Canadian Train Stations

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

The interior of Gare Centrale is top notch but the exterior is so beyond ugly that it is disqualified from being considered best in Canada.

The first time I took VIA to Montreal I was confused upon taking my return train as I couldn't believe this was the actual train station. Must not have been paying attention when I arrived.

I've covered this topic before, but just to clarify:

This is central station, an early modernist/streamline modern/internationalist building built off-grade and isolated from the street:




CN has developed all sites around the station, so nowadays you can only see the back of the station:

20151102_123439 by Rommheim, on Flickr

you can see here the station (right) and the parkade (left)

20151102_123412 by Rommheim, on Flickr

The 1960's parkade on Gauchetiere street unfortunately fronts as the station, even though it is not the same structure at all. And this is my main beef with CS, it's hard to tell where the entrances are, and most people (locals alike) probably think the hideous bunker is the actual station. My hope is that one day, the parkade is torn down and replaced by a proper street-level entrance that is imposing and beautiful. Incidentally, the site where the parkade currently is would be an ideal site for a 210m tower.

[Martin Mtl]

/\ Townguy, I know it's confusing, but this is not Central station's facade, but the parking lot entrance on De La Gauchetière. In reality, Central station is hidden behind that structure and behind the Queen Elizabeth hotel, on tiny Belmont street, which is nothing else but a glorified alley street that serves as a surface parking lot. Like I said before, Central Station is mostly underground. You can see it on this photo. Notice that the large rectangular windows at ground level on the photo are actually on top in the interior grand hall.

For a pedestrian, it's actually easier and more convenient to use the Queen Elizabeth hotel as an entrance to the the station that it is to use the parking on de La Gauchetière.

This picture shows the back facade of the station on Belmont. The front facade was lost when the QE hotel was build attached to it.


http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-...px?id=16142#i1

[Martin Mtl]

Oups, we answered at the same time

[esquire]

EDIT: Oh crap, I forgot about the parkade that rico previously educated us about.

[shappy]

The revitalization taking place at toronto's union is massive in scope. Details here: http://urbantoronto.ca/database/proj...revitalization


Image courtesy of NORR Architects

And that's just the station itself, Front St. has been upgraded with a plaza (Sir John A Macdonald Plaza)

http://torontounion.ca/news/union-summer

Turns into an outdoor food market in the summer

http://torontounion.ca/news/union-summer

[Martin Mtl]

It is just a question of time before the parkade behind Central Station is demolished to make way for an office building. This is prime real estate land and it's zoned at 210 meters, so it's a no-brainer.

[Rico Rommheim]

^I hope that when this happens, it will be part of mass revitalization effort a la Union station. Gare centrale is too central and too important to continue to be neglected like this. But the fact that CN would be involved in any development effort would probably make such an endeavor brutally long and painful. CN is not as they say a "model corporate citizen".

[TorontoDrew]

Here is one I didn't know about. Great Western Railway Station, Yonge St., n.e. corner Esplanade E. The First pic is approx 1867.

all pics from: torontopubliclibrary.ca






Converted to a fruit market presumably after Union Station opened.



Then demolished.



The Post Office Building is in the background.



In it's place today is the Sony Centre and the L Tower..

[Acajack]

Is that a bilingual STOP-ARRETEZ sign I see in the Toronto of a century ago?

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Is that a bilingual STOP-ARRETEZ sign I see in the Toronto of a century ago?

That's why I posted it. I've never seen a bilingual sign in an old picture of the city before.

[WhipperSnapper]

I'm not surprised as this is around the time of Confederation. `The wealth of the new nation was centred in Quebec.

[TownGuy]

Never knew all that about Gare Centrale. It's almost more of a shame that the station was boxed in by that monstrosity. My confusion makes total sense now. I was indeed not entering an actual train station.

[Trans Canada]

Ottawa's "new" train station (1966), click for full size












Credit PANDA Photography, Hugh Robertson. Image 1 source http://www.canadianarchitect.com/new...on/1000433875/, images 2-5 source https://www.raic.org/honours_and_awa...11/train_e.htm

[Martin Mtl]

/\ I kind of like it. I just wish it would be downtown.

[MTLskyline]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

^I hope that when this happens, it will be part of mass revitalization effort a la Union station. Gare centrale is too central and too important to continue to be neglected like this. But the fact that CN would be involved in any development effort would probably make such an endeavor brutally long and painful. CN is not as they say a "model corporate citizen".

CN doesn't actually own the station or its own HQ anymore (both of which were sold to Cominar - the HQ is on a long-term lease). I doubt they could stop development of land they do not own.

CP is generally a much worse corporate citizen than CN. When CP left Montreal they pretty much abandoned Windsor Station, which was ultimately rendered useless when the Bell Centre was built. CP has since decamped out of downtown Calgary in favour of a 2-3 story warehouse-like headquarters at the CP Calgary rail yard.

[Rico Rommheim]

^Interesting. But CN still owns the tracks, so any future plans to build foundations of a highrise would somewhat interfere with its tracks, no?

[Rumors]

My Windsor Station shots:
,,,

[TorontoDrew]

The Ottawa Station is Beautiful. Would make great gallery space.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

The Ottawa Station is Beutiful. Would make great gallery space.

Yes, I like it too. The architectural idea is a gigantic railway trestle.

It gets a lot of hate in Ottawa because the station it replaced sits unused, located right downtown across from the Château Laurier and a stone's throw from Parliament.

[esquire]

^ The railways should never have stopped using Ottawa's downtown station, but the replacement that they built is really gorgeous and has aged very well at least in terms of appearance. It is arguably Canada's best mid-century modern train station, although there's an admittedly small field of contenders that it would be up against.