Sorry if double posting is discouraged. I thought I'd add a few things I learned while working a summer job at the museum downtown awhile back. Used to chat with the security guards when things were slow, these guys had seen a lot of the museum - things the public don't get to see.

The basement of the museum is built on bedrock, so much that some of the 'floor' in the basement is literally rock. That occasionally floods. There is also a tunnel connecting the basement of the museum to the basement of the legislative buildings (though I'm sure some of you know this already). 'Tis what they use for politicians to get around without drawing attention and whatnot, so it's not exactly a 'secret,' per se.

I also worked at the maritime museum in bastion square a number of years back, and although they play up the 'haunted' stories a lot, it is true prisoners were buried under the building back when they publicly hung criminals in the square. Curious if they ever exhumed those graves...And of course, there's the old well adjacent to Helmcken Alley. The doors to that building are usually locked, but I've been inside and took a peek down the well. Quite terrifying to think about falling down there, if I'm honest.

We sure do have a lot to explore in Victoria!



I also noticed that on the public location for 'Douglas Darkie,' the 'confirmed location' appears to be on nearby Darcy Island, which is a pretty interesting place in itself. Abandoned building and remains of one of BC's hushed up historical places - the Chinese Leper Colony. Not sure if it's relevant to this thread exactly, but I could certainly post some of my photos if anyone's interested, as i've been there a handful of times.

Posted by HagensborgViking

Condos? Really...?

Posted by darcystella This is actually my first post here...Greetings are in order, I suppose.

Welcome. You're right. There IS lots to explore. Have fun, be safe.

Posted by KublaKhan Condos? Really...?

But of course. Actually the entire property will see mixed use, with varying types of living areas and lower level retail, but the Janion in particular is set to see the latest fad, something I cannot stand... the micro unit. Yep, how many hundreds of thousands would you pay for a murphy bed, a shit pot and a bar fridge?

Posted by HagensborgViking But of course. Actually the entire property will see mixed use, with varying types of living areas and lower level retail, but the Janion in particular is set to see the latest fad, something I cannot stand... the micro unit. Yep, how many hundreds of thousands would you pay for a murphy bed, a shit pot and a bar fridge?

Any word on these micro-unit's prices?

Posted by KublaKhan Any word on these micro-unit's prices?

http://www.timesco...n-building-1.23405

If anyone wants to explore it, they'd better get on it then. Judging by those doodles they'll be gutting the Janion down to the shell and essentially building anew inside it.

Hate facades more than just demolishing the damn buildings, it's like draping someones skin over a chair and claiming they're still the same person.

Posted by Azazel If anyone wants to explore it, they'd better get on it then. Judging by those doodles they'll be gutting the Janion down to the shell and essentially building anew inside it. Hate facades more than just demolishing the damn buildings, it's like draping someones skin over a chair and claiming they're still the same person.

I'm sure the inside hasn't changed since I saw it 6 years ago. And now that it's officially changed hands and is being readied for construction, you can bet your ass that there will be fairly tight security.

My guess is that the infil glory days of the Janion are behind us. If you didn't get to see it before, you won't get to see it until the demo/reno is finished.

Chalk this loss up to snooze/lose.

Posted by Azazel Hate facades more than just demolishing the damn buildings, it's like draping someones skin over a chair and claiming they're still the same person.

That is beautiful.

I get that feeling too. Its almost an insult to the original structure. Like putting a 7 Eleven in a heritage building. Its such a travesty.

Gaze across the tangerine glow

Wings of rose reign high upon sun-cast snow


Gold-cast glass bleeds throughout the city


Amber ascent to death sweeps stark

Heralding in the flame to dark


Vancouver sunset.

And they said we were crazy...

http://www.timesco...arf-street-1.64006

NEW news!!!

http://www.timesco...arf-street-1.64006

I am going to see what I can see this morning.

Posted by Haunted BC NEW news!!! http://www.timesco...arf-street-1.64006 I am going to see what I can see this morning.

AHH! you beat me to it, I was just going to post that.

click to view

click to view

So I chatted with the masons at the jobsite this morning, James Johnson. Really nice guy. He showed me where the hole was they discovered, it's near the top of the wall, facing towards that restaurant there. You would need a ladder to reach it.

The hole is unfortunately only about 4 inches squared... meaning no dslr camera could fit. (doh!) The way the guys got the picture in the newspaper was using a point and shoot and a flashlight attached to a level.

They said it goes in for quite a ways, potentially in multiple directions, and looks like it's about 6-7 feet tall (in some areas shorter where there is debris)

James seemed pretty interested in opening the hole further so you could actually climb inside. The wall is about 2 feet thick, so not an easy task. He said he was waiting to hear back from the Heritage commission (or something like that) before they could do anything about it. We exchanged contact info.

He also said the owner of the building across the street (I dont recall the business name) had come across to talk to him about it. He said the basement of his store had been filled in/bricked up for about 40 years and was very curious if the two linked up (I am sure they do).

Here is a picture from this morning.



Edit: On a side note, the access via the basement of the building I was speaking of on the last thread page here doesn't appear to really be linked up. It's possible I suppose, but not as exciting as I had hoped. It appears to simply be a passageway that routes around the perimeter of the building. Though I believe some of it is under the road/sidewalk, since I could hear a truck drive overtop while I was in there. None-the-less, I have taken pictures and a video and will upload them to the UE DB under the Victoria section.

One of our subscribers on HBC has passed along this information and these pics:

1987:

"Four friends and I went throughout downtown taking photos (before everything was locked up). this tunnel runs along Wharf street, the entrance beginning under the Hartwig Court building. It ran along about 20 metres and then was bricked up at the end.

Posted by Haunted BC Edit: On a side note, the access via the basement of the building I was speaking of on the last thread page here doesn't appear to really be linked up. It's possible I suppose, but not as exciting as I had hoped. It appears to simply be a passageway that routes around the perimeter of the building. Though I believe some of it is under the road/sidewalk, since I could hear a truck drive overtop while I was in there. None-the-less, I have taken pictures and a video and will upload them to the UE DB under the Victoria section.

Ok, perhaps I spoke too soon. I was reviewing my pics tonight, and noticed this one... there is very clearly a passageway further past this point, that has been bricked up with red bricks. You can see where they plastered or whatever overtop, but look near the top and bottom and you can see the bricks.

If I have my directions right, this would point directly towards the Empress Hotel.

Does anyone have one of those tiny See Snake cameras? It looks like there are some small holes or spaces around the pipes that we may be able to get a probe in................ let me know asap as I only have access to this building for another few weeks! Something like this: http://www.homedep...tion-camera/903588

click to view

That is all.

Great work and photos HBC. I've got some ideas about a snake cam, will discuss soon. KK's photo is worth a thousand words, many have uer in them...

How's your air miles KK? You may want to fly back to help us crack this open

Looks like HBC has done much of the work leading up to awesome.

Snake Cameras can usually be rented from a reputable plumbers supply, as they are used to investigate sewer pipe blockages.

The hardware involved, in my experience, is somewhat bulky.