Black Creek Station

Intersection: GO Weston Tracks and Eglinton Ave. W.
Construction Stage: Four
2014 Density (est.): 61
Nearby Landmarks: None
TTC Connections: 32/A/B/D Eglinton West (Eglinton LRT), 71B Runnymede

Black Creek station is located at the GO Weston Tracks and Eglinton Avenue West. It serves the Mount Dennis community and will connect with the 71 Runnymede bus and most branches of the 32 Eglinton West bus, until it is replaced by the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

Currently, the area around the station is rather bleak. The Kodak manufacturing plant shut down in 2005, leaving many jobs behind. The property is massive, taking up approximately 50 acres of usable land5. To the west is the community of Mount Dennis, which has been left run down after several nearby factories have closed, with Kodak just being the latest. As a result, Weston-Mount Dennis has been listed as one of Toronto's most vulnerable neighbourhoods146. One in four storefronts is vacant109. Still, the area was once a thriving community and simply needs new investment. The Kodak lands are in one of Toronto's employment districts, which means any new development should include a large number of new jobs. While there have been proposals for a retail development with some offices, the City believes this would not bring a substantial number of new jobs to the area4. The Kodak lands therefore currently sit vacant awaiting a future. Despite the lack of any density east of the tracks due to the Kodak closure and a No Frills store south of Eglinton, the area maintains a density of 61. Proper use of these lands can easily push that over 100.

Obviously development potential for this area is huge. Both the vacant Kodak lands and the site occupied by the No Frills are ripe for redevelopment. The TTC has indicated that it may want to use at least a part of the site to store and maintain streetcars, but that is contingent upon the Eglinton LRT being constructed. What is certain is that if a subway were to go to this area, the desire to locate new jobs on this land is bound to skyrocket with easy public transit access and quick access to both highways 400 and 401. In regards to the No Frills site, it is zoned as commercial-residential, so mixed-use development can occur. Though currently limited to three stories, it would not be surprising to see an increase of height allowed for any proposal here.

Though currently underused, the lands around Black Creek station offer endless potential, and can make the station highly used, especially combined with the future Eglinton LRT.


Northbound to:
Denison
|
Southbound to:
Rogers Road
© 2010 Phil Orr & Andrew Perry