Bessarion station

Bessarion
Bessarion
General information
Location	731 Sheppard Avenue East,; Toronto, Ontario; Canada
Coordinates	43°46′09″N 79°22′35″W / 43.76917°N 79.37639°W
Platforms	Centre platform
Tracks	2
Connections	TTC buses 185 Sheppard Central; 385 Sheppard East;
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Accessible	Yes
Architect	URS Cole Sherman
Other information
Website	Official station page
History
Opened	November 24, 2002; 21 years ago
Passengers
2023–2024	3,180
Rank	70 of 70
Services
Location
Location

Bessarion is a station on Line 4 Sheppard of the Toronto subway. Opened in 2002, it is the least-used station on the heavy-rail portion of the subway system as of 2024^[update], with an average of 4,269 passengers per weekday.^[2]

History

Due to numerous budget overruns that occurred during the construction of the Sheppard line, the TTC contemplated abandoning the plan to construct Bessarion station to save money.^[3]^[4] However, a decision was ultimately reached in October 1998 to proceed with building the station. This decision was influenced by the potential for redevelopment in the surrounding area. Councillor David Shiner played a key role in advocating for the station, highlighting its importance as a selling factor for proposed housing units.^[5]^[6]

During the excavation of the site, it was discovered that the soil had been contaminated with hydrocarbons, believed to be from the two filling stations that had previously occupied the area. As a precautionary measure, the soil was removed and decontaminated during the construction of the station.^[7]

In the mid-2000s, Line 4 was dubbed a "white elephant" due to its low ridership levels.^[8] TTC officials joked that "keeping ticket sellers awake is the biggest challenge amid the boredom that is Bessarion station".^[9]

In 2007, developer Concord Adex began construction on Concord Park Place, an 18-hectare (45-acre) condominium and townhouse development, next to Bessarion.^[10] Upon completion, the development will include 20 residential towers, 2 schools, a combined community centre and library, and a new public park.^[11] Initially, the project was criticized for being located too far from the station, but the developer asserted that the community centre would increase Bessarion's ridership.^[10]^[12] The Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Community Recreation Centre, located to the south of the station, opened in July 2023.^[13] Other residential developments in the vicinity of the station have also been proposed.^[14]^[15]

Between 2008 and 2018, ridership at Bessarion increased by 3 percent, in stark contrast to the 14 percent surge in ridership along all of Line 4.^[16] The station had roughly half the amount of passengers at Don Mills, the second-busiest station on the line.^[16]

Station description

Like all stations on the Sheppard line, Bessarion is fully accessible and has been since it opened. The main entrance on the south side of Sheppard Avenue is fully accessible, with elevator, escalator, and stair access to the concourse level, where another elevator connects to the subway platform level. The north entrance provides direct access to the concourse level only with stairs.^[17]

The subway continues underground in a bored tunnel in both directions; east into Leslie and west to Bayview.

Architecture and art

The station's interior is generally outfitted in tiles of cream and deep red.^[18]^[19] The public art in the station,^[20] titled Passing by Toronto artist Sylvie Belanger,^[21] is a frieze of 800 photographs, representing the users of the station. Images of feet appear on the concourse level, heads appear on the platform, and hands appear along the stairs leading to both of the station's entrance pavilions.^[18]^[22]

Concourse level
Back of heads at platform level
Feet and legs greet passengers at the concourse level

Surface connections

There are no off-street bus platforms at this station. Connecting service is available at the bus stops on Sheppard Avenue with a valid transfer.^[17]

TTC routes serving the station include:

Route	Name	Additional information
185	Sheppard Central	Westbound to Sheppard–Yonge station and eastbound to Don Mills station
385	Sheppard East	Blue Night service; westbound to Sheppard–Yonge station and eastbound to Meadowvale Road

Nearby landmarks

Nearby landmarks include the Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Park, the Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Community Recreation Centre and Library (part of the Concord Park Place development),^[23] Bessarion Parkette, a Canadian Tire, and Mountain Equipment Co-op North York.

References

^ "Subway ridership, 2023-2024" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved November 12, 2024. This table shows the typical number of customer-boardings made on each subway line and the number of customers travelling to and from each station platform on a typical weekday in Sep 2023-Aug 2024.
^ "Subway ridership, 2022" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
^ Moloney, Paul (October 6, 1998). "TTC Chair feels station threatened". Toronto Star. p. B3. Money is short because the subway line, originally budgeted at $875 million, has sustained cost overruns of up to $58 million
^ Moloney, Paul (October 29, 1998). "Subway station okayed". Toronto Star. TTC staff pointed out that scrapping Bessarion would save $34 million
^ Andrew-Gee, Eric (June 27, 2013). "Looking for Bessarion: TTC's least-used subway station goes viral". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
^ Moloney, Paul (October 29, 1998). "Subway station okayed". Toronto Star. Bessarion, one of five stations, is located in a redevelopment area that city planners say could become home to thousands of residents and potential subway riders.
^ City of Toronto (July 2000). "Sheppard Subway – Bessarion Station Initiation of Civil Lawsuit to Recover Contamination Costs" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
^ McGran, Kevin (November 24, 2003). "Critics say few use "stubway"". Toronto Star. p. B7.
^ McGran, Kevin (November 24, 2003). "Anniversary for Sheppard line". Toronto Star. p. B1. even though some TTC officials privately joke that keeping ticket sellers awake is the biggest challenge amid the boredom that is Bessarion station, they call the Sheppard subway line a success.
^ ^a ^b Bansal, Parul (May 20, 2019). "How Bessarion, one of Toronto's least-used subway stations, offers lessons for avoiding 'bad planning'". CBC News. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ "Concord Park Place aims to transform North York landscape". Toronto.com. August 27, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ Landau, Jack (April 26, 2021). "Construction Progresses on Seasons and Saisons at Concord Park Place | UrbanToronto". urbantoronto.ca. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ "Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Community Recreation Centre & Library". toronto.ca. July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
^ Debergh, Ryan (August 8, 2019). "12-Storey Mid-Rise Proposed Near Bessarion Subway Station | UrbanToronto". urbantoronto.ca. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ Morrow, Adrian (November 16, 2012). "Lessons from Toronto's Sheppard subway line". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "TTC station ridership - 2008 to 2018". Urban Toronto. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Bessarion Station". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
^ ^a ^b "The Sheppard Subway". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
^ Ruckle, Chelsea. "The Gaze and the Glance in Transitional Spaces: Public Art in Toronto's Sheppard Line Stations" (PDF). Carleton University. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ "Sylvie Belanger: cv". Artists. Robert Birch Gallery. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2015. PUBLIC COMMISSION: Bessarion Station, Toronto Subway, Can.
^ Vincent, Donovan (August 19, 2011). "TTC art: What works, what doesn't". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015. photographic works in the Bessarion station, titled "Passing," by artist Sylvie Belanger
^ Ruckle, Chelsea. "The Gaze and the Glance in Transitional Spaces: Public Art in Toronto's Sheppard Line Stations" (PDF). Carleton University. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ "Ethennonnhawahstihnen' Community Recreation Centre & Library". toronto.ca. July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.