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UER Forum > Archived Canada: Ontario > Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough (Viewed 1007 times)
adamjames 


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Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
< on 10/23/2008 8:11 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
112152.jpg (24 kb, 448x269)
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I've got another one for you guys. Not sure if this one is in the full DB or not.

GECO (pronounced geeko) was a top secret munitions factory which was built in 1941 and operated until the end of WW2 in 1945. It was a vast complex of over 170 buildings which spanned the area between Birchmount and Warden on the south side of Eglinton and down to the train tracks. There were over 5,300 employees at the peak of manufacturing with over 256 million weapons (shells, grenades, missiles) assembled. The complex had over 5 kilometers of underground tunnels that were about 7 feet tall and 10 feet wide. These tunnels were used to transport munitions between buildings (all buildings were connected to this tunnel system) as well as store them. They were also used to store machinery (pumps, pipes, transformers, electrical rooms etc. and even had washrooms.

Some of these tunnel areas are fully concrete reinforced for protection from bombing and others use 1 x 5 boards of wood stacked on their ends for the ceilings. The walls are all made of cinder-block. As you can imagine many of the tunnels with the wooden ceilings have collapsed due to rotting and are quite dangerous to be in.

Most of the original buildings are long gone but some still remain. I watched one being demolished this past summer and was able to see the old tunnel exposed (which I had already been in some time ago). What was interesting to see is that there was a hidden tunnel in behind the cinder-block wall of the main tunnel. It must have been abandoned during construction. There is also another utility tunnel underneath the tunnel! I have been in other sections of the tunnel as well. The problem is that you can no longer explore the entire system as some areas are filled in with rubble from the demolition of the buildings above them. There are, however, a decent amount still intact.

If anyone is interested in the history of the complex I have a collection of notes, maps, audio files and pictures.


logtec 


Location: Logtec is the UER representative for Scarborough, Ontario.
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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 1 on 10/23/2008 1:20 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
nice, i had worked in a building a few years back in the area. the owner told me there were some tunnels linking different buildings but he didn't know what they were used for. he showed me the tunnel in the basement of the building, it ran for about 30' before the ceiling had collapsed.

They say "you can't judge a book by its cover!" I say "YES you can, if the cover has a girl on it with a cock in her mouth, its PORN!" if she's 18 and the cock is black, its GREAT porn!
adamjames 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 2 on 10/26/2008 7:06 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
These pictures were taken in an area of the tunnel system that was used to house a transformer room and general storage for munitions on their way to the transit building that once stood above.









[last edit 10/26/2008 7:31 AM by adamjames - edited 6 times]

adamjames 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 3 on 10/26/2008 7:36 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 


[last edit 10/26/2008 7:38 AM by adamjames - edited 1 times]

Rust 

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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 4 on 10/26/2008 10:15 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Mmm PCBlicious!!!!!!

terapr0 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 5 on 10/26/2008 10:18 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
yea that open transformer doesnt look very safe....Im no expert, but I thought those old green ones they took down from my neighbourhood years ago were full of PCB's....
Awesome pictures in this thread....I'd love to go explore some of these tunnels.

www.tohellandback.net
adamjames 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 6 on 10/26/2008 11:16 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I'm sure it is full of PCB's. It's the original transformer that was installed in 1941!

I don't have all the pictures I took up but one of them shows an area that has collapsed. There were 3 rooms on the other side but I don't know what they were used for and have collapsed in as well. I know for a fact though that beyond the collapsed section the tunnel is still intact and continues for some time. It is 5km in total length so there's lots more to explore... I just need to find a way in!


Aggressive 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 7 on 10/28/2008 7:04 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Cool history lesson.

Hope there is no tunnels that lead to the jail that sits between Birchmount and Warden on the south side of eglinton.

cereal83 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 8 on 10/28/2008 7:17 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Aggressive
Cool history lesson.

Hope there is no tunnels that lead to the jail that sits between Birchmount and Warden on the south side of eglinton.


East Detention center? If so I think there is. Wanna go for a walk tonight and find out?

adamjames 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 9 on 10/28/2008 7:28 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Aggressive
Cool history lesson.

Hope there is no tunnels that lead to the jail that sits between Birchmount and Warden on the south side of eglinton.


I've heard from local Scarborough historians that there are. I'm sure they don't lead into the jail itself but I know for absolute fact that the jail does sit on one of the main tunnels that used to connect the change rooms to the main tunnel system. The change rooms used to stand where the jail parking lot now is. It's unknown whether or not the tunnels are still intact or have been filled in.



logtec 


Location: Logtec is the UER representative for Scarborough, Ontario.
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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 10 on 10/30/2008 2:47 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by adamjames


I've heard from local Scarborough historians that there are. I'm sure they don't lead into the jail itself but I know for absolute fact that the jail does sit on one of the main tunnels that used to connect the change rooms to the main tunnel system. The change rooms used to stand where the jail parking lot now is. It's unknown whether or not the tunnels are still intact or have been filled in.




Nice, thanks.

They say "you can't judge a book by its cover!" I say "YES you can, if the cover has a girl on it with a cock in her mouth, its PORN!" if she's 18 and the cock is black, its GREAT porn!
videonerd 






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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 11 on 10/30/2008 6:59 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Wow. Thanks!!!

... that got me to Google and found this: http://www.barbaradickson.ca/?page_id=29 for another hour of good reading. (not Firefox friendly)

TarotReader 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 12 on 10/30/2008 3:20 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Nice cat carcass!! Ha...I would love to check these out!

Urban exploring since getting chased out of an abandoned barn with my mother at the age of four by an angry farmer with a pitchfork.
cereal83 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 13 on 10/30/2008 6:04 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by videonerd
Wow. Thanks!!!

... that got me to Google and found this: http://www.barbaradickson.ca/?page_id=29 for another hour of good reading. (not Firefox friendly)


Wow great link! Thanks

adamjames 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 14 on 10/30/2008 10:22 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Barbara Dickson has been a great help to me in discovering the history behind this munitions factory. She has spent many hours down at the Archives of Ontario digging up old documents and pictures.

What sparked my interest was when my grandmother told me that my grandfather had worked in an old building in the area and had mentioned to her that there was a vast tunnel system connecting all of the buildings in the area. I had tried to find out information years ago but couldn't find anything until Barbara did her research and posted it on her website.

We can thank her for this great find!

Lord 




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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 15 on 11/7/2008 12:44 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
The history of this place is incredible and I was very impressed by it

thank you AdamJames for the awesome Tour..

I didnt take a whole lot of pics but heres one or two that I did manage to snap









I will defeat that which was once untouchable only so that I may now move on
Ares 


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Re: Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough
<Reply # 16 on 11/9/2008 12:18 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Looks awesome.

UER Forum > Archived Canada: Ontario > Abandoned Tunnels of GECO - Scarborough (Viewed 1007 times)



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