Dufferin station

Dufferin
Southbound entrance and exit
General information
Location1006 Dufferin Street,
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°39′36″N 79°26′08″W / 43.66000°N 79.43556°W / 43.66000; -79.43556
PlatformsSide platforms
Tracks2
Connections
  •  29  Dufferin
  •  300   Bloor - Danforth
  •  329   Dufferin
  •  402  Parkdale Community Bus
  •  929  Dufferin Express
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteOfficial station page
History
Opened26 February 1966; 58 years ago (1966-02-26)
Rebuilt2010–2014
Passengers
2023–2024[1]26,800
Rank21 of 70
Services
Preceding station Toronto Transit Commission Following station
Lansdowne
towards Kipling
Line 2 Bloor–Danforth Ossington
towards Kennedy
Location
Map

Dufferin is a subway station on Line 2 Bloor–Danforth of the Toronto subway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at Dufferin Street just north of Bloor Street West. It opened in 1966 as part of the original segment of the subway line. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.[2]

Architecture and art

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Station platform
Dufferin station southbound exit in 2024
Renovated concourse with multicoloured tile design

When the station first opened, the entrance on the west side of Dufferin Street had a tile back wall, a three sided glass and aluminium enclosure entrance at ground level, an opaque flat roof, red signage, and a red accent stripe. In 1974, the Dovercourt Baptist Church constructed the abutting new red brick facility and senior's residence (New Horizons Tower).[3] The entrance on the east side of the street is inset into the westerly facade of the Bloor Dufferin Medical Centre. Inside, smooth, unadorned green-coloured rectangular wall tiles were used, with a strip of narrower black tiles near the ceiling, and terrazzo floor tiles.

Artwork Something Happens Here by Eduardo Aquino and Karen Shanski

The 2010 to 2014 modernization of the station significantly modifies the original west entrance, updating signage, adding an elevator for accessibility, adding ceiling height and additional glazed elements, and adding a canopy covering the sidewalk. A canopy has also been added to the Bloor Dufferin Medical Centre to shelter the east side bus stops, and two additional exits have been added to Russet Ave, one block west of the main entrances.[4] A public art component, titled Something Happens Here by Eduardo Aquino and Karen Shanski of spmb was also added, consisting of colourful mosaics of highly pixelated images of activity from the surrounding communities. The mosaics also include numerous metallic tiles featuring local logos, icons and historical references.[5]

Nearby landmarks

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Nearby landmarks include Dufferin Mall, Bloor Collegiate Institute, Dufferin Grove Park, and the Bloor–Gladstone branch of the Toronto Public Library.

Surface connections

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A stop for northbound buses is located under a canopy outside the entrance on the east side of Dufferin Street.

Transfers to buses occur at curbside stops on Dufferin Street outside the station.

TTC routes serving the station include:

Route Name Additional information
29A/C Dufferin Northbound to Wilson station
29A Southbound to Exhibition Place (Dufferin Gate)
29C Southbound to Exhibition Place (Princes' Gate)
929 Dufferin Express Northbound to Wilson station and southbound to Exhibition Place (Dufferin Gate)
329 Dufferin Blue Night service; northbound to Steeles Avenue West and southbound to Exhibition Place (Princes' Gate)
402 Parkdale Community Bus

Station modernization

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Dufferin Station was upgraded and modernized under the TTC's Station Modernization program. Work commenced in September 2009 and was fully complete in November 2014, taking over twice the projected time to complete.[6] The "modernization" included the installation of street level elevators for accessibility, the installation of a second entrance from Russett Avenue, two second exits (one on the northwest corner of Russet Avenue and Bloor Street, and the other on the northeast corner, providing direct access from the westbound platform), rebuilding of the bus waiting area, and new and modernized station finishes, art and lighting.[7][8][9] The two second exits opened earlier than other improvements, in August 2013.[10]

By January 2024, the TTC and a developer came to an agreement that the developer would construct, maintain and own a new station connection from a new 33-storey, mixed-use development, to be built on the southwest corner of Bloor and Dufferin Streets. The connection will be accessible and underground, and is expected to open in 2026.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Subway ridership, 2023–2024" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 12 November 2024. This table shows the typical number of customer-boardings made on each subway line and the number of customers travelling to and from each station platform on a typical weekday in Sep 2023–Aug 2024.
  2. ^ "OUR STATIONS - TCONNECT.ca". TCONNECT.ca. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Our History". Dovercourt Baptist Church. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Dufferin Station Modernization". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 17 February 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  5. ^ "SOMETHING HAPPENS HERE". bldgoffice.com. spmbBLDG. 1 July 2011. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014. Site: The entire wall surface of the subway station (24,477 sq. ft.); 24,000 individually programmed ceramic structural glazed bricks and 100 stainless steel and bronze celebratory plaques (Memorial Pixels).
  6. ^ Vanderveen, Cale (25 November 2014). "Dufferin Station Modernization and Expansion Opens to the Public". UrbanToronto. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Dufferin Station Modernization Project". Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  8. ^ Rainford, Lisa (10 January 2013). "Dufferin subway station catches up to modern times". The Bloor West Villager. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  9. ^ "TTC Dufferin Station". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Dufferin Station: Modernization Project". TTC. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  11. ^ "90 Croatia Street – New Entrance Connection to Dufferin Station" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. 25 January 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 January 2024.
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Media related to Dufferin station at Wikimedia Commons