Infiltration

bikepunk location: Vancouver Gender: Female \| \|	Chinatown tunnels event < on 10/19/2005 11:55 PM >

	Thought some of you might be interested in this: As part of the Heart of the City festival (in the DTES of Vancouver), there'll be a historical walk and discussion of the Chinatown tunnels. It's this Sunday, the 23rd at 10:30am. Local historian John Atkin will be leading this event called "The Impossible Tunnel Tour of Chinatown: Rumours and Misconceptions". It's pay-as-you-can for residents, 10$ for non-residents, and starts at the courtyard of the Chinese Cultural Centre, 50 e.pender street. I've come across John's name in connection with a lot of local history stuff, he seems like an interesting guy so it should be a good event. I'll be going, if anyone needs directions, just PM me. www.urbanexploration.ca

Mowgli-dog location: Vancouver, B.C. Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 1 on 10/20/2005 3:09 AM >

	This is from their site: "Our tour examines the imaginary history of tunnels and other misconceptions about Chinatown and why we still want to believe the rumours. $10 for non-residents, pay as you can for local residents." From this, and everything else I've read, I don't think there are any tunnels under Chinatown, but if he goes into the history of the area and the unique architecture and buildings, then it should be pretty interesting nonetheless. I have to work, so I can't go, but please post if you found it interesting. "We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." -George Orwell Rest in peace, my pal Mowgli - the best dog there ever was.

Viper location: Vancouver, BC Canada Gender: Male Trespassing On! \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 2 on 10/20/2005 4:28 AM >

	John Atkin heads a lot of historical tours in the city. It sounds interesting but I am going camping this weekend. Earth, the world's most dangerous planet! "The will to do, the soul to dare." -Sir Walter Scott

followthewhiterabbit location: Lower Main land Gender: Male \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 3 on 10/20/2005 9:56 AM >

	I'm gonna try and make it would be nice to meet some other EUR's too I'll be packing my 4 megapixel camera for show and tell on here if i make it. It seems you've just been looking with your eyes closed.

SteamPunk location: Sailing the seas of sleaze. \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 4 on 10/20/2005 7:11 PM >

	I will try and go, my mother lives in the lower east side, and also likes history, so i will ask her as well. Then to the Pacific, or pat's for beer's!! I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me, and it'll happen to you, too!

Mowgli-dog location: Vancouver, B.C. Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 5 on 10/24/2005 6:02 PM >

	Did anybody go? "We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." -George Orwell Rest in peace, my pal Mowgli - the best dog there ever was.

David E location: San Francisco, CA Gender: Male Do not believe everything you see on TV. \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 6 on 10/24/2005 8:58 PM >

	I would like to know if anyone went also, have been watching this one. Would love to see pictures. David FREE THE UER 6! DOWN WITH UER LACKEYS! And to the mod that changed my sig, blow me!

bikepunk location: Vancouver Gender: Female \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 7 on 10/24/2005 10:56 PM >

	I went on the tour and thought it was really interesting. Strictly above ground, very historical. John's basic point was that the tunnels of Chinatown (and there are rumours about tunnels in every Chinese area in North America) have more to do with our desire for an exotic mythology about the area than reality. As Jester was talking about in the other tunnel thread, it's a case of a story (created by outsiders) which gets picked up, repeated, written about and becomes "fact". Along the way, people begin to capitalize on the rumours, by either justifying a crackdown on Chinatown along the lines of "there are all these tunnels that the wily Chinese have dug in order to smuggle white women into prostitution or smuggle opium" or in order to boost tourism profits (they used to hire actors to dress up in "classic" Chinese style, run up the stairs from a basement, and chase each other around with knives when the tours went through the area in the 30's. The guide would then exclaim "look! You're just seen the beginning of an authentic Tong war!"). Even Tourism Vancouver has gotten in on the act, which then gets written about in every guidebook about Vancouver, despite the lack of any factual basis to the stories. The Chinatown we know now is much larger and geographically different from the Chinatown in the past. Much of where these tunnels are supposed to be was under water (False Creek). So, all in all, there's a basement under the sidewalk at the Sam Kee building that used to house a bathhouse for tenement dwellers in the area. The current owner and Tourism Vancouver call it a tunnel, but it goes nowhere, so basically they are trying to make a little hay on the rumours and capitalize on the tourist dollar. There may be the odd building with a door between basements in order to move goods from one store to another, but certainly no warren of connected tunnels and false doors. The closest real tunnels are at Dunsmuir and under the post office. The rest is at best wishfulness, and at worst racist mythmaking (especially on the part of the police, media and city planners in the early part of the century) about the Chinese and their supposed sneakiness/criminality or exotic nature. So, pretty good way to spend a Sunday morning. Saw lots of interesting features I never noticed in Chinatown, and even a few places that are worth a closer look at a later date, so to speak. I didn't meet anyone else from uer, but then again, it was a big group and I didn't quite know who to look for. Did anyone else make it out? www.urbanexploration.ca

