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A. Lien
Location: Fantasy Island B.C. Gender: Male Total Likes: 17 likes
Abductees Anonymous all welcome
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 962 on 7/12/2006 8:21 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Posted by J. Peterman: "I recently heard of a tunnel that exists or at least existed under downtown near the Bay Center. Here it is: There was a tunnel that snaked from the Bay Center down under Broad Street to an annex which was used to keep stock for the mall. Also underground near the basement of the old mall was a grocery store". There is some good 'starting point' info in the new book Unknown Victoria; an improved updated version of the original Secrets of Victoria book. There is an interesting description of this tunnel. I have vague memories of maybe seeing it once or twice. Also have some photos I took just before the mall was built, of the whole block, including the now lost, but previously open to the public section of Broad Street. There was a nice Vancouver style upper elevated walkway between the stores over Broad Street. Also an interesting blurb on the Empress tunnels in the book, even more amazing, is the statement that the lower level floods at high tide... This pretty much confirms that there is a lower level -below the basement- and those little shops and museum photo rooms. Velly intellesting. Am pursuing a lead on this, for access, and hope to get my feet wet, just the feet though :) Posted by Matthias: "Today I heard a rumour from a co-worker about a tunnel from under johnson street bridge that goes to bastion square (catacombs?)" This could be a version of the story I heard, from a very reliable source, a long time local, about a tunnel starting at the foot of Fort Street, and leading all the way up to Birks Jewelers on Yates, (now a Postal Outlet) (See previous posts, as this thread is starting to quote itself) Not a bad thing, we will recycle, rehash and regurgitate info until the truth is discovered. What got me excited, was to be told directly from this fellow, who used to go into this tunnel until it was sealed in the early 70's. He and friends went way up, until the gate below Birks. Makes sense, all those jewels, watches and stuff. Also quite possible the tunnel continues on the other side, being built before the store became a Jewelers. This maybe leads to the grate near the empty lot, that was found and discussed by local explorers a while back. There could likely be a side tunnel to the old Court House and Bastion Square. Look at this early 60's photo of the Square. (And that cool vintage Chevy Urbex Mobile) It slopes up, more than it looks like, so now there must be many hollow spots under the elevated and almost level landings. And think of the history of the Courthouse, the idea of a tunnel to the harbor, or linking the one up Fort Street doesn't seem too far fetched. This photo, found in the archives, taken in the late 60's, and modified about ten minutes ago, :) shows what I believe to be the exact entry point I was told about. If this tunnel existed, it was no drain, it was a purpose built substantial tunnel, straight up from the harbor. Seems likely some of the shops along the way backed on to it, maybe it T-Bones with a Broad Street tunnel or annex... Cheers, A.
| My sister is Charlotte Light and Dark. Who am I? Farewell and thank you... "I was doing something that I thought could have some impact someday. In many ways, it's really these photographs that kept me going creatively." Dennis Hopper |
| KublaKhan
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Total Likes: 207 likes
With Satan, it's always gimmie, gimmie.
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 963 on 7/12/2006 4:05 PM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Posted by Mr. A. Lien This could be a version of the story I heard, from a very reliable source, a long time local, about a tunnel starting at the foot of Fort Street, and leading all the way up to Birks Jewelers on Yates, What got me excited, was to be told directly from this fellow, who used to go into this tunnel until it was sealed in the early 70's. He and friends went way up, until the gate below Birks. Makes sense, all those jewels, watches and stuff. Also quite possible the tunnel continues on the other side, being built before the store became a Jewelers. This maybe leads to the grate near the empty lot, that was found and discussed by local explorers a while back.
| Nice work. My sources tell me that the building now used as a postal outlet, formerly a Birks, was once a hotel. The building facade has been retro-whatevered many times and bears no resemblance to what it once was. The tunnel in question here is alleged to have been some sort of covered laneway that extended from the water's edge all the way up to the hotel and beyond as a means of conveyance for hotel guests. I have heard variously that there was some sort of trolly car that shuttled guests from the pier to the hotel, which would (or might) explain an earlier story I heard about a 'railway' that hauled goods from the water up into Johnson/Yates area. One source told me that the rails are still there, and that midway between two points, an old trolly car/flatbed car is rusting away about twelve feet below present street level. Imagine how cool that would be as a UE find.
