001-48_126_RENEW_SEPT-OCT26_PT - Flipbook - Page 21
Once underground station works were completed, the
restored building was integrated directly into Mount Dennis
Station, serving as a vibrant, multi-use community space, gymnasium, and transit hub entry point.
Environmental performance, resiliency, and grid integration
Line 5 incorporates signi昀椀cant technical innovations aimed
at long-term environmental sustainability and operational
resilience:
CANADA’S FIRST GREEN TRACK: Aboveground sections of the
LRT corridor feature green track technology, where grass planted between the rails maximizes stormwater absorption, reduces
urban heat island e昀昀ects, and improves corridor aesthetics.
SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS: Stations were engineered to
“breathe” e昀케ciently, lowering heating and cooling demands.
The Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility (EMSF) was
designed to achieve LEED Silver certi昀椀cation and features
bioswales and native landscaping for natural stormwater
昀椀ltration.
POWER SUPPLY AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM
(BESS): To avoid heavy infrastructure costs and eliminate peakhour energy demand surcharges, the design team streamlined the
line’s electrical grid. Instead of separate municipal connections
for every traction power substation, power distribution was
centralized into two primary utility connections (East and West)
distributing medium voltage along the guideway.
Reach ReNew Canada’s in昀氀uential
readers. Contact Ryan Clarke at
ryan@sitepartners.ca
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RESILIENCE: Metrolinx and Toronto Hydro installed a massive 10-megawatt Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
along the line. In the event of a major regional blackout,
the BESS provides emergency power to safely drive LRT
vehicles to the nearest station and execute orderly system
shutdowns.
A lasting legacy
As Line 5 昀椀nishes operational testing, its impact on Toronto’s
urban landscape is already visible. From new housing developments springing up near station entrances to enhanced
public realms and active transit lanes, the corridor is undergoing a lasting economic and social revitalization.
Re昀氀ecting on more than a decade spent leading the design
e昀昀ort, both McCarthy and Mustafa expressed deep pride in
the human dedication that brought the project to life.
“What I’m most proud of is the partnership spirit—a
true partnership enacted throughout the life of this project,”
Mustafa re昀氀ected. “Riding the line and seeing it working as
it was designed to do is a profound feeling.”
McCarthy echoed those sentiments, pointing to the
lasting 100-year civil design life built into the infrastructure.
“Our mandate was to design a system that lasts 100 years,”
McCarthy added. “We see Line 5 as a catalyst for growth,
urban densi昀椀cation, and city-building that will serve
Toronto for generations to come.”
Assessment • Planning • Compliance
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 – RENEW CANADA 21
