Toronto Star

Union Station may be the finest transportation facility in Canada, but it has always been given a rough ride in the city. The truth is that Torontonians have never known what to make of it. From the moment the idea of Union Station was first proposed in 1904 to the opening of the last viaduct in 1930 took 26 years. Clearly, our enthusiasm for the project was tempered by our unwillingness to make hard decisions and spend the money. Then there was a movement in the 1970s to tear the station down. Hard to believe now; but nothing in Toronto is so sacred it can't be destroyed in the name of greater profit. Don't forget, at the same time there were people, including senior city officials, who wanted to demolish Old City Hall to make way for the Eaton Centre. Both it and Union Station survived. Indeed, the latter has gone on to become the busiest transit hub in Canada, more heavily trafficked even than Pearson airport. But still, we don't know what to make of the building; still we're not sure exactly what to do with it.