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No matter the season, there is always something happening in Toronto, such as concerts, sporting events, or just an evening out in the "big city". Many of these events, unfortunately for those of us living north of Aurora, go past 11:30 p.m.; the last train from Toronto to Barrie is 10:54 p.m.
This barely gives anyone from even the closest venue, Scotiabank Arena, to get to Union Station on time, even if their event is done at 11:30 p.m., which most of the time, it isn't.
The reality is, tens of thousands of people attend events at the Exhibition Grounds (Budweiser Stage, BMO Field, ECHO Beach, the CNE in the summer time). I'm a concert-goer myself, so places like HISTORY, Massey Hall, REBEL, and Budweiser Stage are common places I have to travel to by car, as transit just isn't a reliable option at times.
Since I'm from Barrie, the only other alternative is to drive to the East Gwillumbury GO Station in Newmarket, take the train or bus down to Toronto, and in order to get home, wait until 12:12 a.m. to get the bus, which usually has a massive lineup to get on to, resulting in relief buses having to come and clear the line, arrive at East Gwillumbury at 1:42 a.m., and not get home until almost 3 a.m.
This is my proposal. If there were a train departing at Union Station to Allendale Waterfront by 12:12 a.m., this would give riders plenty of time to take the streetcar, subway or connecting GO Train to Union after their event, as most events are done at 11:15 p.m. at the latest.
The demand is there, and in my opinion. It's time for GO Transit to add one more nighttime train on the Barrie line. If this option were available, I do see more people choosing to take the train as opposed to driving down to their events in Toronto from Barrie, Bradford, Newmarket and beyond!
Jordan Johnson
Barrie
