Toronto's best kept secret - the PATH
Written: Sep 08 '01 (Updated Sep 08 '01)
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Pros: Loads of shopping and restaurants, you don't have to go outside in winter!
Cons: The vast majority of stores are closed evenings and weekends, crowded during the day
The Bottom Line: Take advantage of the PATH to go exploring - even when it's 100 above or 40 below outside, rain or shine. No cost to this adventure.
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| macgyver24's Full Review: Toronto |
There are plenty of reviews about all aspects of Toronto here, including the popular and well known CN Tower, and Skydome. But I'm going to give you the underground info. The dirt on one of Toronto's best kept secrets, that being the PATH system.
Now what is the PATH, you ask? The PATH is a network of underground shopping malls and walkways that connect multiple buildings in Toronto's downtown core, mainly around the Bay Street Financial district. What makes the PATH so special is that it is more than just a network of tunnels. As a whole, it's one of the largest (if not the largest) and most extensive underground shopping malls in the world. There are over 12km (or 7.5 miles) of underground passages and shopping to be explored and discovered.
An interesting demographic of downtown Toronto is that the population is only 22,000. However, on an average weekday, that figures swells ten-fold as hundreds of thousands of workers commute downtown via subway and commuter rail (the GO Train from Union station) to work. Unfortunately, this means the PATH is crowded, busy, and noisy on weekdays - and like a ghost town on evenings and especially weekends.
The distinctive PATH logo can be found on the exterior of many buildings or stairways which either connect to or are a part of the PATH. To assist in navigation, there are color coded arrows for north (blue/cold), south (red/hot), east (yellow/sunrise), and west (orange/sunset), as well as signs which tell you what building you are currently in and which way to go to get to the next adjoining building. The PATH also directly connects to five subway stations on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line (also known as the Y-U-S or yellow line), those being Dundas, Queen, King, Union, and St. Andrew. So getting to the PATH from the outlying areas is very easy. It's also highly recommended to take the subway since parking in downtown Toronto is extremely expensive ($20 a day in some parkades and lots).
I have worked in the financial district for over four years, so I can give you the inside scoop on where to go and what to see.
The first thing I suggest doing is getting yourself a map, especially if you have never been in the PATH before. Since you're underground and there aren't a lot of windows, it's really easy to get disoriented and get yourself lost. I sometimes get lost, myself. You can obtain a crude map from the city of Toronto web site at www.city.toronto.on.ca/path - however I recommend the unofficial "DOWNTOWN UNDERGROUND" map which you can purchase for $2.50 at the Union Station Gift Shop. The Gift Shop is located on the lower level of the station across from the train arrivals section. The unofficial map has a detailed layout of all the passages and even lists the names and locations of all the different shops.
Since you've gone to Union Station to buy your map, that's the logical place to start our tour. The first place you want to go is up the stairs to the main level of Union Station, to the great hall where you can purchase train tickets. This magnificent room rises very high overhead. If you look around the top of the hall, you'll see the names of Canadian cities carved into stone. You might recognize this building from a movie or two, since it can pass for Grand Central Station in New York, without the agony of filming on location.
From the Great Hall, you can go west to the CN Tower and Skydome via the Skywalk, which is a long glass covered walkway that takes you over the railroad tracks. The walkway over the tracks can be an excellent place to do trainspotting if you're into that sort of thing. Unfortunately, the Skywalk doesn't go all the way to either the CN Tower or Skydome, leaving you to walk the last bit outside. I'll leave the other reviewers to talk about the CN Tower and Skydome, as they have been reviewed to death.
Back in Union Station, you can go south to the Air Canada Centre or ACC (home of the NHL Maple Leafs and NBA Raptors) - the tunnel to the ACC is not well signed. You can access it via the GO concourse, which is on the lower level of Union Station. The ACC is worth a look because the exterior facade of the building on Bay Street has actually been salvaged from the old post office which previously occupied the site. The stone carvings depict scenes from Canada's early history.
Back in Union Station, you can go north to the Royal York Hotel via a tiny tunnel. The entrance is near the Gift Shop. The Royal York is one of Toronto's oldest and most expensive hotels. This is where British royalty stays if they're in town. If you can't afford a room, at least take a walk through the lobby. There are a few shops in the Royal York but nothing too interesting.
From the Royal York, go east to the former Royal Bank Plaza. (The Royal Bank sold the building so I don't know what it's called now) The building features a huge atrium that connects the main branch of the Royal Bank on the ground floor and a huge fountain below. There are lots of small shops and restaurants here. The food court is actually down the ramp or escalator in the main atrium.
