Where once stood the looming winch is now a clear view all the way down, or up, depending on your vantage point – a sign of progress in the construction of a highly anticipated transit project.

Crane your neck and look way up Toronto.

One of the main cranes installed for the construction of the new Union Station bus terminal, on Bay Street, has now been taken down. It was recently quietly dismantled, with just three remaining for the completion of CIBC SQUARE and the future home of the bus hub.

The cabin of the crane was roughly 50 metres above Lakeshore Boulevard. Pointed skywards, the max height of the mast of the crane was roughly 106 metres above street level, in line with the 25th storey of the tower.

The construction – which is well underway – is a joint project between Metrolinx and Ivanhoé Cambridge and Hines. The project includes two office towers (81 and 141 Bay Street) and an overbuild park spanning the GO rail corridor, which will be the first of its kind for the city.

Once complete, the new Union Station bus terminal will provide more indoor weather-protected space for GO Bus customers and will be connected to the city’s PATH network, allowing GO and UP Express customers to quickly move between rail and bus, as well as around downtown Toronto.

Once finished, the new terminal will have 14 bus bays – twice as many as the current bus hub.

Opening is scheduled for later this year.

Taking the crane down is an example of an important transit – and city – epicenter quickly going up.

Story by Nitish Bissonauth, Metrolinx bilingual spokesperson, media relations and issues specialist.

With files from Stacey Kenny, Metrolinx senior advisor, communications and stakeholder relations.