Forum Closed
The forum is now to new posts. All the historical content is still available to browse.
if you are looking for musicians to play with, please view the Bands Seeking Musicians list, or use the Musicians Directory
You can use our pages on social media to connect:
the tunnels under victoria
| Message Board > General Chitchat > the tunnels under victoria |
| Tyler User Info... |  | ||
| dumpstermesh User Info... | NOOOOOO..........not this again! - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:22am Edited: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:22am | ||
| Nik Olaz User Info... | YABBSOR - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 1:08am | ||
| _Griphin_ User Info... | Careful if you go down there, the Black Monks with Automatic weapons might attack you!!! :) Actually the tunnels you can get to by going to the basement of the Empress Hotel (only accessible if you work there). Originally the tunnels were accessable from that parking lot close to the Wharfside restaurant, the Chinese used to use the tunnels when they would import Opium. I'm not sure what else the tunnels were used for, I sure wish someone would have tours down there, I'd take the tour! - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 1:58am | ||
| Brian VIHC User Info... | Urban legend. - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 9:01am | ||
| Kris North User Info... | i know dudes who have been down there and taken pictures. they hook it up through certain manholes. they wait till theres no traffic (2 am) then they pop the manhole and go down with ropes and headlamps and shit. it sounds pretty heavy to me. I think you can get in somewhere around the fernwood area or something...like by vic high maybe? - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:27am | ||
| DeadYeti1 User Info... | A bud of mine says that there is an entrance under the magazine rack in the little convience booth at market square. You could talk to John Adams as well. (he does the ghost tours) He's pretty sure that the tunnel between the empress and the parliament buildings are still in use, and I think we've all heard the stories of illegal gaming and prostitution under chinatown. I don't know if they connect to downtown, but there are some openings at saxe point. - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:01am | ||
| Chris Logan User Info... | This thread got me curious. You might want to check out this link: http://www.uer.ca/forum_showthread.asp?fid=3&threadid=19236 - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:59am | ||
| Meantime Mike User Info... | I know someone who went downa sewer drain in the park on North Park by Hillside Mall and came out in the parking lot of the mall.. They said they found furniture down there with coffee tables and satanic graffiti everywhere.. that was over 15 years ago though.. - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 1:15pm | ||
| lonemonk User Info... | If someone has pictures then post them. This myth has gone on forever. The pictures need to be convincing and not just 20 feet of a tunnel which could be anywhere. I believe that *some* buildings probably have walkways between them, but I don't believe for a second that a majority of downtown (as is often repeated) is tunnelled and interconnected. The two are totally different myths. Don't even bother me if someone finds a tunnel that crosses Yates Street from below but goes nowhere else. For various cableing jobs and whatnot, I have had to spend time underground, and I have worked with people who had to do sewer inspection and heavy maintenance all of it underground; They have never stumbled across the underground Shangrila... There's a guy I currently work with whos always on about it, but everytime I ask him how you access it, its' *somewhere in chinatown*. He likes urban legends anyway. A dare someone to prove it once and for all. I'd be happy to have been proven wrong as I really dig tunnels and bunkers and the like. . - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 2:07pm Edited: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 2:19pm | ||
| moron User Info... | Been in the tunnel between the Parliament Buildings and the Ministry of Finance (or whatever is there now) across the street by the Museum (20 years ago). Good luck getting in their now without instant arrestment. I also squatted in a weird space under the Convention Centre at one side of underground parking lot (again, 20 years ago). When they were doing construction you could see what sort of looked like tunnels (more likely just support for the building) but those are long ago filled up now. Nothing of interest could be see under the Eatons Centre when it was torn down so I doubt there is anything in that area other than those extensions to the basement under some of the sidewalks (i.e. the purple glass bricks). Cheers - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 2:23pm | ||
| Andrew User Info... | this sounds like fun...except tripping and falling onto needles and shit in these abandoned buildings. - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 4:31pm | ||
