Finch West station
Finch West is a subway station on the Line 1 Yonge–University of the Toronto subway. It is located under Keele Street, north of Finch Avenue West, and opened on December 17, 2017. When Line 6 Finch West opens in 2023, it will serve as the eastern terminus of that line.
Description
The station is underground and parallel to Keele Street just north of Finch Avenue West. Nearby landmarks include Fountainhead Park. Industrial areas lie to the east, James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School to the west and York University is to the northwest, served by the next station north on the line.The main entrance is located on the east side of Keele Street with the secondary entrance on the west side. The main structure has a striped, bar-code cladding to decorate its exterior along with colourful tiling and windows. An elevated substation facility is on the second floor of the main building and overhangs the main entrance as a canopy. The main entrance is highlighted by a glowing panel attached to the canopy. There is a cool roof over this entrance and a green roof over the elevated substation box. The 6-bay bus terminal has an enclosed concourse. Bicycle parking at the station includes 100 secure plus 13 short-term spaces. North of the station is a parking lot for 350 cars plus a pick-up-and-drop-off facility.
A consortium of consultants including SGA/IBI, Lea Consulting, HH Angus and Associates, Pivotal Projects, Janet Rosenberg and Associates, and Will Alsop of Alsop Architects designed Finch West station. Artist Bruce McLean worked with the design team to integrate sculptural concrete forms with the supporting columns within the entrance buildings, on double-height platform columns, and under the bus canopy.
History
In March 2006, The Globe and Mail reported that real estate development companies belonging to the family of Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara owned the properties just south of the intersection of Finch Avenue West and Keele Street, according to land registry documents and corporate records. The article said that these companies would benefit from higher real estate values due to the subway extension. Sorbara was the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament for Vaughan, and was a major advocate for the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension, which includes Finch West station.On November 27, 2009, the official groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension, and major tunnelling operations started in June 2011.
In mid-2015, the former Toronto Fire Station 141 on the east side of Keele and south side of the hydro corridor was demolished to make way for the bus platform area. A new fire station replaced this building on the opposite side of Keele Street.
This station, along with the five other TYSSE stations, were the first to be opened without collector booths. It was also among the first eight stations to discontinue sales of legacy TTC fare media. Presto vending machines were available at its opening to sell Presto cards and to load funds or Metropasses onto them. On May 3, 2019, this station became one of the first ten stations to sell Presto tickets via the Presto vending machines.
Subway infrastructure in the vicinity
The line curves off the Keele Street alignment a short distance to the north and south of the station, veering northwest to York University station and swings broadly at a 90° angle southeast to Downsview Park station. To reverse trains, there is both a crossover at the south end of the station and a storage track to the north.Surface connections
The 36 Finch West bus route splits here to help maintain reliable service in light of the Finch West LRT construction west of this station. The 36 Finch West and 939B Finch Express enter via Tangiers Road. When the subway is closed, buses do not enter the station and bypass Tangiers Road. Buses serving Keele Street do not enter the station but stop on-street, and a transfer is required for connection. The following routes serve the station:| Route | Name | Additional Information |
| 36A/B | Finch West | Eastbound to Finch station |
| 36B | Finch West | Westbound to Humberwood Boulevard |
| 36D | Finch West | Westbound to Weston Road and Milvan Drive |
| 36F | Finch West | Westbound to Weston Road and Milvan Drive via Fenmar Drive |
| 41 | Keele | Northbound to Pioneer Village station and southbound to Keele station |
| 107 | St. Regis | Northbound to Pioneer Village station via Petrolia Road and southbound to Sheppard West station |
| 939B | Finch Express | Eastbound to Scarborough Centre station via Finch station |
| 941 | Keele Express | Southbound to Keele station |
| 336 | Finch West | Blue Night service; eastbound to Finch station and westbound to Woodbine Race Track |
| 341 | Keele | Blue Night service; northbound to York University and southbound to Keele station |