$1M in renovations for downtown Sudbury transit terminal

The Greater Sudbury Downtown Transit Terminal will soon have a fresh, new look.

Renovations for the terminal started on Monday and are expected to continue until the end of November, with both interior and exterior work being completed.

Michelle Ferrigan, director of transit services for the City of Greater Sudbury, said the renovations are all part of a larger effort to revamp the city's transit system.

"We're looking at operations and we're looking at this building," she said. "This is the main terminal for our passengers, and we need to make it a very comfortable and inviting environment."

There haven't been any major renovations to thedowntown terminalsince it officially opened on May 12, 1997.

Interior and exterior renovations to be done in phases

Ferrigan said the renovations will be completed in phases so that services will not be interrupted, and passengers and pedestrians will still be able to access parts of the terminal.

During the first phase of construction, which runs until August 9, buses that stop at Platform 1 on the Paris Street side of the terminal will now stop at Platform 2.

Pedestrian access from Elm Street will also be closed until the end of the month, with temporary access available from an existing path near the LCBO and Tim Hortons.

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New asphalt and curbs, improved outdoor lighting and refinished bus shelters, benches and railings are all in the works. Ferrigan said the steel structure and canopy off Elm Street will also be removed to create more parking space for vans and buses.

The inside will see a new coat of paint and ceramic tiles, as well as new lighting and bathroom fixtures. The boiler and HVAC systems will also be replaced.

Federal government contributing $500,000 to the project

The $1 million project is funded in part by the Canada-Ontario Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF), which is matching a $500,000 municipal capital investment. Last August, the city received a total of $3.8 million dollars from the fund.

Along with the terminal renovations, the money will go towards rehabilitating bus shelters and new software to improve the way services are monitored. Ferrigan said there are a total of 16 projects underway.

"We have our Transit Action Plan that's being undertaken, where we're looking at how we can change the way that we provide the service to make it more convenient for the passengers that are existing, and also increase ridership," she said.

You can find more information about the renovations and how they might affect you at www.greatersudbury.ca/transitrenovations. The website will be updated as the work progresses.