SteamPunk location: Sailing the seas of sleaze. \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 8 on 11/1/2005 6:53 PM >

	I would like to have gone, but I had the 26oz flu I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me, and it'll happen to you, too!

Mowgli-dog location: Vancouver, B.C. Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 9 on 11/1/2005 11:25 PM >

	John Atkin seems so knowledgeable about Vancouver history and architecture. I've recently been corresponding with him by email with regards to the abandoned Pantages Theatre in the 100 East Hastings St. Apparently there are new development/renovation considerations in the works. John said that he may lead a tour inside the Pantages before anything gets underway. I've long wanted to get inside there, so if this is the only way then I'll be there for sure. http://www.johnatkin.com/pantages.htm "We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." -George Orwell Rest in peace, my pal Mowgli - the best dog there ever was.

bikepunk location: Vancouver Gender: Female \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 10 on 11/2/2005 2:23 AM >

	That's awesome. I've been thinking about the Pantages for a long time too. I pass by quite frequently and wonder about getting in. John does seem really knowledgeable (and passionate) about local history, and he does know about UE. I'd really recommend taking a tour with him if you get a chance, he's entertaining and a great resource. Let me know if you hear anything further or get a chance to go see the theater, I'd definitely be interested in a tour of it since getting in on my own doesn't look too likely at this point. www.urbanexploration.ca

KublaKhan

location:
Edinburgh, Scotland

With Satan, it's always gimmie, gimmie.

Re: Chinatown tunnels event
<Reply # 11 on 11/3/2005 4:01 AM >

Posted by bikepunk
As Jester was talking about in the other tunnel thread, it's a case of a story (created by outsiders) which gets picked up, repeated, written about and becomes "fact".

And that's pretty much my basic point: the tourism industry has co-opted these stories...fables, myths, what-have-you...and turned them into a profitable venture.

At the opposite end of this spectrum are people who live on the streets, who are just as knowledgable as 'professional tour operators' yet reap nadda from their versions/histories.

Here in Victoria (thread: Under the Garden City) homeless people have been shoved to the edge of what is a very marketable history: secret tunnels in Victoria/Chinese opium smuggling/mystical societies/etc. serve a purpose, if not based entirely in reality, to increase profits for 'those in the know.'

And yes...these tunnel stories seem to follow Chinese communities where ever they go. Funny; a story that finds its nexus in racism ends up located in an ignorance of another kind: fear of poor people.

"The truth is knowable. But probably not, ever, incontrovertible."
--Don DeLillo
PICS

Mowgli-dog location: Vancouver, B.C. Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 12 on 11/8/2005 7:26 AM >

	Re the Pantages, I just got an email from John Atkins with a few details of the latest development proposal. A group called "City Opera" has been formed and plan to again use the building as a theatre. John feels optimistic that this venture will be successful. There will be some more pics of the theatre on his website shortly. "We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." -George Orwell Rest in peace, my pal Mowgli - the best dog there ever was.

Mowgli-dog location: Vancouver, B.C. Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Chinatown tunnels event <Reply # 13 on 11/20/2005 10:05 AM >

	Some neat photos of the inside of the theatre here: www.johnatkin.com/pantages.htm Click on the link about the damage to view the images. "We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." -George Orwell Rest in peace, my pal Mowgli - the best dog there ever was.

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