| Aidan Logins User Info... | It's not a myth, it's fact. It's history. Read some of the history of Victoria. They're there. I've been in some, and know people who've been in others. Some of them are just short jaunts between buildings- others go on a long ways and are pretty easy to get lost in. But if you know the locations don't be all "oh there's one right here." because the cops find out and then board them up. Unless you want them boarded up then go ahead. If you want to mount an expedition just start exploring downtown and you'll come across something. The link refers to the tunnels as a "secret network." Really they were just used to bring goods up from the harbour through the town. Some were secret, especially in Chinatown, where there was a lot of illegal gambling and drug shit goin on. - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 4:50pm Edited: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 4:51pm | ||
| stew User Info... | I once battled a green goblin down there for a sack of gold. - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 5:28pm | ||
| lonemonk User Info... | Aidan, you bring up a few good points, but every city has some tunnels between buildings, and some a few connected blocks maybe. But this myth always includes people who insist that its: 1. Some (still) secret shit going on (meh) 2. It includes every old building in downtown Victoria, and is massively connected. (unlikely) I don't doubt that there is at least one tunnel that connects the wharf near Johnson bridge to somewhere within the heart of Chinatown. A lot of port cities have similar. I also don't doubt that there are other under ground connections. I think Victoria itself really digs this myth, but knows that the tunnel systems are less than advertised, and more importantly, WAY less than safe to actually show anybody. In a modern way, and its' no myth, you can walk for about 30 KM under Toronto, but its all underground boutique malls and other modern horrors. They must have 1500 food courts down there! No matter what, I'm still very keen to see actual evidence. . - Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:32pm Edited: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:39pm | ||
| Tyler User Info... | http://youtube.com/watch?v=GVryQdsekls something I found on youtube. are the little broken sections of sidewalk (that expose dark airholes) part of these "tunnels"? - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 2:57am | ||
| Gare User Info... | I've observed some mighty deep holes being dug on downtown streets (granted it could just be for sewers and what not) I cant imagine all these tunnels being intact but I'm sure there are still parts of them (especially in china town) - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 7:54am | ||
| Aidan Logins User Info... | Yeah the myths about secret shit going on... are myths. I mean, there are definately people who practice "satanic rituals." But really they're just dumb kids who don't really know anything about what they're doing. Pretty much playing make-believe. - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 9:39am | ||
| JL User Info... | im not saying this is how it happened or anything to how or why the tunnels were used. My family owned alot of property in Chinatown for about 45 years(we used to own don mee and a couple other buildings on fisgard). Yes there are entrances to what seems like tunnels both used for smuggling and also for runners(ie black market type shit); but we can only speculate as to what their uses really were. Hence what we people call "MYTHS". No they aren't in use today, there is a big fuck off gate blocking access on top of huge fuck off lids to pry off the entrance(s). Im not saying its impossible to use them, but highly unlikely that they are even thought of being in use today.(besides, you'd have to be one stupid ass landlord to not notice useage of a passage that's been closed since the years of prohibition). Anyways, that's my 2 cents on the matter. And for the comment about gambling and prosititution, get your head out of the movies. There's only been one criminal case invovling prositution(that i kno of) and where it happened was not in chinatown but in fact was a person fairly well known in chinatown(that i know personally), and as for gambling; my grandfather(where the serious coffee is on fisgard) used to run a LEGIT gambling club fully licensed and operated as such. None of this was 'underground' as some like to put it. Im sure people aren't believing me as this is an internet msg. board, but believe what you want(that's why they're myths); its just intresting hearing/seeing people talk about stuff that my family is/was invovled with(not criminally that is!). And if you have any questions, i would not be the guy to ask lol i've given you guys all i kno. If my family still had equity in chinatown id gladly go there and get pics for ya monk but we've since sold and gone on to bigger and better things than these "tunnels" per sae. - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 3:20pm Edited: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 3:28pm | ||
| jordan F. User Info... | tyler, if you fuigure out information like where you can get in let me know. I want to come! - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 7:33pm | ||
