Working on a piece of hardware in his computer repair store, Doug Clark said construction at the nearby Aurora GO Station has proven to be a headache.
Clark’s business, Aurora Computer Technologies Inc., sits metres away from the railway tracks as they cross Wellington Street in Aurora.
As Metrolinx continues working on expanding all-day, two-way service at the station, Clark said he remains unsure what the future holds for his store.
Plans for a vehicular underpass at Wellington Street remain in limbo, with a Metrolinx spokesperson saying in an email statement that, “the need for the grade separation is still being reviewed and assessed.”
If they do go ahead, Clark said the works would likely cut off access to his business.
“We don’t have a timeline or anything, and we don’t really know if our building is going to be moved,” he said. “The reason being is we’re landlocked here, so if they cut off the driveway for this whole plaza, then there’s no way in.”
Clark first opened the business in Aurora in 1991 on Yonge Street, before moving to its current location on Wellington about two decades ago. Clark said if he’s forced to move, he may look for another location, but his preference would be to stay put.
In the meantime, construction continues at the Aurora GO station, as Metrolinx works to bring all-day, two-way service to the Barrie Line, having started last August. The project has caused concerns about parking, and the noise impacting nearby residents.
So what is Aurora going to get out of all-day, two-way GO train service?
Good for business?
Metrolinx said it expects the program will bring more than $12 billion in economic benefits across the Barrie GO line. It also expects ridership will increase from 4.6 million in 2017 – when the GO Expansion business case was initiated – to 28.1 million by 2031.
Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas forecasts the expanded service will mean more employees coming to work in Aurora, plus more tourists and less traffic.
“All-day, two-way GO service in Aurora is something I’ve long been supportive of and will be a major benefit for residents and businesses, providing greater commuting flexibility, reducing stress, and improving quality of life as Aurora's population grows,” he said in an email statement.
“This 15-minute service on the Barrie Line will also help reduce traffic congestion and address climate concerns by getting more people out of their cars. For businesses, reliable public transit is essential for attracting top talent, making Aurora even more competitive as we diversify our economy,” he added.
“Additionally, this expanded service will boost local tourism, supporting Aurora's growing arts and culture scene, including the new Town Square. Reliable transit is key for the GTA to thrive in the global economy.”
Alison Mumford, director of operations for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, expects it will be the tourism sector and “more recreational uses” that stand to benefit most from the service expansion.
“Ideally, yes, it brings more visitors or tourism to town, more potential employees,” said Mumford. “There is a ‘however.’ I don’t know that we’re there yet, I’ve looked at taking the train in, but getting from the train to the chamber office, in terms of when I want my day to start, it’s not a convenient as I need it to be. I think that would be the case for a lot of people.”
Easier commutes?
Sandra Ferri, current president and CEO at the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, agreed with Mumford, saying there are still barriers for people looking to commute by transit.
“It’s that last mile piece that everybody struggles with when you talk about transit,” said Ferri, pointing to a lack of sidewalks as being a barrier. “How do you get where you really need to be?"
Ferri also said Aurora needs more affordable housing to be able to attract new employees for companies in town, something that has proven difficult for some businesses, she added.
Many current commuters are excited about the expanded service. Josh Medeiros, 37, who commutes from Newmarket to downtown Toronto three times a week, said he was glad to see the train service was being expanded.
“It needs to expand I think to accommodate the growing population,” he said. “Making it more frequent is good, I just missed the 7:50 a.m. train, I’ve got to wait an hour for another one,” he said in a previous interview with AuroraToday. “It is what it is, but to have a more frequent service would make more sense, for a lot of people.”
“It’s good to see the area in general expanding, getting with the times, being more attached to the GTA, to Toronto, giving people alternative options because driving down (to the city) would be a nightmare, as well, so it’s kind of pick your battles.”
Development corridor?
Expanded transit service is also coming with a focus on intensified development in the town’s major transit station area (MTSA).
This past week, Aurora council took a look at plans for 948-units of apartment housing on a 2.68-acre plot at 180 Wellington St. E, just down the street from the Aurora GO Station.
There are a number of other residential proposals at various stages of approval, along Berczy Street, on Centre Street, and on Industry Street, with more than 1,800 residential units total proposed between the different projects, according to the town's planning application map.
