![\"As](\"http:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/yfile\/photos\/20110620\/cohen_award.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHoley Moley, it's finally happening.<\/p>\n
Friday marked the official launch of the first of four tunnel-boring machines that will dig the route for the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension. After a\u00a025-year wait,\u00a0work to build the $2.4 billion subway line connecting 快播视频 and York Region with the city of Toronto is now underway.<\/p>\n
The start\u00a0of work on the\u00a0route was\u00a0marked with a gathering of\u00a0representatives from\u00a0all levels of government. Sitting among the dignitaries were York Professor Tom Cohen and City of Vaughan resident Rose Rinella, winners of a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) contest to name the giant earth eaters. <\/p>\n
Right: As TTC Chair Karen Stintz looks on, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford congratulates York history Professor Tom Cohen for suggesting the names Holey and Moley for two of the tunnel-boring machines that will be used to build the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI would like to acknowledge two very important people who are here with us today \u2013 Tom Cohen and Rosa Rinella,\u201d said TTC Chair Karen Stintz, \u201cThey are the successful winners of the tunnel-boring machine naming contest. Tom came up with the names Holey and Moley, which are actually very appropriate because it is a phrase that I use frequently at the TTC\u00a0\u2013\u00a0\u2018Holey-moley, they did what!\u2019 \u2018Holey-moley, they did that?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Stintz noted, to hoots and hollers from the crowd, that the project is proceeding on time and on budget.<\/p>\n \u201cI am delighted to be here today as I am about to deliver some \u2018boring\u2019 remarks,\u201d joked \u00a0Peter Kent, federal minister of the environment. \u201cThe Toronto-York Spadina Subway extension will cut commute times, ease traffic congestion and result in cleaner air, thereby improving the quality of life for Greater Toronto Area residents.\u201d<\/p>\n Kent noted the project is a true example of collaboration as the cost was shared by the federal, provincial, regional and municipal governments. \u201cThe project will help more people travel without relying on cars,\u201d said Kent. \u201cFor the students at 快播视频, it means an easier trip to campus, no parking fees and faster connections to the rest of Toronto. The project lays the foundation for future sustainable growth to York Region.\u201d<\/p>\n His comments were echoed by Kathleen Wynne, Ontario\u2019s minister of transportation. \u201cBy extending the subway to York Region, we make it easier for people to get to work and home again, while reducing emissions,\u201d she said, noting that some 2,000 buses enter 快播视频\u2019s Keele campus every day.<\/p>\n Toronto Mayor Rob Ford expressed his excitement for the project. \u201cI love subways!\u201d he said. \u201cThe start of the tunnel boring is an important step as part of our strategy to build a transportation city. The subway extension will bring the benefits of rapid transit to residents and businesses in the northwest part of Toronto and will provide a vital link between Toronto and its neighbour, York Region.\u201d<\/p>\n Following official comments, the group signed one of the concrete enclosures and flipped the switch to launch Holey into action.<\/p>\n As the ground shook, Cohen looked around and summed it up. \u201cWe are finally moving from sprawl to smart,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is so good for 快播视频, its students, faculty and staff and what a lark I\u2019ve had being a part of this story.\u201d<\/p>\n By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" York Professor Tom Cohen was the guest of honour Friday as the TTC launched \"Holey\", the first of four tunnel-boring machines that will dig the Spadina subway extension...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[29],"yfileauthor":[],"qualifier":[],"yfile-author":[],"tags-to-show":[145],"workflow":[],"class_list":["post-17205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-news","tag-community","tags-to-show-community"],"acf":{"internal_publish_date":null,"original_image":null},"yoast_head":"\n\n\n
\n ![\"Federal](\"http:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/yfile\/photos\/20110620\/Peter_kent.jpg\")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Above: Federal Minister of the Environment Peter Kent talks about the collaborative effort\u00a0among all levels of government to build the subway extension. Looking on are, from left: Karen Stintz, TTC chair; Ontario Minister of Transportation Kathleen Wynne; Toronto Mayor Rob Ford; York Region Chair and CEO Bill Fisch; York Professor Tom Cohen; City of Vaughan resident Rosa Rinella and York Centre MPP Monte Kwinter.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\n
\n ![\"a](\"http:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/yfile\/photos\/20110620\/\/cohen_finished.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Above: Signing a piece of history<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n ![\"Holey](\"http:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/yfile\/photos\/20110620\/Holey.jpg\")
Right: Holey at work<\/strong><\/p>\n