Officials praise regional transit facility in Richmond Hill

Some say building is finished; others say work is ongoing

Yorkregion.com
April 20, 2015
By Lisa Queen

A new $135 million transit facility in Richmond Hill is finished, according to the federal government.

Or not.

“A new transit operations, maintenance and storage facility is complete in the Town of Richmond Hill that will support transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area,” Transport Canada said in a press release Thursday.

But a York Region spokesperson said Friday more work is still taking place inside the large facility near Leslie Street and 16th Avenue in the Headford Business Park.

A grand opening is expected to be held in June.

Either way, Richmond Hill Regional Councillor Vito Spatafora, who chairs the region’s transportation committee, is thrilled with the pending opening of the project.

“I’m elated about that. It’s not only going to be a tremendous facility for Richmond Hill, but it will bring a lot of employment opportunities,” he said.

“It will be a focal point for the region. It’s crucial. It’s right in the centre of York Region. It’s a key piece for the broader use of Viva, but it is essential as a connection with the GTA. In the region’s respect, it’s a key piece for York Region. Without it, we wouldn’t have the facility we need to take care of our transit needs.”

Based on the federal press release, other officials are pleased with the project, too.

"The Harper government is investing in projects, like this one, that create jobs, encourage increased ridership on public transit, improve safety and reduce congestion for Ontarians,” Richmond Hill MP

Costas Menegakis said on behalf of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Denis Lebel.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca, MPP for Vaughan, agreed.

"The Ontario government is committed to making transportation investments that benefit the entire region,” he said.

“Facilities such as this one make a difference in our communities by building the infrastructure our transit systems need to thrive. This is proof of our government's commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families."

Regional chairperson Wayne Emmerson praised different levels of government for coming together to make large infrastructure projects happen.

“This 'home base' for transit will enhance transit operations in York Region and help better serve our Viva network,” he added.

The facility was built to store and maintain York Region Transit/Viva bus rapid transit vehicles.

It is part of the broader vivaNext rapid transit network, which includes the York Viva BRT project being implemented by Metrolinx, a provincial agency implementing the Big Move transportation plan over 25 years for the sprawling region.

Construction costs for the facility were $135 million. The federal government contributed $57 million, while the region provided $60 million and the province kicked in $18 million.

The total cost of the project is $170 million.

The facility, which Spatafora called state-of-the-art, is part of a larger project that includes purchasing 39 bus rapid transit vehicles and the construction of the Cornell terminal in Markham.