From the Royal Bank Plaza, head south towards Union Station again, but this time turn left before you enter the subway station. This tunnel will take you to BCE Place. BCE Place is a collection of office buildings that are connected on the ground level by a spectacular 50 foot glass corridor called the Galleria. At the east end of the Galleria, there is a restaurant called Marche which is an experience in itself. I won't ruin the surprise, but be sure to check it out! On the lower level of BCE place, you will find a food court, some shops, and the entrance to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The majority of the Hockey Hall of Fame is located underground, with the actual hall of fame located on the corner of Yonge and Front streets. The hall is not accessible from the street, you have to go to the lower level of BCE place to enter. It took me a while to figure this out.
From BCE Place, go to the lower level and proceed north (next to the Hockey Hall of Fame entrance). This will take you to Commerce Court. Commerce Court isn't too interesting, with shops and a food court on the lower level, however there is the Jump cafe and Far Niente restaurant on the ground floor which are worth a visit.
From Commerce Court, you can go west to the TD Centre or North to the Scotia Plaza. The Scotia Plaza isn't all that exciting, however on the ground floor there is a huge enclosed space which incorporates the old office tower on the street corner with the ultra-modern skyscraper.
The TD centre is a complicated area that incorporates many buildings. There are plenty of shops and restaurants on the lower level. One of the highlights of the TD Centre is the Canoe restaurant located on the 54th Floor. If you can't find the elevator, ask the security guard to direct you. It offers a spectacular floor to ceiling view of the downtown core and waterfront, and the food is fantastic. Reservations are mandatory - and be sure to bring your Gold card! The other point of interest at the TD centre is the Design Exchange on Bay Street. (www.dxnet.org) The Design Exchange is an institution that preserves the history of modern Canadian industrial design.
From the TD Centre, you can go east to the Scotia Plaza, west to some smaller office towers, or north to First Canadian Place.
First Canadian Place is a building so large, it has it's own postal code! It occupies an entire city block and is a shopping mecca in the heart of the financial district. Things to see at FCP are Stock Market Place which is an interactive centre for the Toronto Stock Exchange, the food court on the second floor which has many food outlets for just about any taste, and lots of shops and services just about everywhere in the building. FCP even offers personal shopping for those executives too busy to go shopping for themselves!
From FCP, you can head west through the Sunlife Centre and St. Andrew subway station to the theatre district. The main locations are the Princess of Wales Theatre, the Royal Alexandria Theatre, and Roy Thompson Hall - home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.. All of these are accessible via street level. Following this corridor will take you to Metro Hall, the home of Toronto's bureaucracy. Metro Hall has a large food court and a few decent shops on the lower level. My favorite is the bulk candy store, across the hall from a dentist! Going through the Metro Concourse will take you to the main CBC broadcasting centre.
Back from FCP, you can go north to the Richmond Adelaide Complex which isn't too interesting, however make sure you don't get lost here as the corridor takes some funky twists that can leave your head spinning. Go west to the Hilton, or north to the Sheraton Hotel.
The Sheraton Hotel is really nice, and my favorite part is the food court on the lower level which is typically quiet during lunch, so you can find a place to sit with relative ease. Going west from the Sheraton will take you through the Tompson Building to the Hudson's Bay Company (or BAY for short) flagship store on Queen Street.
The Bay is nine stories of shopping and they have just about anything you could ever want. There is a small cafe on the lower level, however the secrets are on the upper floors. Take the elevators to the 8th floor (ask somebody for directions to the elevators) to get to the Arcadian Court restaurant. Truly a hidden gem in Toronto's downtown. There are also some other restaurants on the 8th floor. On the 9th floor, you will find the Thompson Gallery, which recently showcased a collection of Princess Diana's dresses. There is a small fee for admission.
Back on the lower level of the Bay, you can take a tunnel north through the Queen subway station to the highlight of the tour - The Eaton Centre. The Eaton Centre is one of Canada's largest shopping malls, offering four levels of shopping, restaurants, and services under a block-long glass atrium. The main attraction other than the shopping is the water fountain which shoots a stream of water 3 stories high.
North from the Eaton Centre takes you through the Dundas subway station to the Atrium on Bay, another generic office tower with the standard food court/shopping fare. Though the Atrium on Bay, takes you to the end of the PATH, the Toronto Coach Terminal.
Well, I hope you've enjoyed this tour. I haven't covered every single building on the PATH, as many are small and not worth mentioning. But you've got a map, feel free to explore! Take advantage of the PATH to go walking - even when it's 100 above or 40 below outside, rain or shine. And if it's nice outside, make sure you explore the streets as well!
Recommended:
Yes
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macgyver24
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Member: Corey R
Location: USA
Reviews written: 30
Trusted by: 16 members
About Me:
Computer and technology nut, jack of all trades, master of none
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