The TTC may be the artery of the city’s public transit, but some riders say it’s becoming an eyesore.
Online, people have recently been sharing their votes for the city’s ugliest subway stations, and the list is far from flattering.
Among the most criticized is St. Patrick Station, currently riddled by its construction and known for its curved walls and dated mint green tiles that have sparked widespread distaste.
“Ugly colour palette and constantly in a state of ruin,” one Reddit user said.
“I hate going there. They picked a nasty colour for the tiles too,” another user wrote. “This ugly ass station being the closest to the art school is a choice.”
One user didn’t mind the light green wall colour, but said that it “gets filthy so easily and becomes gross green.”
Further west, Islington Station drew complaints for being “run down” with an outdoor area frequently covered in bird feathers and droppings, which some riders say makes the platform feel unsanitary and unwelcoming.
“Islington is like the holy land for pigeons. It’s disgusting,” one user said.
“Filthy, moldy, dark and under perpetual construction,” another user slammed.
“In early spring, there was that huge flock living down by the bus bay and they would occasionally swarm me as I’d walk past them. They were like a mob of rowdy teens,” another replied.
Even Bloor-Yonge Station, one of the system’s busiest and most important transfer points, has seen better days. Riders pointed to structural issues like parts of the ceiling that have visibly deteriorated, along with ongoing leaks and grime as the station undergoes design improvements.
“For such a high traffic station you’d think they would make an effort,” a Redditor wrote.
Union Station, while more modern than most, wasn’t spared either. Torontonians dragged its gloomy artwork and ghastly aesthetic on the walls, which riders called “depressing” and lacking any welcoming character for those arriving in the city.
“That art is nightmare fuel,” one person said.
“I think it’s a vivid artistic representation of the typical TTC rider’s commute,” another user joked.
WHAT’S THE ROOT OF TTC COMMUTERS’ FRUSTRATIONS?
Executive Director of transit advocacy group TTCriders Andrew Pulsifer says these concerns are valid and bring light to a broader problem for commuters.
“Seeing stations in disrepair is understandably frustrating for transit users, and it reflects the TTC’s massive state-of-good-repair backlog,” Pulsifer said in an email statement to Now Toronto. “It’s yet another reason why the City needs regular and flexible operational funding from all levels of government to maintain a transit system that is reliable, accessible, and clean.”
Pulsifer also pointed out the challenges many riders face navigating stations, especially during ongoing construction. He emphasized the need for better wayfinding, especially for newcomers, tourists, and riders with disabilities.
“Temporary signage during construction can be confusing. TTCriders has called for clearer streetcar signage and better exit labeling to help people navigate the system more easily. Wayfinding information must be accessible to everyone, regardless of the language they speak or their abilities.”
Toronto Metropolitan University professor George Thomas Kapelos, an expert in architectural science, believes the problem also lies in the system’s design roots.
“The TTC’s station designs are expedient at best but now especially with the growth of subway traffic, lacking in capacity and somewhat shabby,” Kapelos said.
HOW IS TTC RESPONDING?
The TTC says it has invested tens of millions of dollars in enhanced cleanliness initiatives over the past three budgets, with pilots at key stations like Scarborough Town Centre, Kennedy, Dundas, Finch, Spadina, Lansdowne.
The agency says it’s also conducting a modernized comprehensive strategy for updating physical signage throughout TTC stations, stops and vehicles, one that would be much more consistent and incorporate mobile technological use.
“The Wayfinding and Signage Standards followed have been durable and meet many current needs, however, full implementation is ongoing, and, in many cases, stations are partially updated, creating customer experience gaps for navigation,” TTC Senior Communications Specialist Stuart Green told Now Toronto on Tuesday.
“Since the original standards were created, the expectations of customers and the digital world have evolved significantly.”