| "The truth is knowable. But probably not, ever, incontrovertible." --Don DeLillo PICS |
| A. Lien
Location: Fantasy Island B.C. Gender: Male Total Likes: 17 likes
Abductees Anonymous all welcome
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 970 on 7/18/2006 3:54 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | I've poked around that area under the stairs, hard to say how much they filled in. It would be quite a job to remove any material without being seen by the parking lot people, or anyone in the area. Maybe some basement shop access, or study the manholes in the area. Some clues should show up, if there is a larger than 'normal drain space' down there. Interesting about the Bedford tunnel to Bastion Square possibility. Seems very likely, I believe that pub on the side was active back in the hanging days. Maybe they got one last drink before. Side note; there was an incident of Redrum! years ago in the basement pub. Since then a ghost has sometimes been seen on the stairs. Great to follow any leads of people who used to, or still work at these places. If anyone knows anyone who has connections to the big hotel, it would be awesome to get access below the basement level. My connection on that didn't get back to me, nor did another on a nearby building. Oh well, will try a different tact. If anyone does get access, I'm keen to go along Either way, were makin progress...
| My sister is Charlotte Light and Dark. Who am I? Farewell and thank you... "I was doing something that I thought could have some impact someday. In many ways, it's really these photographs that kept me going creatively." Dennis Hopper |
| KublaKhan
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Total Likes: 207 likes
With Satan, it's always gimmie, gimmie.
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 971 on 7/18/2006 4:29 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Posted by Mr. A. Lien I've poked around that area under the stairs, hard to say how much they filled in. It would be quite a job to remove any material without being seen by the parking lot people, or anyone in the area. Maybe some basement shop access, or study the manholes in the area. Some clues should show up, if there is a larger than 'normal drain space' down there. Interesting about the Bedford tunnel to Bastion Square possibility. Seems very likely, I believe that pub on the side was active back in the hanging days. Maybe they got one last drink before. Side note; there was an incident of Redrum! years ago in the basement pub. Since then a ghost has sometimes been seen on the stairs. Great to follow any leads of people who used to, or still work at these places. If anyone knows anyone who has connections to the big hotel, it would be awesome to get access below the basement level. My connection on that didn't get back to me, nor did another on a nearby building. Oh well, will try a different tact. If anyone does get access, I'm keen to go along Either way, were makin progress...
| The pub on the side is the Garrick's Head Pub, and is the oldest pub in the city. It's true that some of the condemned spent their last few moments there before they walked to the gallows. I've been told that the judge bought them pints to, er...loosen them up. As far as the tunnel goes, it's a reasonable bet: other old hotels (or what are now restored whatevers...e.g. the Yates St. postal outlet) had covered walkways for guests that were below what is now street level. Maybe what we're talking about here once lead from the Warf/shoreline area and under ground to the hotel. Now I'm wondering about the yellow-bricked archway in the parking lot at the foot of Bastion Sq. Hmmm...
| "The truth is knowable. But probably not, ever, incontrovertible." --Don DeLillo PICS |
| A. Lien
Location: Fantasy Island B.C. Gender: Male Total Likes: 17 likes
Abductees Anonymous all welcome
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 974 on 7/19/2006 5:23 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Totally, lol! know anyone in the transmission business? Maybe do a little midnight maintenance check. If we pre-drill the mortar, the thing will collapse just like in the movies... K.K. did you move to Burnaby or is that a typo on your website? He's everywhere, he's everywhere... Your new and improved logo, now 50% brighter, hotter, and 100% scarier is making me afraid to post after midnight Did a wander through the big hotel this aft, quite busy, but I got the name of someone who supposedly knows the building really well. He had gone home for the day. They have a walking tour every morning, costs ten bucks, might be fun to take that, and really ride them with questions about the foundation of da station, y'all know what I'm sayin... Walking behind the nearby club, and happended to run into a fellow who works in the kitchen. Asked him about the T word and he said the building is on bedrock, no tunnels here. Hmm, got a new name though of someone who knows the building in the architectural sense. Then I tried me luck at the Bedford, asked about the old pub below, now a meeting room, he wouldn't let me see it, and said no one knows anything about the history of the building, he also said he was the 'boss'. Detective work is fun, but would be nice to cash in some clues. Something weird in the bottom of Trounce Alley, I hadn't seen before, that House of Horrors, there is an under construction thing there, maybe worth going through the place with a small flashlight. An interesting basement space. Dark, verry dark...
| My sister is Charlotte Light and Dark. Who am I? Farewell and thank you... "I was doing something that I thought could have some impact someday. In many ways, it's really these photographs that kept me going creatively." Dennis Hopper |
| KublaKhan
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Total Likes: 207 likes
With Satan, it's always gimmie, gimmie.
