Aurora GO Station

Last updated
GO Transit logo.svg Aurora
GO Transit Aurora 001.JPG
General information
Location121 Wellington Street East
Aurora, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates 44°00′02″N79°27′35″W / 44.00056°N 79.45972°W / 44.00056; -79.45972
Owned by Metrolinx
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
ConnectionsBSicon BUS1.svg York Region Transit
Construction
Structure typeHeritage wood frame station building
Parking1725 spaces
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeGO Transit: AU
Fare zone63
History
Opened1853 (OS&H)
Rebuilt1900 (GTR)
1982 (GOT)
Services
Preceding station GO Transit logo.svg GO Transit Following station
Newmarket Barrie King City
towards Union Station
Former services
Preceding station Canadian National Railway Following station
Newmarket
toward North Bay
North BayToronto King
toward Toronto
Designated1990
Reference no. 6500

Aurora GO Station is a railway station and bus station in the GO Transit network located on Wellington Street East between Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is a stop on the Barrie line train service, and connects with York Region Transit local bus routes, and the GO Express Bus between Newmarket Bus Terminal and Union Station Bus Terminal.

Contents

History

Commemorative locomotive bell at the station. Aurora station first train bell (29354189262).jpg
Commemorative locomotive bell at the station.

Aurora station opened on 16 May 1853, when steam train service began between Toronto and Machell's Corners, as Aurora was then known, on the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway. [1] The first train was led by the Toronto, the first locomotive built in Canada, completed at the James Good foundry Toronto Locomotive Works on 16 April 1853. [2] The train consist included two boxcars carrying freight, one passenger coach car, and one mixed passenger and baggage car. [3] This first voyage is commemorated by a plaque installed in 1953 at Union Station in Toronto, [4] as well as a steam locomotive bell placed first at Centennial Park in May 1963, which has since been relocated to Aurora station. There is also a plaque placed in a small parkette at the station by the Board of Trade and another placed by the Province of Ontario to remember the event. [5]

The train's arrival at the Wellington Street train station was greeted with cheers from nearly all residents of the community, who had assembled at the station, and the event was celebrated with a fireworks display. [1] Connection to the railway led to prosperity for Aurora, with the development of two hotels, a wagon maker, a brewery, and other businesses. [1] In 1855 the line was completed to Collingwood.

In 1900, Grand Trunk Railway constructed the present building to a standard plan design with a porte-cochère and low profile. [6] The building was designated a provincial heritage building in 1971 and a federal heritage railway station in 1990. [7]

The station building was renovated after GO Transit became the exclusive passenger carrier in 1992.

On August 21, 2012, GO Transit opened a new bus loop to accommodate all GO and York Region Transit bus service at the station. [8]

Services

As of January 2018, weekday train service operates approximately every 15–30 minutes in the morning peak period (southbound), every 30 minutes in the afternoon peak period (northbound) and every hour at other times. Outside of peak periods, most trains terminate at Aurora with connecting buses for stations further north. [9]

On weekends and holidays, service operates approximately every hour to and from Union Station, with most trains terminating at Aurora station. Three daily trains in each direction cover the full route from Barrie to Toronto, while the remainder have bus connections at Aurora station for stations further north. [9]

Connecting York Region Transit buses

Future

In August 2023, construction began on station improvements to support future all-day, two-way 15-minute service between Union Station and Aurora. The work includes: adding a second through-track with a new platform accessible via pedestrian tunnels, building a new passenger pick-up/drop-off area, adding a new exit at Berczy Street. The work is part of the province's GO Expansion project. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora, Ontario</span> Town in Ontario, Canada

Aurora is a town in central York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, within the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of the City of Richmond Hill and is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine. In the Canada 2021 Census, the municipal population of Aurora was the 92nd largest in Canada, compared to 95th for the 2016 Census and 97th for the 2006 Census. Aurora is twinned with Leksand, Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GO Transit</span> Ontario regional public transit system consisting of trains and buses

GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven million across an area over 11,000 square kilometres (4,200 sq mi) stretching from London in the west to Peterborough in the east, and from Barrie in the north to Niagara Falls in the south. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 35,234,400. GO Transit operates diesel-powered double-decker trains and coach buses, on routes that connect with all local and some long-distance inter-city transit services in its service area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (Toronto)</span> Railway station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Union Station is a major railway station and intermodal transportation hub in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Front Street West, on the south side of the block bounded by Bay Street and York Street in downtown Toronto. The municipal government of Toronto owns the station building while the provincial transit agency Metrolinx owns the train shed and trackage. Union Station has been a National Historic Site of Canada since 1975, and a Heritage Railway Station since 1989. It is operated by the Toronto Terminals Railway, a joint venture of the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway that directs and controls train movement along the Union Station Rail Corridor, the largest and busiest rail corridor in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrie line</span> Commuter rail line in Ontario, Canada

Barrie is one of the seven train lines of the GO Transit system in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. It extends from Union Station in Toronto in a generally northward direction to Barrie, and includes ten stations along its 101.4 kilometres (63.0 mi) route. From 1982 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2007, it was known as the Bradford line, named after its former terminus at Bradford GO Station until the opening of Barrie South GO Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora Transit</span>

Aurora Transit operated public transit within the town of Aurora, Ontario, Canada, from 1973 to 1999. From 1999 to 2001 transit service in Aurora was operated by Newmarket Transit. Service in the town is now provided by the current York Region Transit system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Railway of Canada</span> Defunct railway in Ontario

The Northern Railway of Canada was a railway in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was the first steam railway to enter service in what was then known as Upper Canada. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a predecessor to the modern Canadian National Railway (CNR). Several sections of the line are still used by CNR and GO Transit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King City GO Station</span> Train station in King City, Ontario

King City GO Station is a train and bus station in the GO Transit network located in King City, Ontario in Canada. It also serves the nearby communities of Nobleton, Oak Ridges, the northern parts of Maple, and other communities in King Township. It is a stop on the Barrie line train service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maple GO Station</span> Train station in Vaughan, Ontario

Maple GO Station is a train and bus station on GO Transit's Barrie line, located in Maple, Ontario, Canada. It is Ontario's oldest operating railway station, with passenger service dating back to 1853.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newmarket GO Station</span> Train station in Newmarket, Ontario

Newmarket GO Station is a train station in the GO Transit network located in the Old Davis Tannery Centre on the north side of Davis Drive East in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, and is a stop on the Barrie line train service. It is a little over two kilometres east of the Newmarket Bus Terminal, at Davis Drive West and Eagle Street, which is a terminus for GO Bus, York Region Transit and Viva BRT services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutherford GO Station</span> Train station in Vaughan, Ontario

Rutherford GO Station is a train and bus station in the GO Transit network located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. It is a stop on the Barrie line train service. This station was opened in January 2001 to accommodate the growing ridership on the line. It is currently going through a redevelopment project which is expected to be completed in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Gwillimbury GO Station</span> Train station in East Gwillimbury, Ontario

East Gwillimbury GO Station is a train and bus station in the GO Transit network located in East Gwillimbury, Ontario, Canada. It is a stop on the Barrie line train service. The station was opened on November 1, 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradford GO Station</span> Train station in Bradford, Ontario

Bradford GO Station is a railway station and bus station in the GO Transit network located in Bradford, Ontario in Canada. It is 67 km north of Union Station in downtown Toronto, and was the terminus of the Bradford line before it was extended to Barrie and renamed the Barrie line on December 17, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newmarket Bus Terminal</span>

Newmarket Terminal is a bus terminal in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada operated by York Region Transit (YRT). It is located at 320 Eagle Street West at the intersection of Eagle Street West and Davis Drive. The facility has 447 parking spaces. The Newmarket GO Train Station is located at Davis Drive about two kilometres to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metrolinx</span> Crown agency owned by the Government of Ontario

