HMCS York and NavRez questions

[WO2 Gubbels]

  Hi all,

  I've been reading these boards for quite some time, and decided to post a few compiled questions I have.  I  haven't been to the recruiter yet as I intend on going after school and biking across town to combine exercise with an additional objective. 

    I am currently in my 13th year of school, and will be moving on next year to a private college in Toronto and enrolled in a Bachelor of Technology degree program.  First, I was wondering if anyone from York U, RCC or anyone that lives in that general area uses the public transport system to go to HMCS York?? I have kind of planned out a route, but wasn't sure how long it would take and wondered if anyone actually does that route.  As of right now i intend on taking a bus to the subway, subway to the stop before union i think it was, then street car to HMCS York.  I am very interested in joining but if it would take way to long to get there, it might not be such a wise course, esp considering when it ends and how the transport back goes.  I would have already been in the reserves here in London, but did 7 years of cadets instead (and wouldn't trade it for the world).

    I'm not sure what I want to do yet, as in trade, I will be going to school for technology, I am also interested in diver and MARS officer.  If I join in as a diver is it hard to switch into the MARS position later down the road?  Would any of the initial training be carried over, or when you switch you start over from scratch?  I will be attending a college, but enrolled in a degree program, I would still be able to consider officer trades right?  My other question concerning this, do units have a quota, so a max number of mars officers they can have on board etc?? 

  I was also wondering what occurs on a regular parade night, and if anyone knew when they were?  Am I right in assuming there is only one parade night a week, then weekend training?  Admin nights wouldn't be for general people? as I have heard something to the fact that there is an admin night a week. 

  Thats all I can think of for right now, but there are bound to be more when i pursue it further.

  Thank you very much for taking the time to read this post and hopefully shed some light on my thoughts and concerns

    CI Gubbels

P.S.  I will be doing school in Toronto, when I'm done school and if I move away, how easy is it to transfer to another naval unit?  Such as moving back to London.

 

[mdh]

Can't answer the naval reserve questions but wrt public transportation from York U to HMCS York - the answer is a long time. 

You will  need to catch a bus at York U - get off at the subway at Eglinton West and take it downtown and get off at union station and take the street car down to the Exhibition area and walk over to HMCS York - or take the subway via the Bloor line to Bathhurst station, catch a  street car down Bathhurst and get off at Bathhurst and Lakeshore and walk over to HMCS York.

Either way you're talking about a commute time that will be well over an hour - and that's assuming everything is working.

Realistically - with rush hour traffic - assume 1.5 hours there during the week and about an hour back when rush hour is over (however there are fewer express buses operating from EW subway back to York U.)

Hope that helps, good luck, mdh

ps join the army reserve instead and you can operate out of Downsview which is much closer  >

 

[Trinity]

ps join the army reserve instead and you can operate out of Downsview which is much closer  >

Naw..

Stay navy... but don't go to York!!!

Go U of T...  its 20-30 minutes to HMCS York! 

 

[DogOfWar]

I just want to point out that its not as easy as saying "Im joining as a diver". Your unit will only have so many "dive allocations" and if the team is full then you wont be considered. Its a highly sought after trade by guys walking in off the street. Most will never hit the proper PT standard, but if you do you've got a better shot.

 

[WO2 Gubbels]

  Thanks, it makes sense that they would have only so many allocations, but I wasn't exactly sure, thanks for clearing that up for me.   Hour and a half, that is unfortunate but overcomable.   I might to army reserves, but navy/air is more my thing.  

  An additional question, for fitness level for the diving, what fitness level do you have to be at, would it be the same level as infantry??

    Thanks for the replies so far keep them comming

   J.G.

  The route I was looking at consisted of: Bus to Downsview, then on subway, to Bloor (spadina) then one top over to Danforth and then take the 511 Bathurst street car and walk.  My route may be wrong, someone made if up for me because they knew toronto a little bit compared to my none.

 

[mdh]

The route I was looking at consisted of: Bus to Downsview, then on subway, to Bloor (spadina) then one top over to Danforth and then take the 511 Bathurst street car and walk.  My route may be wrong, someone made if up for me because they knew toronto a little bit compared to my none.

That's right - but just one caveat - you want to go west from Bloor-Spadina station to Bathhurst station - there is no "Danforth station" - the Bloor subway line runs along an east-west axis that includes Bloor and the Danforth. Once you're at Bathhurst station you can transfer to the Bathurst 511 street care line which will take you down to Lakeshore - and you hump it to HMCS York from there which is about 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy TO - it's a great town and once you get it -- going back home to London Ont will always be a bit of a culture shock.

Cheers, mdh

 

[navymich]

    P.S.   I will be doing school in Toronto, when I'm done school and if I move away, how easy is it to transfer to another naval unit?   Such as moving back to London.

As long as there is a postion for you in your trade, it is easy to transfer units.  Give your current unit as much notice as possible and they will get started on the paperwork, beginning with getting in touch with the unit you wish to transfer to.  This is one of the many benefits of being a reservist, being able to transfer to a unit (usually) nearby where you are headed to.  I was in London at Prevost for over 10 years and had very few complaints about it.  It is a great unit to head back to.