Dufferin Gate Loop

Dufferin Gate Loop
File:Dufferin Loop station at night.jpg
Location	Dufferin Street Toronto, Ontario Canada
Coordinates
Owned by	Toronto Transit Commission
Connections	TTC buses
History
Opened	1922

Dufferin Gate Loop is a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus station and turning loop for streetcars near the southern end of Dufferin Street in Toronto. During the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) this becomes a primary access point for visitors entering Exhibition Place via the Dufferin Gates. This west entrance to the CNE can be reached by the Dufferin Street bridges across the Lakeshore West railway corridor and Gardiner Expressway.

Southbound streetcars on Dufferin Street run anticlockwise through the loop; west on Springhurst Avenue; south on Fort Rouille Street; enter the station eastbound; and exit back onto Dufferin Street northbound. Buses on layover park at the west end of the station, south of the tracks.

History

The loop was constructed in 1922 by the newly created Toronto Transportation Commission, which had taken over and amalgamated existing ageing streetcar systems within the city limits. The original wood frame structure has been rebuilt and renovated. The most recent renewal of the streetcar tracks was in 2013.

It was proposed that a new loop be built at Dufferin on an extension of the Harbourfront LRT from Exhibition Loop, as part of the Waterfront West Light Rail Transit project, which was cancelled in 2013.

Services

To process the large number of people at the time of the CNE the loading platform is operated as a fare-paid area and the ticket booths, turnstiles and control tower come into use, allowing passengers to board streetcars and buses by any door.

File:Dufferin Gate Loop TTC 9009 and 8166 departing.JPG

29 Dufferin and 193 Exhibition Rocket buses northbound

29 Dufferin from Wilson station via Dufferin station is the only regular TTC bus route, which has additional frequent service terminating here during the CNE.

The loop is used to short turn streetcar service on the 504 King and 501 Queen routes. Formerly it was the terminus of the seasonal 522 Exhibition West streetcar which operated during the CNE from Dundas West station via Roncesvalles Avenue, King Street and Dufferin Street, which has been replaced by the 193 Exhibition Rocket nonstop express bus.

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• Toronto Then and Now: Old Parkdale, part four