The Once and Future PATH : a short history of Toronto's underground city

Beneath the streets of downtown Toronto is a veritable labyrinth of passages linking dozens of buildings in the Financial District and surrounding neighbourhoods, known as the PATH. The ability to confidently navigate this confusing complex of underground corridors without getting lost is point of pride for local Toronto residents. But how did Toronto come to have the world's largest underground pedestrian system? This walk, conducted entirely within the PATH system, explores the historic factors and influences that led to the creation and expansion of this network. It also considers the tensions that arise within this space : between private markets and public good, "preservation" of history and "progress" of modernity, the rights of pedestrians and the rights of cars. Additionally, this walk also contains entirely practical tips on how to confidently navigate the PATH system without getting lost (and in doing so, impress family, friends, colleagues, lovers, strangers, etc.). Starting at Union Subway Station, this walk travels north through several landmark buildings of the Financial District, before concluding at Queen Subway Station.