Oshawa, ON – Durham College (DC) is officially on the map after recently acquiring the naming rights to one of GO Transit’s busiest stations. The leading post-secondary institution has embarked on a 10-year agreement with Metrolinx, with its first station naming partnership.

Beginning October 4, what was formerly known as the Oshawa GO station will now be referred to by its brand-new name – Durham College Oshawa GO. By partnering with Metrolinx, DC is strengthening its relationship with future students, employees and partners in the community, a priority for the college as it continues to fulfill its 2020 – 2025 Strategic Plan. This unique marketing opportunity also helps DC position itself in the community and surrounding areas as a leader in education, collaboration, inclusivity and innovation.

Metrolinx is an essential part of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) that supports many of DC’s students and employees daily as they work, live and learn in the Durham Region and beyond.

“This exciting new partnership with Metrolinx is a prime example of how Durham College is leading the way,” said Don Lovisa, President, Durham College. “Having served Durham Region and beyond for over 55 years, we take immense pride in our community engagement and continue to focus on excellence – not only in the innovative and transformative education we provide to our students but as a vital component of Durham Region’s economic landscape for years to come.”

Members of the Durham Region and the GTHA who rely on GO Transit services daily can expect many changes to reflect this new announcement. In addition to the new signage that was unveiled on the Oshawa station building, a rollout of further communications will take place over the coming weeks and months, including; ‘next stop’ passenger announcements, transit signage, digital and web updates, as well as system maps and schedules, just to name a few.

Many transit agencies worldwide have already successfully incorporated naming rights into their transit systems, including San Francisco’s Salesforce Transit Center, Philadelphia’s NRG and WAWA Station’s and most recently, NJ Transit’s BetMGM Meadowlands Rail Line.

“This announcement marks an exciting milestone for Metrolinx. We look forward to this new agreement with Durham College and in doing so, we are increasing awareness about transit and GO connections for students, employees, and visitors to the college and the City of Oshawa,” said Mark Childs, Chief Marketing Officer, Metrolinx.

For Durham College, this new opportunity bears as a sign that the transformative and experiential-based institution is prioritizing its relationship with its students, employees, and community, which serves as a preview of what’s to come in the future – further collaboration, excellence and innovative thinking.

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ABOUT DURHAM COLLEGE
With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, Durham College (DC) offers over 11,400 full-time students access to more than 140 post-secondary programs, including four honours bachelor’s degrees and nine apprenticeship programs.

DC enables students to develop career-ready skills for the ever-changing job market by providing an exceptional college education. With a focus on experiential learning, led by expert faculty, through field placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need.

At the Oshawa campus, the Centre for Collaborative Education brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, featuring the Durham College Spa, Global Classroom and interprofessional simulation and anatomy labs. The campus is also home to four of the college’s applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and Social Impact Hub. Additionally, the flexible, fully automated, and industrial-grade Integrated Manufacturing Centre serves as a model of the new standards in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and engineering education.

At DC’s Whitby campus, the new 60,000-square-foot Ontario Power Generation Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology shines a spotlight on industrial skilled trades training, innovation and education, and includes a double-height shop lab, new classrooms and student touchdown spaces, among other features. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which is home to the award-winning full-service restaurant, Bistro ’67; retail store, Pantry, featuring food grown and prepared by students; and the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and its community-inspired urban farm.

MEDIA CONTACT

Carmen Doucette
Communications + Marketing
Durham College
carmen.doucette@durhamcollege.ca