'Game changer': New Bloomington GO transit station set to open

Riders rejoice as transit choices improve

Yorkregion.com
June 21, 2021
Yoyo Yan

The state-of-the-art Bloomington GO station will officially open for trains and buses on June 28, offering more riders in York Region a direct ride to downtown Toronto.

An extension of the Richmond Hill GO line and five kilometres further north past Gormley station, Bloomington station is located at Highway 404 and Bloomington Road, on the northeast tip of Richmond Hill and adjacent to Aurora and Whitchurch-Stouffville.

"We've reached an incredible milestone with the completion of the new Bloomington GO Station, a major transit stop that extends the Richmond Hill line further north," said Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney at an announcement on June 16.

The four-level station comes with more than 1,000 parking spots, a three-level parking structure and a passenger drop-off and pickup area.

In addition, the new station includes bike storage, a bus loop with six bus bays and a 12-car platform with heated shelters and a snowmelt system.

As of opening day, the station will see four daily GO trains during the morning and evening rush hours, as well as 17 GO buses servicing the Route 61 trip on weekdays.

Bloomington station's entrance waiting area is 668 square feet and has a large glass roof atrium that allows for plenty of natural lighting. Elevators and accessible ramps are found throughout the building to allow passengers to easily navigate all four levels of the station.

Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora--Oak Ridges--Richmond Hill, called the new station a "game changer," as it is near Highway 404 and "will be a vital transit hub and new home base for riders to travel directly into Toronto."

The station and its buses and trains will adhere to COVID-19 pandemic protocols. "The health and safety of public transit passengers is a top priority for our government," said Paul Calandra, MPP for Markham-Stouffville.

"The new Bloomington GO Station is another important addition to the development of an integrated and efficient transit system serving Richmond Hill and York Region," said Joe DiPaola, acting mayor of Richmond Hill.

"Our customers will have access to a brand-new station building with amenities that will keep them safe as they travel on GO Transit and will support future growth in the region," said Phil Verster, president and CEO of Metrolinx.

Metrolinx utilized a design-bid-build delivery model for the station project and awarded a $82.4-million contract to Kenaidan Contracting Ltd. in December 2016.

Construction at the station began in early spring 2017. Environmentalists will be pleased to know that the station building and its parking structure is built to LEED Gold standard, featuring rooftop solar panels to help generate electricity.