Proposed pedestrian connection would link transit riders to new Vaughan hospital

YorkRegion.com
Oct. 3, 2015
Lisa Queen

You can expect to see a pedestrian connection between the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital and York Region Transit/Viva terminal.

York Region councillors voted Thursday to a memorandum of understanding for the connection with the hospital.

Their decision must still be approved by council at the end of October.

The connection will be a re-purposed underpass previously used by Canada’s Wonderland for vehicles, according to a regional report to the transportation committee.

An elevator would carry people from the pedestrian connection to the hospital, the report said.

The new hospital will be built on an 82-acre parcel of land adjacent to Hwy. 400 and north of Major Mackenzie Drive, which was purchased in 2009 by the City of Vaughan from Wonderland’s parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company.

In addition to the hospital, the site will also include a number of other health care services such as a long-term care facility, supportive community housing, research, education and training facilities, community health uses and medical office space.

In June, Mackenzie Health and Infrastructure Ontario issued a request for proposals seeking bids to design, build, finance and maintain the hospital.

A winner is expected to be announced next spring. Site work and construction will begin next year.

The city also bought a five-acre site on the south side of Major Mackenzie, which will include the transit terminal

The terminal will accommodate YRT/Viva, GO Transit and other transit service operators, such as charter buses bringing passengers to Wonderland.

The planning and design of the terminal will be done in coordination with the hospital development, the report said.