| lonemonk User Info... | As I keep repeating. Don't doubt the existence of tunnels, mostly doubt their supposed proliferance... - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 9:00pm | ||
| Gazebo Tree User Info... | haha. yeah, seems to be a wierd cryptic vibe to the whole idea. "the forbidden underground" lol. watch out for the creatures under the stairs... - Sat, 28 Apr 2007 10:37pm | ||
| darrylska User Info... | My Grandpa used to sell pigeons to the opium dealers when he was a kid. i was under the impression that there was a plan for a subway here (one of the first) and it never got off the ground. I've been down there a bit and they're all short jaunts. When they (re)built the Eatons Center you could see the openings to some of them. As far as I know, the longest tunnel went to the Bay st. bridge. There was an old hotel that stood there 'til the late eighties that in its prime was one of the hottest destinations north of San Francisco. Rum was run to the States from the basement. That's all I know... Oh, opium dealers ate pigeons... in case you were wondering... - Sun, 29 Apr 2007 11:16pm Edited: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 11:17pm | ||
| mica User Info... | There are lots of tunnels around the Legislature and an underground "Rock Room" that used to be used as a rock/mineral depository. - Tue, 1 May 2007 11:54am | ||
| Tim-Bitchfork User Info... | I used to Instruct Cadets for the military at Albert Head, in Metchosin. I also was there for a few summers as a cadet, on courses. The entire ESQ coast is basically littered with gun emplacements that would pop up and were able to shoot about 2km offshore, or some distance in that ballpark. They were called the Coastal Defense Network. They extended starting at CFB Esquimalt to the giant military storage base down the road that burger king is on in Colwood, to Fort Rodd Hill, to Albert Head in Metchosin, then all the way to a training ground called "Mary Hill" which is just before the William head jail, they may even extend further but I have not seen any more. There are tunnels between these emplacements, and not even just the emplacements but other buildings. I have stood in an entrance before. This of course is a whole other thing. All over Albert Head there are random old vents coming from the ground in very strange areas, sometimes just grass fields. These provided air to the tunnels that join the main area of Albert Head, the three gun emplacements, the buildings out on the point, etc. I did some survival training also at "Mary Hill" which is the big forested area on your right when your going to William Head that has "No Trespassing" Military signs. When I was instructing there and my cadets were asleep me and my friend would go over this fenced area within Mary Hill that would lead to a cliff about 3 kms long with gun emplacement turrets about ever 1/4 mile and some underground buildings with antennas which must have been radio towers/lookouts or something. The guns themselves are gone from their their circular rails about 8m in diameter, most doors in the buildings are welded shut. What is my point you ask? Well to begin with I didn't think tunnels would exist under Victoria, I thought it would be too expensive and hard to do. Well, the military made a tunnel from CFB Esquimalt to then end of Metchosin, like stand somewhere where you can see that entire bay and look how freaking far that is!!! If they were to make tunnels connecting the Coastal Defense, why not make CFB Esquimalt's tunnels also lead to the Parliament buildings, other important stops on the way? My other point is that tunnels need air, did these tunnels have vents somewhere to get air in? I do know for a fact that the "purple tiled" parts of sidewalks are not tunnels however, they are part of store's basements and the only reason why they extended past the foundation of the building was to gather light from the tiles on the sidewalk to light the basement. I doubt these are anything special. Like most things, I will believe it when I see it. Does anyone have any places in Victoria they believe is an entrance? I want to see it for myself, even if it's bricked up and whatnot. Where exactly do people think these are? I respect the "don't tell people where they are so cops won't be on to it" idea, but I don't think the people discussing this on LiveVic are enough people to matter. The cops can bust me if they like, lol. I have done a lot of tours of the Legislature building and one time the tour guide mentioned something about tunnels, not sure if it was for or against the idea though. The tour guides wait outside the front door of the building for tours, I bet you could ask one of them about the tunnels, they are trained in the City's history and whatnot. - Wed, 2 May 2007 1:11pm | ||
