Metrolinx not renaming Eglinton LRT science centre stop ‘at this time’ despite recommendation 

The agency responsible for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT says it has no plans “at this time” to rename the Ontario Science Centre transit stop, despite a concession by the Ford government that the station will received a provincial rebrand.

The station, intended to serve as a destination point on the Ontario Line, has already been decked out with signage that bears the name of the nearby tourist attraction.

Shortly after the Ford government revealed plans to move the science centre programming to Ontario Place, the government said the transit stop would have to be rebranded.

An internal Metrolinx briefing note obtained by Global News using freedom of information laws shows the provincial transit agency considered six alternative names for the stop.

The document contains a staff recommendation to come up with a new name for the station, something that would “take time and result in additional costs.”

Metrolinx said in a recent statement to Global News that it isn’t moving to rename the station at present, but “will be exploring potential naming options” for the station as it builds the Ontario Line.

It offered no timeline or details for that plan.

Ontario Science Centre moves south

The decision to name the Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue station after the Ontario Science Centre was made eight years ago. The name was one of 25 agreed upon in January 2016, while the Eglinton Crosstown LRT was being planned.

The station later took on added significance when the Ford government announced its signature Ontario Line in 2019. The line was conceived to connect Ontario Place with the Ontario Science Centre.

Then, in April 2023, the government announced it was actually going to move the science centre from its current home at Don Mills and Eglinton to Ontario Place. The decision appeared to catch Metrolinx by surprise.

A shortlist of alternative names for the stop was not drawn up until months later.

“Now that the Ontario Science Centre will be relocated to Ontario Place, a new name is needed for the station,” the July 18, 2023, briefing note said.

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“The new name should clearly indicate its location within the transit network and the broader region to ensure easy understanding for customers.”

Local Ontario Liberal MPP Adil Shamji said the sudden change was a broader indication of dysfunction.

“This government never does its homework and is frankly a walking contradiction,” he told Global News. “It gives insight into this government’s lack of competence, its mismanagement and the fact that it, frankly, has no idea what it’s doing.”

Alternative names considered

In the briefing note, Metrolinx staff laid out the options for naming the station and recommended the station should be renamed “in accordance with the relocation of the Science Centre.”

Three of the six names staff offered for the station — Don Mills, Eglinton and Flemingdon Park — have since been used along the Eglinton LRT and the Ontario Line.

Other names considered included local neighbourhoods and natural attractions. Both the Don Valley and Don River were weighed as options, though staff said the former “may not be specific enough for people to understand the station’s location.”

The full shortlist of names was:

• Concorde
• Industrial District
• Olympia Square
• Don Valley
• Ferrand
• Don River

Renaming the stop would not necessarily be cheap, the note said.

“A significant amount of signage would need to be modified across the 19-km route of the ECLRT to accommodate the name change (stations/stops and vehicles), which will take time and result in additional costs,” the note said.

“The TTC is also in the process of updating signage across their network in advance of the service launch. Updates to signage should be made in tandem with the TTC to avoid any confusion.”

The new science centre station has been mostly built, including signage identifying the building. Renaming would likely include substantial physical work to remove and rebrand its signs.

Metrolinx did not address questions asking if it had calculated the potential renaming cost.

Science Centre Station on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is shown in Toronto on Friday, May 5, 2023.  THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn.

No name change for station ‘at this time’

Despite a recommendation from staff to rename the Ontario Science Centre station, Metrolinx said it doesn’t currently plan to rebrand.

“At this time, there is no new name change to the current Science Centre ECLRT station,” the agency said. “Our focus is on opening all 25 stations and stops and ensuring the line runs safely and reliably for customers.”

A spokesperson for the Toronto Transit Commission — which will operate the Eglinton Crosstown LRT when it launched — said their agency was not involved in the decision.

“Metrolinx names and renames the crosstown stops,” they said.

Shamji said the fact there are no current plans to rename the stop is an indication the government has not planned “that far ahead” on the issue.

“The reality is that we are dealing with multi-billion dollar infrastructure, taxpayer money,” he said.

“This government does not know how to be responsible with money, how to plan, how to be accountable or how to demonstrate any sort of transparency.”

Last year, after Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the science centre move, Housing Minister Paul Calandra promised his government would rename the science centre stop in an exchange during question period.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said in an April 2023 response to a question from NDP Leader Marit Stiles. “I will give the Leader of the Opposition a victory: We’ll change the name of the subway stop for them.”

Metrolinx told Global News the government makes good on its promise, it will be “communicated broadly to the public in the future.”