You know that feeling when you go back to a place you used to visit all the time and you discover that it no longer exists. Or when you ask to see someone and you find out that they’ve retired.
Well, I discovered upon my visit to campus that the bus route that I used to take to YorkU no longer exists. It made me feel old – very old – because York University is a major stop, so it seemed odd that they would remove multiple transit routes to the destination.
Well, the last time I was on campus was June 2015. Apparently in 2018, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and York Region Transit (YRT) approved a by-law where they would reduce the number of overlapping routes from the two transit companies.
Since I live in the GTA, reducing the number of YRT paths around the Toronto/York Region division line makes commuting to York University more of a hassle than before. It used to be one direct bus, but now, it requires a double fare or a 15-minute walk from the closest bus stop to campus.
Walking for 15-minutes might not seem like a big deal (really), but I can only imagine what it’ll be like in the winter when you have to trek into campus in the heavy snow. It boggles the mind that transit companies claim they make transit accessible and easy, but it doesn’t seem like the case for my route to York University.
Though, I’m not going to get into more details on this transit situation. However, when I discovered that my bus route AND three professors that used to teach me retired (along with four fellow colleagues), I really felt old. Really!
It’s hard to imagine how much time has passed since my days at YorkU. Time … not until you sit down and look back, days just keep passing by without you realizing how long it really is.