Local member of Provincial ParliamentMike Colle organized a petition in 2012 that led to a station at Oakwood Avenue being added to the Crosstown plan.[4][5] The main destination will be the Eglinton West commercial strip.
Description
2013 photo of storefronts that existed before the construction of Oakwood station
Both entrances replace existing storefronts; the main entry will be located directly at the northern end of Oakwood Avenue, serving as that street's terminating vista, the only station along Line 5 to serve as such, while the secondary will be on the south side of Eglinton some 80 metres (260 ft) west between Oakwood Avenue and Times Road. The station will provide outdoor space to park 24 bicycles.[2]
Oakwood station has an art installation by Nicolas Pye displayed on the main station entrance façade consisting of a photograph of colourful pick-up sticks on a white background.[6][7] The work suggests the intersection of transit routes on a map as well as symbolizing cultural diversity in the neighbourhood.
Construction
Construction crane at site of main station entrance in 2017
The National Post reported that contractors who thought they were pumping grout into holes they had drilled had filled a sewer near Oakwood station with cement, shortly before Christmas 2013.[8][9] The report quoted local business leader Nick Alampi, who said, due to Metrolinx attitude, his section of the Avenue "almost feels like it's the wild, wild west." The report asserted the accident increased local displeasure with the construction period. Locals had initially been mystified when sewage had backed up into their basements.
In March 2015, the east–west laneway south of Eglinton, near the station, was named Reggae Lane.[10][11][12] Alampi credited the building of the station as a trigger to redeveloping the lane. The lane had once been the heart of Toronto's recording of Reggae music.
In June 2015, Metrolinx plans to expropriate a barbershop near the station triggered comment.[13] The owners, Maureen and Ian Young, told CBC News that Metrolinx had failed to contact them, prior to announcing the expropriation in a local paper.
Secondary entrance under construction
The secondary exit's location is the former site of a Popeyes fried chicken restaurant.
An overhead crane was assembled on the pile wall at the site of the station's main entrance. According to Metrolinx, this is the first time in Canada an overhead crane has been used over an open excavation. The site had no space to install a more typical tower crane or a luffing crane. The crane stands 12 metres (39 ft) tall and, when combined with its beams, weighs 73 tonnes (80 tons). It went into operation in mid-September 2017.[14]
By September 2021, Oakwood station was nearing completion, with track laid and electrical overhead catenary installed. The station was built by "mining" (meaning its excavation was done entirely underground) rather than cut-and-cover. Mining activities began in October 2017.[14] The mining excavation technique resulted in the finished station having a cylindrical shape.[15]
^ ab"OakwoodStation". The Crosstown. October 13, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
^Kalinowski, Tess (April 5, 2013). "Crosstown LRT: Eglinton's big dig ends 30-year wait for renewal". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 24, 2017. Folks are lined up out the door of Randy's, waiting to buy some of the best Jamaican patties in the city. This stretch of Eglinton Ave., near Oakwood, is where Rasta meets pasta in Toronto.
^ abGupta, Rahul (August 29, 2012). "Oakwood Avenue light rail station closer to reality". Inside Toronto. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. That's the contention of local city councillor Josh Colle, who believes provincial transit planning agency Metrolinx will eventually add an Oakwood stop to the station map for the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT line scheduled for completion in 2020.
^Kuitenbrouwer, Peter (March 14, 2014). "'Wild west' in Eglinton LRT line construction after word Metrolinx punctured sewer line, pumped in cement". National Post. Retrieved August 16, 2015. Metrolinx has taken some time to acknowledge that its crews caused the sewer problem. Finally on Friday Metrolinx put a notice on its website: "Crews will be repairing a small section of City of Toronto sewer adjacent to the sidewalk on Eglinton Ave., west of Oakwood Ave. for several weeks." The work will begin Monday.
^Ayukawa, Ryan (April 18, 2015). "Toronto laneway to become reggae hot spot (once again)". Blog TO. Retrieved August 16, 2015. Ward 15 City Councillor Josh Colle was instrumental in nominating "Reggae Lane" for an official title. Colle, who lived in the area, wanted to help recognize the rich history of Little Jamaica and the music of the '70s and '80s in the area.
^Kurek, Dominik (March 17, 2015). "Reggae Lane selected for improvement project". Inside Toronto. Retrieved August 16, 2015. The changes are coming with the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which is scheduled to open in 2020. "With the coming changes to Eglinton with the LRT, potential buildings, condos, this is a space that should not be neglected, especially because it's literally no more than a footstep away from a main artery of Oakwood and Eglinton," Alampi said.
^Kurek, Dominik (June 2, 2015). "York community comes together to envision future of Reggae Lane". Inside Toronto. Retrieved August 16, 2015. He said the community needs Reggae Place, which could run along Eglinton from Marlee Avenue to Dufferin Street, and which would be a viable destination thanks to its proximity to the subway and access from the future underground Eglinton Crosstown LRT system.
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