| sealion User Info... | re: purple glass, lots of older buildings had basements that extend under the front pavement to the road. The pavement used to hold the metal covers for elevators or slides so trucks/wagons could drop goods into the basement to be unpacked. The purple glass was so staff could see what they were doing before electricity, and then back when bulbs were few and far between, to make it a bit safer when weight came down on you. When those upper doors opened without them the sunlight was blinding from the dark. As time went on some of those where replaced with sheets of concrete. I known the Sussex Building in the late 1970s was that way, but isn't that way now. Its next to the Royal at Fort but on Douglas. None of that was actually tunnels. For obvious security raesons your store invenmtory was under the street and you didn't want anyone but staff in there. Viewed from above the rows of purple glass tiles looked like a tunnel. There are short tunnels, especially from buildings to wharfside, to move goods from ships to warehouses. You can see traces in the old bricked up sections looking from the lower parkade. Historically the one I've heard of is not Chinatown but from the barrister's building in bastion square to the courts in what is the maritime museum. - Sat, 5 May 2007 1:03am Edited: Sat, 5 May 2007 1:15am | ||
| Leo Bondage User Info... | i've always wanted to go down i nthere. isnt james bay built on it? and this is a huge freemason city... - Sat, 5 May 2007 8:23am | ||
| gino User Info... | I've been in the mary hill tunnells. some are huge, all are creepy, and rat infested, and most have a healthy portion of White Phosforus floating in the air. cool shit though specially since i dig old wartime shit (that includes the house i bought in Etown wich is a war time PMQ) - Mon, 7 May 2007 2:48pm | ||
| adamZZ User Info... | I've been in the tunnel underneath hillside mall. I actually highly recommend going through it on a bicycle. You can get in near Pearl and Shelbourne, or the other side is across N. Dairy from Sears. You have to hop a fence on either side. - Sun, 13 May 2007 9:40am | ||
| jlee User Info... | i don't know why i'm here replying to this but anyway. at the budget rental car place downtown - there's two, the one next to the scooter rental place - there's a ditch of sorts next to the budget parking lot and a doorway in that ditch that, from what i've been told, goes to the empress among other places. - Tue, 15 May 2007 4:11am | ||
| Tyler User Info... | this is good to know! - Tue, 15 May 2007 5:57am | ||
| XY-SAVEDBY HELL User Info... |  But if you need to know, There are a couple of entrances right below Bastion square, whether used for the courts and the gallows or used for bring materials into the city or used for contraband?( Lots of booze came through this area.)Who the fuk knows? One right under the stairs the take you down to the parking lot, but it was bricked up years ago because the street/homeless where sleeping in them freakin YEARS ago. A few friends of mine did. I lived on the streets for a year at that same time, but it was too creepy for me man. BOO! Hehe! I tented at the beach at Beacon hill, it was much better! Hehe! A second was on the face on the wall at the parking lot. There used to be tunnels into market square but it was all ripped up when they rebuilt that place. It was built on a dump and I knew a few friends who went in and got real old bottles and shit from there when I was a kid. Pretty much all gone I would think. China town has a rumour of that, but it was a pretty poor part of town and so I’d be surprised if there was. They do have a very impressive labyrinth alleys and court yards in that area. - Tue, 15 May 2007 6:28pm Edited: Tue, 15 May 2007 6:31pm | ||
| XY-WITHCHIPS User Info... | Oh and when I was a young kid of 4/5.... 41 years ago. They had those elevators that came out of the side walk with goods and stuff like in Old New York. If you ever look at the sidewalk on Broad St. in-between Bay centre(old Eaton’s center) and Broughton ,right on the side of the medical building right across from Pags. There small glass tile squares before and after metal grates (used to be metal doors in the sidewalk) . They helped them see if anyone was above when opening up the metal doors. These where connected to others up on Douglas and Yates also, have no idea how the tunnels worked but there was tunnels. Old school tunnels connected to them. - Tue, 15 May 2007 7:10pm | ||
| Metalneck User Info... | Hey guys, well I for one can vouch for there being an underground victoria. I havent been in any secret tunnels, the undergound I was in was quite well known. If you look on the streets and see purple glass squares thats because when they raised the downtown core a level they filled in the streets but left the area of the sidewalk un filled. This saved them from having to board up all the windows and doors of the original downtown. 4 years ago I worked for Story construction and we had the job of filling one of these areas in as Mcgill and orme were going to use the basement of the Yarrow building as a Lab. The underground walkways were connected to each other until we built walls and filled them with cement. I dont know about the other areas but at that time you could go down under broad street and around the eaton center. Now the area under the yarrows building has been cut off from any adjoining underground walkways and we built only walls, no doors. But theoretically the left over underground streets after the raising are probably the secret underground tunnels you refer too. If you ask MCgill and orme to take you to their basement you will see an old well and can look up and see light through the purple sqaures. - Fri, 18 May 2007 7:41pm | ||
|
|||
Not logged in
Log In / Register (optional)
