New GO Station in Oshawa is one step closer with design survey

The City of Oshawa is calling on residents to help them shape the design of the upcoming Central Oshawa GO Train station.

The Lakeshore East extension plans to build four new stops;

• Thornton Corners
• the Central Oshawa Depot
• Courtice, and
• Bowmanville

The project has already been in the works for well over a decade and finally received renewed interest from the Ontario Government last summer.

Metrolinx began pre-construction work on the extension in November. The extension will add about 1.8 kilometres to the line. These tracks are dug lower than ground level to pass under roads. Widening the path required the construction of concrete retaining walls.

On April 9, Oshawa announced development of the central station had reached the third stage, a period in which the city weighs various options for the design of the new station.

The city explained, “Oshawa invites community members to provide their feedback on a preferred land use alternative, a transportation evaluation of alternative solutions, and an updated land use plan and draft urban design guidelines for the Study Area surrounding the planned Central Oshawa GO Station.”

The central station at the 500 Howard St. between Simcoe Street and Ritson Road. As a result the city is also working to redesign the corridor of First Avenue and McNaughton Avenue.

The area is planne to have a density level of 425 people and jobs per hectare, per the city’s report. The plan “creates a continuous high-density corridor between Highway 401 and Downtown, generally bound by Centre St. S. and the Michael Starr Trail.”

The proposed downtown density map to accommodate the Central Oshawa GO station. via City of Oshawa.

A more detailed view of the First Avenue corridor proposal is available online. Residents can weigh in on the station through a Connect Oshawa form. The form is open from now until May 17.

There will also be a public meeting about the project on April 23. It will be held at city hall from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and will be live streamed.

All feedback from residents will be collected into a report for the economic development committee to inform their decisions.