I haven’t been back at my office which is connected to the PATH since March 2020, have been working from home since. There is talk currently to have our employees back to the office maybe 2-3 days each week, maximum, starting this fall. Things will definitely not be the same in the PATH system. Feel bad for all of those trying to survive running a small business in the PATH.
One thing that would improve the Path would be setting lines along the floors to indicate the main north-south and east-west routes. (I'm thinking routes roughly aligning to Yonge Street, Bay Street and University Ave along north-south, and Dundas Street, Queen Street and King Street along east-west.) This would make the system a lot more navigable. Kyoto has a similar network.
We stayed at One King West when we visited Toronto 2 years ago, we accessed the Path thru the old bank vault, it was amazing. Really hope we can return to Canada soon, it was a fantastic holiday , thanks for the video, some great memories from a UK 🇬🇧 gal 😊😊
Being able to access a direct connection to the Path is definitely a really neat feature of One King West! During covid we were allowed to exit through the old bank vault (another really cool instagram worthy spot) but we were not able to enter back from the Path.
thank you Johnny . The crisp views of the PATH world is very new and impressive . What a wonderful way for the Toronto district to deal with say winter above ground . Beautiful .
This is my favorite of all your videos! 🤩🤩I love the interior design and architecture! Your very fortunate to have worked there before in such a modern/luxurious setting. Keep the videos coming my friend! 👍👍
Your talk of talking the 106 from Downsview reminded me of my days at YorkU! I lived on campus, so, for me it was the other way around - 106 or 106E (later 196) to Downsview, then elsewhere in the city. Sometimes, I would take the Steeles W or Finch W bus to Finch station to access Yonge line, or visit the malls there. Later there was an infrequent bus from campus to Sheppard/Yonge station. The Sheppard line was under construction at the time, and I wished TTC started the line from Downsview.
Live at 10 younge street for a year, back in 2002…loved Toronto took that PATH, from hockey hall of fame…winter time was busy …miss Toronto.. great city
The Path from Union Station to First Canadian Place used to be the busiest pedestrian route in the country. During rush hours, you sometimes had to wait for an opening to cross from one side to the other. Eerie.
I live within walking distance of the financial district, but I never realized it was so empty now. I hope we can turn those old office buildings into museums or multi-level arcades or something fun that the locals can enjoy
What a beautiful and sensational underground shopping mall. I have never seen such a setup. As you guided us through this magnificent place I just couldn't think the amount of revenue that has been lost. Your tour today was awesome and mind blowing. Thank You so much.
In one of his books on Toronto by the journalist Robert Fulford, back in the 90's, I seem to recall that he brought up the idea that the parts under public streets, was actually public space and not private property. Interesting implications.
If this was in the USA, it would be full of drug addicts, human feces, trash and armed criminals. We have something similar here in Philadelphia and it is an absolutely disgusting and scary place to be, I wouldn't go in there even if it was snowing. My god do I wish I lived in Canada, you all have it so good up there!
I love the path especially in bad weather. I guess everyone has a preference. I vacation there once in awhile. Last time was maybe 6 years ago. I miss Toronto.
The PATH is extremely useful during bad weather. I’ve utilized this advantage numerous times when I didn’t feel like sitting in a coffee shop. I could walk for miles in there and by the time i finished the weather is ok.
I used to take daily walks post lunch here with my colleagues and to reach work from Union on a snowy day. There are so many memories I have of the PATH and DT Financial Dist.
Well, it is during a pandemic when many office workers have taken to working from home. Hopefully the deserted state will end as more workers return to a hybrid model but of course this also means it'll take some time to rebuild the vibrancy it once had as working online has become acceptable for some people. If they want the underground to be more resilient, they would need to find some way to increase affordable residential properties downtown. Perhaps they should encourage mixed use developments and renovations.
Walk down memory lane - I remember working at Commerce Court in the early 80's - Walked here many times. One thing I notice taking the subway's in Singapore and Hong Kong was the glass barriers in front of the subway track. Here they are wide open! It's so easy to add these. Very scary seeing open tracks!
They cannot be installed until we have automated system installed that allow the trains to stop in exactly the same spot every time (which is currently being done thankfully!).
Thanks for sharing. Up until March 2020 I worked on the 38th floor of TD Tower. I can't believe how quiet the area is now. Hopefully the crowds will return some day.
I suspect things are going to pick up this Friday, when we go into stage 3. Still so sad seeing the emptiness. I used to walk these halls, and be shoulder to shoulder with the employees here.
Traffic will improve significantly come September. Will be interesting to see how many companies will offer their employees a hybrid of working at the office & work from home vs full time at the office vs full time work from home…
This might be a bit too early to say, but I'm looking forward to seeing the PATH and Eaton center all decked out with Xmas decorations with tons of shoppers for 2021.
That's so beautiful in there I would love to shop in there when the shops open back up I appreciate your videos because one of these days I want to go to Toronto I didn't realize how beautiful it was is can't wait for everything to open back up
Johnny! You started at the courtyard of Commerce Court but you forgot to show the most beautiful lobby in downtown Toronto which is the lobby of Commerce Court North! It’s OK! There’s always next time. Love your videos!
