Humber Communique announced sidewalk and pathway closures, and the opening of a new road, near the Finch West LRT station.
On Dec. 18, a new connecting road going east from President’s Way to Highway 27 will open. This is a connection between parking and a main road in this area.
Rob Kilfoyle, Humber’s director of public safety and emergency management, said the new road will take some pressure off Humber College Boulevard for students leaving campus to go south.
“I think that’s probably one of the key benefits,” Kilfoyle said.
Also, the pedestrian walkway through Lot 5, connecting Arboretum Boulevard to the new LRT station, is blocked at the station until it is open. It is advised pedestrians only use that walkway to go towards campus.
The sidewalk on the south side of Humber College Boulevard, adjacent to Lot 5 and the new station will stay closed. Humber pedestrians must walk across to the north side of the street, at the intersection of Silver Bell Lane and Humber College Boulevard, to get to Highway 27.
Sidewalks are closed outside of Humber College while construction wraps up on the Finch LRT. Photo credit: Santiago Helou Quintero
Kilfoyle said the sidewalk closures are temporary, only lasting until the station opens.
“We were hoping that people will take advantage of the new walkway along the new road going out to 27 if they’re going in that direction,” Kilfoyle said.
People should not walk on the closed sidewalks, he added.
Kilfoyle believes the benefits outweigh the inconvenience, saying the LRT will benefit the campus, students, faculty, and staff.
“I would say that it’s worth it,” he said, speaking on the inconvenience caused by construction.
“It provides a more direct transit link to campus, particularly coming across the city,” Kilfoyle said.
He said it is easier than riding a bus to Kipling station to get downtown.
Kilfoyle also hopes the LRT will reduce the bus traffic coming to campus.
“We’re never gonna get rid of the buses. That’s not the intention, but if we can even reduce the number of buses, that would be great,” he said.
Students will be able to board the LRT right on campus and ride to another subway line, making locations easier to reach.
“This will provide students, I think, with more opportunity. It’ll lessen the need for parking on campus as well, with any luck.” Kilfoyle said.
Angelo Presta, associate vice-president of Facilities Management and Development at Humber College, said it adds options for students, who could decide whether to leave a car at home or not own one at all.
Presta said the LRT is an environmentally sustainable way to travel. He said if everyone drives, fossil fuels are being burned and there are challenges from climate change and increased carbon.
“By having mass transit, the whole system runs on electricity. Ontario has a very clean electrical grid. So, it is environmentally sustainable,” he said. “It fits into Humber’s long-term goal of reducing its carbon footprint,”
Presta said the inconvenience of road closures was short-lived.
“That has predominantly ended and we just have some minor clean-up in construction to move forward in the springtime,” Presta said.
This makes him proud, along with other achievements made by Facilities Management.
“Like any project, there is a pride of completion and it’s the success of getting involved and making certain that the needs of Humber and the needs of the constituents of Humber, staff, students are met through the project,” Presta added.
Presta is proud of working for his department because of the opportunities they provide their staff.
“It’s excellent to be part of a team that is a leader in the college industry and the post-secondary industry in sustainability and energy management and providing leading edge, new construction and development,” he said.
He said they have invested in facilities and spaces to provide a good experience for students. Being a part of that is fabulous, he said.
“Coming to Humber has been one of the thrills and the best decisions I’ve made in my career,” Presta said.
Metrolinx said on their website that getting from Humber College to Finch West subway station will take about 33-34 minutes.
Vehicles will arrive every five to seven minutes at peak hours, and seven to 10 minutes at off-peak hours.