PATH (Toronto)

PATH
	P (south) A (west) T (north) H (east)
	Basic data
Location:	Toronto , Canada
Total area:	371,600 m²

First tunnel construction in 1900

PATH is a network of underground pedestrian tunnels beneath downtown Toronto .

The tunnel system, which is over 27 kilometers long and 371,600 square meters in size, is the largest underground tunnel system according to the Guinness Book of Records .

PATH extends north to the bus station on Dundas Street and Bay Street and south to the Toronto Convention Center. Its main axes are parallel to Yonge Street and Bay Street. Over 50 buildings are connected to this system, including the Hockey Hall of Fame , Roy Thomson Hall , Air Canada Center , Rogers Center , the CN Tower and the City Hall .

history

Entrance to the PATH

One of several underground shops and boutiques in the Toronto Financial District .

The tunnel system dates back to 1900 when the Eaton Department Store Company built a tunnel under James Street that allowed customers to get from the main store on Yonge and Queen Streets to the branch behind City Hall. This first pedestrian tunnel is originally included, but is now part of the Eaton Center . In 1927 an underground connection was built between Union Station and the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. In the 1960s and 1970s, the systematic expansion of the underground city and the connection of numerous shops began. Currently (2007) around 1200 stores are connected to PATH.

1987, introduced an orientation system which (engl. Pedestrians way path to) have. This included the introduction of signposts that were oriented towards the cardinal points. The four differently colored letters P (red) for south, A (orange) for west, T (blue) for north and H (yellow) for east, which were attached to the ceiling of selected nodes, were used.