A brand new TTC subway station entrance finally opened to the public in August after a lengthy construction window, but negative reviews are already pouring in from the initial rush of commuters using this new access point.

A new entrance to Donlands Station quietly opened on August 8 as the latest rollout in the TTC's Easier Access program, which is well on its way to adding new entrances/exits to every subway station on the network by 2025.

The second exit/entrance building at 17-19 Dewhurst Boulevard features four Presto fare gates, now offering elevator access to the platforms below.

There was no fanfare from the TTC, and little more than a brief construction update was shared with the public as the project crossed the finish line after more than three years of work.

"The secondary exit/entrance and elevators at Donlands Station are now open," the update reads, going on to thank neighbours for "their patience during construction."

And while neighbours may be pleased that construction has finally wrapped up, the actual look of the new entrance is leaving much to be desired among commenters.

Alex Bozikovic, architecture critic at the Globe and Mail, compared the station to a "Banff McMansion." Another user seemed to agree with this take, saying the exterior looked like a "Banff skiing lodge."

This TTC facility looks like a Banff McMansion. The design also creates serious trip hazards. What is going on here? https://t.co/zPSTZBm6jR

— Alex Bozikovic (@alexbozikovic) August 23, 2024

Bozikovic also calls out the design's accessibility, criticizing its lack of "colour contrast between surfaces (a basic accessibility failure) and this triangular protrusion is waiting for someone to trip over it and break their face."

Three B’s: banal, bland, boring. Mediocrity abounding.

— Roger Morier (@MorierComms) August 23, 2024

Others question the lack of a big announcement. "The fact it just opened one evening with no announcement or anything speaks volumes," wrote one commenter.

The user went on to criticize the transit agency's decision to "spend millions of dollars, actually finish a project and pass on getting any credit for it. They should have had balloons, TTC stickers and things for kids… something."

Another took aim at the project's single-purpose use on valuable land, writing, "Some of the most expensive property in the country, in area in dire need of housing, and we build... a door leading to stairs."