B. Purves Presentation to TTC at Commission Meeting – September 24, 2009
I would like to begin by thanking you for this opportunity to appear before you and, in particular, your Communications’ office for extending the invitation. Let me go on record by saying that, at any time going forward, we would be pleased to appear before you at your request.This is particularly an honour today because I feel that together, the great institution of the TTC and the now 50-year old York University, are embarking on a life-long relationship. For me, it is a great distinction to be before you, the Commissioners of such a venerable institution.I cannot think of another land owner on whose property the TTC will have two operating subway stops. I also cannot think of another landowner whose stakeholders and property will be so profoundly influenced as a result of one subway line once all is up and running together.The TTC and York University now share many common touch points in a long future.I wish to congratulate you and the professional staff of the TTC for what it is you are contemplating. As I have mentioned, the York land will have two stations, and by your own bold initiatives, these are being designed by such great names as Norman Foster, Will Alsop, the engineering firm ARUP, all coupled withToronto counterparts.From what I have seen so far, and we expect the ten percent design soon, your team of TTC engineers and managers, is pushing for subway stations that rival anything anywhere in the world. I believe this is important, not just for York and the TTC, but for our city too. Like it or not, a city’s subway goes a long way toward creating an international image for a city. We all know cities where, among all its attributes or lack thereof, its subway stands out - Moscow, Budapest, Paris and Barcelona come to mind on the good – and we can all recite many subways that frighten us. The TTC is on the cusp of creating a subway line here that will stand the test of time, add to the quality of life of Torontonians and, will in this era of regional competition for tourism and investment, tell the world that YES Toronto does have world class institutions, the TTC and York being amongst them.I only have two requests of you at this time, but perhaps it is presumptuous to have any?Request one is this: Please complete this line to the same standards by which you have started. By this I mean, please heed my call to maintain this subway in the best standards that your budget can afford. I know that all of you have other municipal duties, and other municipal requests for funds, but please, while here as TTC Commissioners, wear that TTC hat and defend the design and excellence of everything in this subway. You will not be sorry, the ridership numbers are guaranteed to make this a financial success. Let’s please defend the design and architecture, particularly from that greatness killer which all projects face called “Value Engineering”. This is not to say you should ignore best value considerations - please give us great value, but please remember the legacy of this subway.My second request is quite specific: The subway is planned to pass under the Schulich School of Business. At any rate, this is Canada’s premier international school of business, and probably one of the most architecturally pleasing structures in the city. On top of this, it bears the name of one of Toronto’s, if not Canada’s, great philanthropists. We know of the Schulich Heart Centre, the Schulich School of Engineering, Music and others in Canada, all part of giving that bears his name. In the search for excellence, please pursue with the design team, as we will at York, that this great institution on our campus will have as minimal an impact as a result of subway construction and operation.Finally in closing, allow me to reiterate that I believe that you, as Commissioners of the TTC, should be congratulated for setting a high bar for the Spadina Extension Project. I know that we are rife with “armchair” experts in this part of the world on subway construction and operation, however, I have come to realize that there are few who have the expertise and vision resident in the TTC. We look forward to a close working relationship for many years to come.THANK YOU