The TTC board is set to consider a proposal from the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) to rename Dundas Station to TMU station, according to a new report.
The report comes from the city’s chief strategy and customer experience officer, and recommends that the board approve the renaming of the subway station on the TTC’s Yonge-University line.
The renaming will be part of a proposed partnership framework between the TTC and the university.
According to the report, the area around the station has changed dramatically due to the growth of TMU, and says that the station has become “fully integrated” with student life.
“A change in the station name reflects the evolution of both the local neighbourhood and university,” the report said.
If the TTC board votes to approve the recommendations, work to rename the station would start immediately, according to the report.
“There is a time-sensitive and unique opportunity to incorporate the new name at minimal incremental expense,” the report said. “Delaying this decision would result in incrementally higher costs in the future.”
The station was named after Henry Dundas, a Scottish politician in the late 18th century, who has been criticized for delaying the abolishment of slavery. This criticism led to the renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square in 2023.
Now Toronto visited the TMU campus to see how students feel about the name change, many, including Selvyn Simoes, think it’s a “really good” idea.
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“It recognizes that we maybe came from somewhere that we’re trying to get away from,” he said. “It’s just acknowledging it and starting to work towards meeting people where they’re at.”
However, despite his support of it, he still believes that the money could be spent elsewhere
“So, I think we need a better spending of tax dollars but I also agree with social progress,” Simoes said.
He’s not the only student to support the idea, Brady Bertrand says he was thrilled to hear about the news.
“I was so excited about it because that just makes sense because there are thousands of students that go through it everyday,” he said.
Betrains went on to say that he thinks the renaming is “refreshing.”
Meanwhile, online some people think the renaming is unnecessary.
“Imagine spending public university funds on this instead of services, programs, student housing, or tuition reductions. If I was a TMU student I would be annoyed,” one Reddit user said.
“Waste of money for the TTC and TMU,” another person said.
According to the report, TMU has presented the TTC with an offer that would cover the cost of the renaming.
The TTC board will discuss the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday.
