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(01-19-2023, 03:26 PM)SF22 Wrote: Has there been any rumour about what will happen to the existing VIA Rail station in Kitchener once the KVTH eventually gets built? I really hope that we'll keep the train station building around, much like Waterloo has theirs and has transformed it into commercial space. Might be nice to get some small storefronts built along Victoria to replace the existing parking lot, too. The land parcel is only 500m away from the new hub (and has 3 bus lines stop directly in front of it), and it feels like it would be a waste not to do something nice with the area, even if it's a bit of a challengingly-shaped lot.
Not really sure what I'd like to see in this space, honestly. I bet a restaurant in the train station would be a fun vibe, if done right. It'd be neat to have a pedestrian bridge cross Weber here as well, linking the (former) VIA station to whatever ends up getting built across the street at 100 Victoria St N. The crossing could be level with the train tracks, and give people any alternative way to cross street without having to navigate the busy corner that is Weber/Victoria. I've been to a few other old train station restaurants/breweries. Mud Station in Owen Sound and Broken Rail in St Mary's. This could be a good location, but I suspect that no one will invest in it until the situation with the surrounding area is solved.
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In the end, I expect that Metrolinx will sell the station, not develop or renovate it.
The Metrolinx property (about three acres, excluding the regional parking lot) actually spans the tracks so potentially could be developed with either a bridge or a larger floor plate above the tracks.
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It would make a good “Boathouse-type” location.
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(01-19-2023, 04:47 PM)tomh009 Wrote: In the end, I expect that Metrolinx will sell the station, not develop or renovate it.
The Metrolinx property (about three acres, excluding the regional parking lot) actually spans the tracks so potentially could be developed with either a bridge or a larger floor plate above the tracks.
I don't think Metrolinx owns the property? It's Via's station right?
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(01-19-2023, 06:16 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: (01-19-2023, 04:47 PM)tomh009 Wrote: In the end, I expect that Metrolinx will sell the station, not develop or renovate it.
The Metrolinx property (about three acres, excluding the regional parking lot) actually spans the tracks so potentially could be developed with either a bridge or a larger floor plate above the tracks.
I don't think Metrolinx owns the property? It's Via's station right?
Correct, Wikipedia says Owned by: VIA Rail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchener_station
I can see it becoming a restaurant easily; the open bit at the western end would make a neat covered patio.
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According to Kitchener's "Property Ownership Public" dataset (tagged as "Authoritative"), 126 Weber St W is owned by Metrolinx.
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Hmm, perhaps they bought it at the same time as the rail corridor.
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(01-19-2023, 07:09 PM)dtkvictim Wrote: According to Kitchener's "Property Ownership Public" dataset (tagged as "Authoritative"), 126 Weber St W is owned by Metrolinx.
Exactly. Most likely Wikipedia has not been updated.
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02-10-2023, 12:29 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2023, 12:30 PM by KevinT.)
(01-19-2023, 03:26 PM)SF22 Wrote: Has there been any rumour about what will happen to the existing VIA Rail station in Kitchener once the KVTH eventually gets built?
Integrate it with some newer buildings to make it a homeless shelter? Not much parking required, so plenty enough property, and apparently the location is right.
...K
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Does anyone know where to find some information about the new Via trainsets that have started testing? I've seen a few railfan pics posted on instagram but no real information or gossip about them.
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(02-10-2023, 08:11 PM)clasher Wrote: Does anyone know where to find some information about the new Via trainsets that have started testing? I've seen a few railfan pics posted on instagram but no real information or gossip about them.
Other than Via and some updates on this thread a couple years ago, I haven’t seen much. I’d be interested in updates as well.
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The UrbanToronto VIA thread has is a decent aggregator of information, but it's also in incredibly long thread with lots of other information too.
IIRC, they have possession of a couple trainsets and at least one of them is running passenger service between Ottawa/Montreal (maybe to Quebec City as well?).
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Via Rail's YouTube channel has some flashy videos from a few weeks ago. The train sets have been out and about on the corridor, but no confirmed launch date that I'm aware of.
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They're gradually being rolled out, mostly on Ottawa-Montreal runs as that's adjacent to their operations base.
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Are you guys suggesting that they are running revenue service on the new trains right now? I feel like we'd have heard about that.
I'm still pretty peeved at Via rail from Christmas but I'll still be glad to see the trains running.
Now if Via can only fix everything else wrong with their system.
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