Metrolinx is a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario that manages and integrates road and public transport in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), which comprises much of Ontario's Golden Horseshoe region. Headquartered at Union Station in Toronto, the agency was created as the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority on June 22, 2006. The agency adopted its present name as a brand name in 2007 and eventually as the legal name in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northlander</span> Canadian passenger train

The Northlander was a passenger train operated by the provincially-owned Ontario Northland Railway in southwest and northeast Ontario, Canada. In 2012, rail service was discontinued and replaced with express bus service. Rail service will be reinstated in 2026 with an expanded route, greater frequency, new Siemens Venture train sets manufactured by Siemens Mobility Ltd., and various track and station upgrades. The new bi-directional route will run up to seven days a week from Toronto Union Station to Timmins, with an additional new rail connection from Timmins to Cochrane and express bus service from Matheson to Cochrane Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allandale Waterfront GO Station</span> Train station in Barrie, Ontario

Allandale Waterfront GO Station was built just south of Allandale Station, a historic train station that occupies a large property on the southern shore of Lake Simcoe in the waterfront area of Barrie, Ontario, Canada. The current station and former station were built on a burial site of the Huron indigenous peoples.

The CN Newmarket Subdivision is a rail line in Ontario operated by Canadian National Railway (CNR). The original route runs northward from just west of Union Station in downtown Toronto, ending just south of North Bay. A short portion between Allandale in Barrie and Longford outside Orillia was lifted in 1996, and the southern section sold off in parts to Metrolinx. Metrolinx operates the southern section as their Barrie line, while CN continues to operate the northern section from Longford to North Bay. The severed northern section was never renamed, despite it no longer running through its namesake town. Access to Toronto is currently via the Bala Subdivision at Washago Junction, a short distance north of the remaining section's southern terminus, which is now used as a spur serving industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Harbour GO Station</span> Railway station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

West Harbour GO Station is a regional rail station in the North End neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The station has been served by GO Transit's Lakeshore West line since July 9, 2015. Via Rail service may eventually be provided.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GO Transit rail services</span> Services provided by GO Transit

GO Transit rail services are provided throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The GO Transit rail fleet consists of 90 MPI MP40 locomotives and 979 Bombardier BiLevel Coaches. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 25,484,600 passengers per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CN Bala Subdivision</span> Major railway service line in Ontario

The Canadian National Railway (CN) Bala Subdivision is a major railway line in Ontario, Canada. It runs between the provincial capital of Toronto in Southern Ontario and Capreol in Northern Ontario, where the line continues as the Ruel Subdivision. It forms part of CN's transcontinental mainline between Southern Ontario and Western Canada.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bradford, Robert (2015). Keeping Ontario Moving: The History of Roads and Road Building in Ontario. Dundurn Press. p. 26. ISBN   9781459724112.
  2. "The Toronto No. 2". North America Railway Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  3. Carter, Robert Terence (2011). Stories of Newmarket: An Old Ontario Town. Dundurn Press. ISBN   9781554888818.
  4. Boles, Derek (2009). Toronto's Railway Heritage. Images of Rail. Arcadia Publishing. p. 14. ISBN   9780738565705. LCCN   2009925477.
  5. "Aurora station first train bell sign". Flickr. 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016. see other photos in the stream for plaques, details.
  6. "Canadian National Railway Station". Parks Canada. Archived from the original on 18 December 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  7. "The Directory of Designated Heritage Railway Stations in Ontario". Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Parks Canada. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  8. "New Bus Loop at Aurora GO Station Opened August 21". Transit Toronto. August 24, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  9. 1 2 "Barrie Line Schedule - table 65" (PDF). GO Transit. January 5, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  10. "Metrolinx upgrades Aurora GO Station for GO Expansion work". Metrolinx. August 21, 2023. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Aurora GO Station at Wikimedia Commons