West Harbour GO Station

West Harbour GO Station is a railway station in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on the Canadian National Railway line through the north end of the city.[1] The station is on GO Transit's Lakeshore West line, and service began on July 9, 2015.[2] The station is expected to be a stop on the A-Line, part of a rapid transit system being planned by Metrolinx.[3] Via Rail service may eventually be provided.[4]

West Harbour
Progress on the construction of the station
Location353 James Street North
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°15′59″N 79°51′55″W
Owned byMetrolinx
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Connections Hamilton Street Railway
Construction
Parking300 spaces
Bicycle facilitiesYes
Other information
Station codeGO Transit: 02652
History
OpenedJuly 9, 2015 (2015-07-09)
Services
Preceding station GO Transit Following station
Aldershot
towards Union Station
 Lakeshore West
Express
 St Catharines
towards Niagara Falls

Construction

The line is double tracked and was constructed west of James Street North with the platform running under the Bay Street and MacNab Street bridges. Construction is estimated to cost $3 million[4] and phase one was completed on July 9, 2015, in time for the 2015 Pan American Games.[5] Construction of phase two was proposed to begin in August 2015 after the games are over. Details were revealed May 31, 2013 by Ontario's Minister of Transportation.[6]

Metrolinx announced on February 28, 2014 that Kenaidan Contracting of Mississauga had been awarded a $44-million contract to build the station. Work has already begun in clearing the site and the existing railway bed will be lowered so that double-decker trains can pass under bridges and a terraced retaining wall will be built along the steeply sloping south side of the site. Construction of the new station and multi-storey car park structure was expected to start in April 2014.[7]

History
Former CNR station building

The neighbouring Hamilton Canadian National Railway Station, on the east side of James Street North at Murray Street, was built between 1929 and 1931.[8]

The property is a National Historic Site and has been designated under the Federal Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act and under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act by City of Hamilton By-law 95-115.[9] Portions of the building were protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust in 1999.[8]

In 1967, GO Transit took over CN's commuter service between Toronto and Hamilton, and in 1978 all other CN passenger service was transferred to Via Rail.[10]

In 1992 Via Rail closed its Burlington (formerly the GTR/CNR Freeman/Burlington Junction Station, built around 1910 and located near Brant Street), Hamilton and Dundas stations and consolidated service at the new Aldershot GO Station.[10]

GO Transit closed the James Street station in 1993 and moved remaining service to the Hamilton GO Centre,[10] one and a half kilometres directly south on James Street.

The Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) bought and renovated the station, and in 2000 the station was reopened as LIUNA Station, an events centre with catering facilities for weddings, dances, and other special events.[10]

Service

As of September 2019, West Harbour GO Station is served by four round trips per weekday, all Toronto-bound during the morning and returning during the afternoon. One of the trips operates between Niagara Falls and Toronto, while the others operate only between West Harbour and Toronto.[11] The summer weekend GO train service between Niagara Falls and Toronto passes by West Harbour station without stopping.

The station is also served by Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) bus routes 4 Waterfront and 20 A-Line Express on James Street North.

See also

References
  1. "West Harbour (James St. N.) - New Hamilton GO Station". GO Transit. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  2. "First commuters ride GO from Hamilton's new West Harbour station". CBC News. July 9, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  3. "Ontario Investing Up to $1 Billion for Light Rail Transit in Hamilton". Province of Ontario. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  4. "James Street North GO/VIA Station Gateway to Niagara". Quick Wins. Metrolinx. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  5. GO Transit’s new Hamilton station opens Railway Age July 17, 2015
  6. "An official GO for GO station on James North". CBC News. May 31, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  7. Meredith MacLeod (February 28, 2014). "Metrolinx announces $44-million GO Station on James Street North". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  8. "Hamilton CNR Station". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  9. "List of Designated Properties and Heritage Conservation Easements under the Ontario Heritage Act" (PDF). Hamilton's Heritage, Volume 1. City of Hamilton. March 2007 [August 2002]. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  10. "CNR James Street Station/LIUNA Station". Hamilton Transit History. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  11. "Lakeshore West schedule 2019" (PDF). GO Transit. January 5, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.

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