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 976 on 7/19/2006 4:26 PM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Posted by Mr. A. Lien Totally, lol! know anyone in the transmission business? Maybe do a little midnight maintenance check. If we pre-drill the mortar, the thing will collapse just like in the movies...
| Well...there are rules against destroying property and we must respect those rules. Causing walls to collapse is bad juju. K.K. did you move to Burnaby or is that a typo on your website? He's everywhere, he's everywhere... Your new and improved logo, now 50% brighter, hotter, and 100% scarier is making me afraid to post after midnight
| Thanks for mentioning the re-branding effort. I'm still in Victoria, causing certain mayhem and particular anxiety to those who care. Walking behind the nearby club, and happended to run into a fellow who works in the kitchen. Asked him about the T word and he said the building is on bedrock, no tunnels here. Hmm, got a new name though of someone who knows the building in the architectural sense.
| Now now now...we all know that he's fibbing. Something is there. If he doesn't know anything about it, I'd have to say that's pretty convenient. Then I tried me luck at the Bedford, asked about the old pub below, now a meeting room, he wouldn't let me see it, and said no one knows anything about the history of the building, he also said he was the 'boss'. Detective work is fun, but would be nice to cash in some clues.
| 'Doesn't know anything about this history of the building?' Unlikely. There's always one who knows something...the office know-it-all, ameture historian/hobbiest, etc...and these people are absolutely religious in their research efforts. Find that person, and they might even open the door for you. Something weird in the bottom of Trounce Alley, I hadn't seen before, that House of Horrors, there is an under construction thing there, maybe worth going through the place with a small flashlight. An interesting basement space. Dark, verry dark...
| Surekill has the right approach here. Flood the staff and distract and then access. I'm in.
| "The truth is knowable. But probably not, ever, incontrovertible." --Don DeLillo PICS |
| A. Lien
Location: Fantasy Island B.C. Gender: Male Total Likes: 17 likes
Abductees Anonymous all welcome
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 977 on 7/20/2006 1:38 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Well, I was going to hold off posting for a bit until I had something a little more concrete. However, as some will discover soon, the local alternative paper, That (IMHO) 'desperate to be cool as they once were a decade ago rag', has exposed the most famous of threads, yes, the very one you are reading at this moment... I commend you K.K. for not 'returning their call on time', The writer of the article is famous for being seen on a near weekly basis, stuffing his face with some product, and then sharing his opinion with us poor victims, I mean readers. (check this weeks's treat) How I miss those talented writers of years ago. Okay, enough of my whining, but for all their trolling, lurking, monitoring, whatever you call it; they missed the pearls on this thread, and still whip the poor horse of disbelief. Give us a little more time, and there may well be a rumor in this town: Victoria? ya I heard a rumor there are no tunnels under that city... Cheers, A.
| My sister is Charlotte Light and Dark. Who am I? Farewell and thank you... "I was doing something that I thought could have some impact someday. In many ways, it's really these photographs that kept me going creatively." Dennis Hopper |
| KublaKhan
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Total Likes: 207 likes
With Satan, it's always gimmie, gimmie.
| | | Re: Under the Garden City: Victoria B.C. secret tunnels. < Reply # 978 on 7/20/2006 3:19 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Posted by Mr. A. Lien Well, I was going to hold off posting for a bit until I had something a little more concrete. However, as some will discover soon, the local alternative paper, That (IMHO) 'desperate to be cool as they once were a decade ago rag', has exposed the most famous of threads, yes, the very one you are reading at this moment... I commend you K.K. for not 'returning their call on time', The writer of the article is famous for being seen on a near weekly basis, stuffing his face with some product, and then sharing his opinion with us poor victims, I mean readers. (check this weeks's treat) How I miss those talented writers of years ago.
| Huh...? [EDIT: for the record, I didn't receive any calls...the writer is making that part up] [EDIT: or maybe he isn't. I don't remember]
[last edit 7/20/2006 4:24 AM by KublaKhan - edited 2 times]
| "The truth is knowable. But probably not, ever, incontrovertible." --Don DeLillo PICS |
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