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I mean we'll see, to some (very small) extent, long term Metrolinx project plans persist in some form, and Richmond Hill GO realigning has been oft-proposed. Especially considering the Line 1 extension the potential of a North South express is salient, and we alr own the Don Branch.

the only way I can see this ever happening is an agreement to decommission the existing track on the other side to replace the Don Mills trail but even then that'll be a hard battle to win. Not many governments that would want to weather that in swing ridings.

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lol as someone that grew up using Richmond Hill GO I appreciate the slights at the other stations but also atp, and I think Ford's GO 2.0 plans are in line with this, they'd just realign RH GO along the Don Branch & Don Mills trail & do fast frequent service that way if they do ever upgrade the line

Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

yeah no you couldn't easily do this (@ontariotrafficman.bsky.social explains this well) but iirc DB (when they were partnered for GO expansion) did actually consider it for after the YNSE Line 1 Richmond Hill extension was completed.

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and thank you for the kind words!

credits for the renders (and more) can all be found in alt text. all images of 315 spadina were sourced from the @urbantoronto.bsky.social database entry and forum discussion on the building. hope you found this informative!

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Time will tell how much of this building will be like the renders, but it's looking really good! New buildings don't have to be sterile, density does not have to mean a loss of culture. and seems like 315 Spadina is living up so far! 📸: Vminkov & Paclo (via UrbanToronto)

south facing render of 315 Spadina via AlbertC on UrbanToronto showing interface with rest of streetscape

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now there's much more I can say to gush over this development: voluntary inclusion of affordable units, architectural callbacks to the warehouses further down the street, and where it starts to setback. but really it's as simple as the two first points: lot size and storefronts.

render of corner Spadina & D'Arcy streets for new 315 Spadina development via Feruzian on UrbanToronto

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Now some of this is due to the city of Toronto's design guidelines, but as @ericlombardi.bsky.social pointed out to me this is only part of it! A lot of it is up to developers, and we see this with 315 Spadina: Masonry defines unit entrances + fun ornamentation!

street view plan of 315 Spadina via
DavidCapizzano on UrbanToronto

Best Practices from the city of Toronto Design Guidelines via Eric Lombardi

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Of course new densified apartments tend to want new residence entrances, so new layouts may be necessary, but 315 Spadina, maintaining stores, does this really well! This is then interrelated with the actual storefronts themselves. You ever see those full floor to ceiling glass street walls? Bad!!

full glass streetwall at campus one near college and spadina

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Maintaining small lot sizes is key & in a corridor like Spadina you want to try maintaining the previous # of units. I'm using 315 Spadina as an example here, developing a cherished set of restos in Chinatown, it includes 7 commercial units, allowing similar stores to return!

Floor Plans for 315 Spadina courtesy of Feruzian on UrbanToronto

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Across the city, not just Spadina, we're seeing older small scale buildings—classic toronto commercial vernacular—get redeveloped into towers & midrises. The loss of this microretail is often why new developments can feel "sterile". how to fix it? smaller lot sizes & ground experience (storefronts).

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

Spadina is facing a lot of development pressure right now as the city continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Understanding how to densify this corridor while maintaining it's feel & cultural value (especially the microretail of chinatown) is vital. (+) short thread 🧵

view facing south on Spadina Ave in Toronto

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phenomenal reforms coming out of the west coast right now, we could really learn a lot from Vancouver!

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

Honestly overall the new transit infrastructure in Australia is quite nice, with beautiful but functional architecture, grand stations and the inclusion of retail in stations and platform screen doors (both the new Melbourne tunnel and Sydney metro).

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

I've always been interested in Melbourne's wired surface transit (trams) & how the free fare zone and priority works in practice in a city of its size! Also how connected the different mixed use shopping streets feel within the core. In Sydney, the TOD around Chatswood (Victoria Ave) is super nice!

Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

heard this on the radio and still can't believe it!! wonderful news!! a major breakthrough in equity at the ttc and simplifying fares. this is what a system that cares about it's riders looks like.

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

there is a distinct possibility that Finch West's performance was was so poor that it finally jumpstarted action for streetcars across the city to be properly usable

graphic from mayor olivia chow reading "streetcars + LRTs signal priority is on the way"

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

beautiful and incredible things are happening in toronto, ontario @josephpolitano.bsky.social

DC economist Joey Politano with local influencer Reia

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

so the wloo lrt only uses the white bar at a few intersections (where they turn)?

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

oh this is great I so wish we had that in richmond hill as well for viva

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

doesn't wloo at least use white bars for go? why is that allowed in wloo but not elsewhere

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Reposted by Reia 💕

Alexbeheshti @alexbeheshti.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Nothing about the current collpase in housing starts is shocking to me For years people warned cities not to cook the golden goose with high DCs and onerous application processes because they needed the eggs not the meat! All the meat is eaten, the feast is over, and now we suffer empty stomaches

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

didn't burnaby recently downzone laneway permittance city wide?

Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

just learned about the Torre Velasca in Milan and I'm obsessed

torre velasca in milan viewed from the top of the duomo

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

you can find the publication here! which also includes the conceptual rendering for Royal Orchard which I didn't include because it looks incredibly similar to the Clark render. www.metrolinx.com/en/news/firs...

metrolinx.com

First look: New station designs for Yonge North Subway Extension

New artist’s renderings shared as procurement launches for the project’s final major contract.

Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

this extension is a very big deal for me because Richmond Hill is my hometown! I've heard this project discussed my whole life and seen physical progress on connecting projects (viva brt) as I've grown! It's very cool to finally see renders as well as early works at finch.

Map showing the route from Finch Station to Richmond Hill with five new stations at Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard, Bridge, and High Tech (Metrolinx image)

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Metrolinx has officially released the first conceptual renderings of the Yonge North Subway Extension (YNSE) to Richmond Hill! Stations include High Tech (1), Bridge/Langstaff GO (2), Steeles (3), Royal Orchard, and Clark (4).

conceptual rendering of high tech station platform

conceptual rendering of bridge station (langstaff go interchange)

conceptual rendering of steeles station building exterior

conceptual rendering of clark station mezzanine

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Reia 💕 @forkast.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

this capitulation is so unacceptable and just furthers the reality that transit riders and lower income folks are depriotized. 'sufferin dufferin' continues I guess, all do that a few more cars can congest neighbourhoods.

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Reposted by Reia 💕

Rodney 🚧🚇 @chanface.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Thinking about all wasted money, time, and resources designing + engineering the bus lane/road layouts north of Bloor only to completely throw them in the trash. Are we not going to at least do peak hour HOV lanes?? Meet in the middle like the opposition wanted? Have parking & deliveries off peak?

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well the benefit of electification is that it allows for better acceleration and deceleration so more stops doesn't affect that

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hey if you decide to extend your visit a bit you can come visit me in Kingston then too!

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I'm talking about Danforth GO to Scarborough GO, the subway isn't in discussion at all here.

this seems like a harder thing to subconsciously blame on the government than food delivery (which is sort of just lumped in with food costs overall)

5 minutes to go there and back? wouldn't that make it 10 minutes

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the issue is that this adds much more time and distance to anyone going from northern scarborough/markham towards Durham. If GO is to be a true regional agency it cannot continue to be so old Toronto centric with decisions and omissions like these.

well there's certainly no room for something like that in the current Metrolinx leadership unfortunately