St. Marys station (Ontario)

St. Marys station in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada is a staffed[1] railway station used by Via Rail's Corridor intercity train service and GO Transit's Kitchener line regional train service. The station is served by two daily trains in each direction between Toronto and London (via Kitchener), one of which continues beyond London to Sarnia.[2]

This article is about the rail station in Ontario, Canada. For others, see St. Marys railway station.
St. Marys
General information
Location5 James Street North,
St. Marys, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43.2604°N 81.1365°W / 43.2604; -81.1365
Owned byTown of St Marys
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
Construction
Structure typeStaffed station
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeGO Transit: SM
History
Opened1907
Services
Preceding station Via Rail Following station
London
toward Sarnia
 Sarnia–Toronto Stratford
toward Toronto
Preceding station GO Transit Following station
London
Terminus
 Kitchener
(express)
 Stratford
towards Union Station
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
London
toward Chicago
 International Stratford
toward Toronto
Preceding station Canadian National Railway Following station
Kellys
toward London
 London – Stratford St. Marys Junction
toward Stratford
Official nameGrand Trunk Railway Station
Designated1987

History

St. Marys station was opened in 1907 by the Grand Trunk Railway to provide convenient access to the town centre of St. Marys. The station architect was E. Chandler of Stratford, Ontario. When the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was built in 1858, St. Marys was served only by St. Marys Junction station, located 1.5 km north of the current station in an otherwise undeveloped area.[3] Following pressure from local residents to provide a convenient station closer to the town centre, the GTR opened St. Marys Town station in 1879, located roughly 400 metres south of the current station where the railway crosses James Street South.[4] However, residents were still not satisfied with the location, leading the GTR to construct the present St. Marys station in 1907, replacing St. Marys Town.

In the 1980s, the Town of St. Marys acquired ownership of the station to protect it from possible closure or demolition. It completed a restoration and renovation of the station building, with an official reopening on 26 September 1988.[5] The station is designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since 1987. [6]

On October 18, 2021, GO Transit started weekday service though St. Mary's, between Toronto and London. The pilot is an extension of the Kitchener line. The pilot service does not offer Presto access and riders will need to purchase e-tickets from GO website. Two years later in October 2023, the service ended.

Station facilities

The station consists of a single side platform serving a single track. St Marys station is owned and maintained by the Town of St Marys as a gallery/recreation centre.[5]

In addition to ticketing and waiting facilities, the station building houses the St Marys Station Gallery.[1]

See also

References
  1. "St Marys Station". Town of St Marys. 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  2. "Corridor Schedule: Toronto-London-Sarnia" (PDF). VIA Rail. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  3. "Grand Trunk Railway Station". Canada's Historic Places. n.d. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  4. "The Station at the Switch". Picture St. Marys. n.d. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  5. "History of St. Marys Station". St. Marys Station Gallery. 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  6. "Grand Trunk Railway Station". historicplaces.ca. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
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