The track work is nearly complete.  But it’s likely to be another two years before streetcars are running down Cherry St. from King to south of Mill St.

That’s how long it will take for the new West Don Lands neighbourhood to yield a ridership for the stretch, less than 1 kilometre long, that the TTC will probably operate as a spur of the 504 King streetcar . 

In the meanwhile, the innovative design to be used on the Cherry St. transit service — with streetcars running in both directions on the east side of the street — will actually make its first appearance on Queens Quay W. next month. 

After a two-year absence, the 509 and 510 streetcars will return to Queens Quay on Oct. 12, about a year after they were originally supposed to resume.  They’ll be tested on the new tracks, on the south side of the street, starting Oct. 5, according to Waterfront Toronto, which is in charge of that street makeover. 

The Cherry streetcar service was never intended to begin until after the Pan Am Games next summer, during which the street will be a closed security zone, said Councillor Pam McConnell (Ward 28, Toronto Centre-Rosedale). 

“There isn’t a huge rush to put a streetcar that goes down once and then is cut off for a year,” McConnell said. “ But having the infrastructure in early does mean that we can do it as soon as we open the residential community.  We’ll be in better shape to make sure the transportation will be ready as well,” she said. 

Retrofitting the village and moving new residents into the area’s condos is expected to take at least nine or 10 months. 

After that, McConnell said, she’s anxious to see the Distillery District and West Don Lands get service as soon as possible. 

“There should be sufficient numbers to run the service.  The issue is just trying to make sure the service is continuous, and once we start it we can actually continue with it and it isn’t being stopped for Pan Am security, stopped for construction.” 

Infrastructure Ontario and contractor Dundee Kilmer Developments could not provide a cost estimate for the streetcar tracks.  Installation is part of a $514 million contract that includes the design and build of the athletes village. 

The TTC expects the streetcar to have three stops.  Meanwhile, the 172 Cherry bus and 65 Parliament bus serve the area. 

Cherry St. was closed to the public at the end of April 2012 for the reconstruction work and the track installation, but reopened south of Mill St. to Lake Shore Blvd.  E. in June.  A spokesperson for Infrastructure Ontario said the province hopes to open the rest of the street soon.