Making it even easier to get around the VMC
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Additional parking opportunities are coming soon to those who work and visit the city’s downtown
Vaughan is constantly evolving – and the transformation of the city’s downtown is leading the charge. The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) is destined to be a bustling hub that provides residents, businesses and visitors with all amenities of an urban lifestyle: multi-use office towers, residences, subway access, open green space, urban squares, pedestrian shopping areas, restaurants, walking and cycling paths, and more. More than a decade into its evolution, it is now time to focus on initiatives that can help people get around the core with easier commutes, easier pick-up and drop-off and easier visitor parking – all in an effort to create an even more seamless experience in, out and around the VMC.
Vaughan is constantly evolving – and the transformation of the city’s downtown is leading the charge. The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) is destined to be a bustling hub that provides residents, businesses and visitors with all amenities of an urban lifestyle: multi-use office towers, residences, subway access, open green space, urban squares, pedestrian shopping areas, restaurants, walking and cycling paths, and more. More than a decade into its evolution, it is now time to focus on initiatives that can help people get around the core with easier commutes, easier pick-up and drop-off and easier visitor parking – all in an effort to create an even more seamless experience in, out and around the VMC.
Through the City of Vaughan’s VMC Parking Strategy, it was identified that additional measures are needed to address public parking in the downtown core to support the emerging mixed-use community. A report was presented to Vaughan Council during the Tuesday, Oct. 5 Committee of the Whole (1) to amend existing traffic and parking by-laws in Vaughan’s downtown to allow on-street parking opportunities. In response, a pilot project is coming with new paid on-street parking options on New Park Place, Applemill Road and Buttermill Avenue, beginning Monday, Oct. 25, 2021.
Paid on-street parking will be managed through ParkedIn’s pay-by-licence-plate meter technology – a mobile payment platform by Precise ParkLink that allows users to scan, pay and proceed to their destination securely, quickly and easily. Visitors pay for parking by downloading the mobile app and using the Scan-to-Pay option available at the parking facility. To learn more, visit PreciseParkLink.com.
The new paid parking program allows the City to offer additional parking options, reduce traffic congestion in and around the area and facilitate even safer driver and pedestrian journeys. Whether citizens are visiting the VMC for work, appointments, entertainment or to see family and friends, on-street parking will offer a seamless travel experience from start to finish.
Currently, three other paid parking lots are available north of Apple Mill Road, south of Apple Mill Road (east of Millway Avenue) and south of New Park Place. Commuters using the TTC must use the commuter lots available at the Highway 407 and Pioneer Village subway stations. View an online map with all passenger pick-up/drop-off and parking locations. Additional short- and long-term parking solutions are also being sourced through the VMC Parking Strategy. Learn more at myVMC.ca/parking.
Along with increased parking options, citizens are encouraged to experience the VMC’s award-winning intermodal transit system:
- Subway: Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Subway Station is the new northwestern terminus of the TTC’s Line 1. From here, it is a quick five-minute ride to York University Station and a 45-minute ride to Union Station. An interactive map is also available.
- Bus Rapid Transit: The Viva/Zum Bus Rapidway serves the Viva (York Region) and Zum (Brampton) transit systems. The VMC viva station has an underground pathway that connects to the VMC Subway Station and SmartVMC Bus Terminal. View Viva routes and schedules.
- Local transit: Local bus service by York Region Transit operates from SmartVMC Bus Terminal. It is connected above and below ground to the VMC Subway Station and VMC vivastation. View YRT schedules and maps.
- Active transportation: Bike facilities are already on Highway 7, Millway Avenue, Applewood Crescent and Apple Mill Road, and will be expanded as the VMC builds out.