Parents Helping Parents: Getting Around Toronto

Are you a parent?  Do you walk Toronto malls?  Do you take the subway with your young children in a stroller?  Do you have a newborn/infant/baby/toddler?

If you answered "Yes!" to any of the above, please read on!

After having been the mother of two for almost 4 months, a slew of realizations have been piling up at my mind's door, mainly about the conveniences or inconveniences of locations for people getting around with little wheels.  I complained about it a lot when taking Derek out to malls or through the subway system but this time, I feel compelled to help other parents have a better (or just "a") resource on facilities and access-friendly - and unfriendly - locations.

I haven't traveled throughout Toronto enough to know the ins and outs, however, so I'm asking the power of the masses to help.  If you have come across pleasant surprises or frustrating moments while travelling through the TTC subway line or while strolling through a Toronto mall with your children under the age of 3 years, please email TDot [dot] Parents [at] gmail [dot] com or leave a comment below.

While there may be other helpful hints you'd like to share, kindly keep it to just the subway and the malls and within the age group as noted above.  That's all the information I can handle at the moment!  (I hope I'm not over-anticipating....)

Examples:

Fairvew Mall
- The entrance on the south-east side going into Hudson's Bay on the upper level has Family Parking Spots but does not have an automatic door. (This is more troubling for those in a wheelchair as the sign posting this information is only viewable as one approaches the doors!)
- The nursing room is located on the main floor beside the McDonald's in the women's washroom.  It has a microwave and a bottle warmer (as last seen February 2013).

Finch Subway Station
- There is one elevator available near the middle of the platform.  If it is out of service, TTC recommends taking the subway to Sheppard station, obtaining a transfer, then taking the Yonge bus north to Finch. (Yes, you read that right...)

Yorkdale Subway Station
- There is NO elevator within the station to get to ground level.

Soooo.... let's see what we can get together people!  I'm hoping to start posting information by May 12, 2013.  Looking forward to hearing from you!

Oh Toronto, if only!

Seeing this makes me cry - for hope of the future, over the reality that is, on many levels, slow-moving Toronto.

The potential of the GTA, hopefully realized before a working replicator is created.