I don’t know about anybody else but I’ve pretty much avoided Victoria Park subway station ever since I first moved to Birch Cliff in the early 1990’s.
The newly-renovated Victoria Park subway station
The reason is that I was afraid to go there. When I take the TTC, I take the bus to Main Street (even though it’s farther) because it feels much safer given the history of violence at Victoria Park.
Stabbings and shootings
In 1995, 54-year old TTC employee Dimitrija “Jimmy” Trajceski was robbed and stabbed to death while working the night shift at Victoria Park.
The fare collector was murdered by Adrien Kincaid, who received a life sentence for the crime and was later found guilty of the murders of Tammy and Marsha Ottey which happened on that same day.
In 2007, 21-year old Nicky Brown was found stabbed to death on the floor of a subway car. Police arrested a 26-year old man after tracing bloody footprints left at Victoria Park station. In 2009, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years.
In 2010, two men were shot behind Victoria Park station and were found on a pathway that connects to the high-rise apartments on Teesdale.
$30 million renovation
In light of the background, I was encouraged to see an article in today’s Globe and Mail describing the station’s $30 million transformation from a concrete bunker to a station with a beautiful view and green roof.
“…above the floral bus bay a wide, well-lit walkway runs parallel before it branches out to touch an apartment tower on Denton Avenue to the southeast; along the north face of the station, a crumbling second-floor walkway (beside the subway platform’s windows onto the golf course) has been rebuilt and widened to funnel walkers to and from Scarborough’s Teesdale Place apartment towers. These outdoor people “parallel the people walking inside,” offers Mr. Brown: “There’s something comforting about that; if this were an opaque wall, you wouldn’t be able to get that connection. It makes some sense to know that there are people watching you and you can watch them.”
So this morning I went to Victoria Park to have a look for myself and take some photos. The subway platform on the north side is now bathed in natural light, making it less creepy.
Natural light streams in the windows as commuters wait for the westbound train.
There’s a view of Dentonia Park Golf Course from the subway platform.
The windows are nice but I think they need a bit of a washing.
This brought a smile to my face. I’m actually glad they didn’t spend taxpayer money fixing the signage.
The branding probably isn't what it should be, but does anybody care?
The ground floor of the station is a brighter and more airy space.
The ground floor of Victoria Park subway station
It’s certainly a much nicer place to wait for a bus.
Bus bays at Victoria Park subway station
As I was taking this next picture a somewhat intimidating man asked how much my camera was worth and whether I would teach him to take photos.
Crescent Town bridge
I left quickly after that, but not before taking this final picture of the green roof on top of the station.
A green roof to match the golf course next door
Any thoughts from people who use the station regularly? If you’ve always avoided Victoria Park, would you use it now? Feel free to scroll down and leave a comment.
I have never felt intimidated going to Vic Park station. I have never heard about those violent incidents before, but I don’t think they would have deterred me from going there anyhow… I don’t want fear to inhibit me.
The reno looks very nice. Are there going to be shops etc. as well?
They do have a coffee spot and convenience kiosk Mary, but it doesn’t look like they plan for more shops than that.
Looks like a good example of the kind of renovation work the TTC should be doing across the system – shame it took such violence for the TTC mangement to finally act. Warden Station would be a good candidate for the next reno.