South Keys Centre Summer 2024 Roundup

Summer is coming to a close and while things may seem quiet on our end, there’s never a dull moment at South Keys Centre.

Trillium Line Opening

We continue to wait with excitement for the “big announcement” from OC Transpo of when the Trillium Line will officially reopen to the public. When it does, South Keys Centre will have access to a new frequent rail service linking South Keys and Bayview Station in just 20 minutes, and South Keys to Limebank Station in just 14 minutes. We have some exciting events planned to celebrate this momentous occasion including several themed group rides to help get people familiar with the system. Stay tuned!

Major Bus Changes Coming

When the Trillium Line does open, there will be major changes to the bus network across the city. Some buses are being replaced by the new rail service, while others are being consolidated. Overall, bus service across the network is being cut, particularly on weekends.

Notable changes for South Keys Centre include:

• Elimination of Route 97 which previously ran from Hurdman to the Airport. O-Train Line 4 will now run between South Keys and the Airport instead.
• Elimination of Route 99 which previously ran from Hurdman to Barrhaven. This will be replaced by the extended O-Train Line 2 which will run all the way to Limebank in Barrhaven, with transfers to bus routes there to travel further west.
• A new Route 116 that will run between Greenboro and Baseline (Algonquin College) directly along Hunt Club Road, making the trip in 25 mins.
• Significant cuts to weekend service. Most “frequent’” bus routes across the City will be reduced to service every 30 minutes on weekends. Today on weekends there are up to eight buses per hour making the trip between South Keys and Hurdman on weekends; when the changes come into effect there will be only two.

In the Community

Our volunteers were excited to host a table at the Alta Vista Farmers Market in July. It’s always great to get to meet community members and chat about the future of South Keys Centre! Thanks to all of you who take the time to come and chat, learn more, sign up for newsletters and let us know of other opportunities to meet the community. It will surely be a busy fall and spring and we can wait to meet more of you.

The Greenboro ParkLive-and-Ride

With the housing affordability and supply crisis continuing to worsen, our group has been working to advocate for a major change to the Greenboro Park-and-Ride: turning this valuable public land into housing. It’s been under consideration by the City since at least 2018 and we expect to see more interest in this in the coming years. Such a development could replace 700 car parking spaces with 1,000 or more new residents paying affordable rents within walking distance of high-quality transit, along with new parks and walkable retail. What would this mean for those using the park-and-ride today? Our volunteers have been measuring its use over the past year and are finding that even on the busy days (Tuesday to Thursday), the lot is no more than 40-50% full. The opening of the Trillium Line will mean more parking available at the new southern stations, potentially reducing this demand further. How does OC Transpo feel about this? They’re taking a wait-and-see approach and will study how the opening of Line 2 affects demand at the lot. In the meantime, here’s a visionary rendering from urban designer Duncan Rae showing a potential future design of the site.

New and Vacant Retail

South Keys’ retail scene is constantly changing, especially in response to the new post-pandemic world. Some notable changes we’ve seen include:

–    Long-term Vacancies: The two stores next to the Cineplex remain empty. These will likely not be filled with businesses as the owner is planning to demolish them to build new apartment towers next to South Keys Station

–    Closures: The Source, Meridian Bank, and The Gap have all closed this year

–    New Life: Specsavers has opened this year, and the former Gap location is currently under renovation to welcome a new tenant. The seasonal Spirit Halloween has returned for the 2024 season.

Get Involved!

With all this excitement we are always looking for new members and volunteers. Join us at one of our upcoming meetings or events – join our mailing list to keep in the loop!