GO’s new Don Valley layover facility nixed by Metrolinx

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Bulldog photo of the Don Valley Parkway and Don River, looking south from the Leaside Bridge, May 2020.

Metrolinx has announced in a March 1st, 2023 news release, that they have identified a new location for the Don Valley GO layover facility. New location will proceed to planning and design phase to increase service and support GO Expansion.

“As part of the development phase of the GO Expansion – On-Corridor Works Project, Metrolinx has been working with ONxpress to optimize GO service expansion levels and a new location for the layover facility has been identified in that process. This means that Metrolinx will no longer pursue planning and design work for the layover facility originally planned for the Don Valley.

“The new proposed location is on the Richmond Hill GO Line, near York Mills Road and Leslie Street, and is in a light industrial area. This location is within the required proximity to Union station to accommodate train movements, has available space for the facility and minimizes service impacts on GO operations. The location also meets TRCA flood requirements and has less community and environmental impacts.

“To enable rail service increases during design and construction of the new layover, the Rosedale Siding (located between Bayview Avenue and the Don Valley Parkway) will be used temporarily to stage GO trains during the day. GO Trains will be staged at the Rosedale Siding for about two hours in the morning peak period, and another two hours in the afternoon peak period.”

The Don Valley site in question was described in a 2022 City report:

Metrolinx plans to locate the Facility north of the Prince Edward Viaduct at Bloor Street East, between the Don Valley Parkway and Lower Don Trail, along the Don Branch Rail Corridor (currently not operational), and within Toronto’s park network with a variety of informal names, including Lower Don Parklands, Don River Valley Park, or “Wonscotonach Parklands”. City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Transit Expansion Report dated April 9, 2022