibration and noise from trains….
Maybe I should create a company called “Transit Management” and pay drivers $10 an hour with no benefits to drive the subways and busses. They can not give a shit about their jobs and do it pretty much the same as who are there now. When was the last time you met a transit driver who seemed like they enjoyed their job? That’s what EVERY other industry has done to save money, and they aren’t responsible to the taxpayer. If I was a lawmaker, I would issue a directive saying go to work NOW or face a mass firing and re-contracting. Put those assholes who voted against a union-vetted contract in their place. The TTC over every other company has the most responsibility to offer a cost-effective service.
When was the last time you met someone who liked their job? 90% of people hate their jobs! From office managers to janitors, there are many who hate their jobs and a few that love them.
If you want the TTC to be a minimum wage job be prepared to have just-off-the-plane immigrants with zero English language skills running the show.
The anti-immigrant comment was uncalled for, and shows you understand almost nothing about our immigration system, save for the usual stereotypes perpetuated by racists.
You’re right that many people hate their jobs, but that doesn’t excuse the increasingly surly behaviour the TTC is becoming known for.
Speaking of Wilson Station, I really don’t think that it deserves more of a pedestrian-friendly community around it. As previously mentioned, the area is rather inhospitable and the station design doesn’t really help. What makes me furious every time I go through that station is seeing that disgusting Smartcentre big-box crap take up valuable real estate near the station. Although I am sick of seeing the big box disease here in Brampton, it’s expected…but it makes me so sad to see these so-called smart centers creeping up on Toronto!
My mistake: I meant to say that it deserves More pedestrian friendly development around it.