Used to work at Bay & Adelaide. Haven’t been to my hometown in years. I’d never find my way around there now without leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. Glad they continue to call it the Eaton Centre. I can almost smell the subway. Just so homesick right now. Thank you for the memories. How about Bloor West Village…?
I used to walk along there a lot, as an architect I did a few shops in there. Would have lunch in the food court... but after health tyranny hit canada.. it was never the same
20:47 Laughing hard. That used to be a Timothy's where I was a manager in the mid 1990's. I miss the PATH. One could conceivably live in a condo upstairs and never go outside. It's hard to see with so many closed shops, but you could buy literally anything there. Groceries, cars, travel, everything.
I lived at One King West and having the Path connection was super convenient. I became addicted to the PATH haha. Good to see Timothy’s still around these days. ☕️
I never realized how ginormus the path is I don't know if it will ever come back to the full extent that it was before the pandemic as people have woken up to the fact that they don't have to be commuter slaves anymore and are quite happy to work from home at least part of the time when I come to Toronto I don't know if I'll do the path as I might get horribly lost!have a great week much appreciation for what you do from Melbourne Australia 👍🇦🇺🇨🇦
I live a stone's throw from the financial district, and haven't used the path since February 2020. A lot of buildings have closed access to the escalators to come up to street level.
I feel for ya, man: Looking at the footage brought back sad memories of Boston's Lafayette Place, an underground-ish path mall that was supposed to link the Washington St. department-store district with the uber-luxury Swissotel in the late 80's...Only it was a street-level indoor mall, looked brick-blank on the outside, and within five years every store on the inside was gone. It's a big bright office building now.
Years ago I saw a Japanese travel book recommending the PATH system as something to see. I felt sorry for all the tourists who likely got lost down there. Once tourism resumes, someone should offer guided tours. I figured it out eventually (pre Smartphone!), but it's a labyrinth for sure!
I was just at the Starbucks on your left in the13 min mark in your video in January when I was in Toronto for 10 nights, I really liked that one, and am sad that it is now CLOSED forever I am told. =( Memories.
I am sad the Brookfield Place Starbucks closed as well. 😕 That location was one of my favourites. Lots of great people working there plus the energy you felt during normal times was something else. RIP indeed.
@@enrico4092 Its amazing how a video can do that. I actually lived in the annex area, and would walk all over. Just walk, no shopping. Well... you always end up getting something at BMV or a sushi bar, walk down Spadina to King and see all the little shops. College st too. Ugh... going to stop...
@@maarkaus48 Maarkaus that’s amazing! The Annex is definitely one of my favourite neighbourhoods. 🤩 The University of Toronto has lots of beautiful places to walk. Philosopher’s Walk is a gem. I am the same as you i just get wrapped up in nostalgia sometimes lol.
Ar 26:45, Jimmy the Greek at First Canadian Place ( Bank of Montréal ): best fast food outlet in the financial district. Had the best Moussaka in the world up there once a week from 2004 and 2009.
Thanks for the walk through the P.A.T.H. System...For me I know I would get lost, it looks like a maze...lol...Seeing the Old City Hall brings back memories of fighting a ticket I received once...After waiting about 2 hours in court with a bunch of other people, all our cases were dismissed as the Constable brought the wrong ticket book for the day in question. I was relieved I didn't have to pay the $175 ticket for making a prohibited right turn on a red light. Whew! That was it for all my illegal activities with the law....I'm a model citizen now...except when riding my bicycle....muhahahahah! 🤣
It looks rather like those bleak deserted food courts in hospitals in the dead of night , when you leave your sick relative’s room for a break and to get a coffee . Lifeless , disheartening.
When I was working at BCE Place and Brookfield Place, I got so used to it that I forgot how magnificent it all is. And I remember that person that got stabbed too. 😠
So many hot takes on this. 1. Its crazy how all those jobs in the core have been done from home the last 16 months. The entire downtown Toronto economy is based on commuters coming in through Union and working in the towers. All of that has been proven to be technologically unnecessary. Banks - insurance - law firms - consultants - all of that done from home. I forgot how well built it is down there. All the bank buildings look like they are made from expensive stone and marble. Crazy how all of that is packed on a weekday and now deserted.
Toronto is now permanently damaged ..... I finally left for BC ....too much rat race, pollution, corrupt Trudeau ...... that was in 1981 ... If anyone wants to leave TO remember Vancouver Island is still a part of Canada for now.
I have enjoyed this video because I have a little fear of the underground Path. When I was in Montreal, I did try but no luck as it was written in French. Since you did the Toronto Path maybe you could do the Montreal Path, something to think about, thank you! Enjoy your trip to Montreal and have lots of fun!👍🌝
Pictogramsis a universal language ... The Montreal undergound city is more than corridors . It leads to subway stations, museums, convention center, hotels , hospitals ,, shopping centres with design, arts and musiciens
That really dated portion reminds me of a mall near me that opened in 1986 (except it has been updated twice). The Toronto Dominion Centre struck me with its rather old aesthetic. After looking it up, I can now see why. My alma mater has a building by Mies also.
Old aesthetic? Only if you regard 1967 as prehistoric. That was the year the TD Centre was being built & it was the first of all the skyscrapers erected in Toronto. Shortly after that, Commerce Court was being built & my name is written in black marker on an I-Beam that topped the framework of the first Commerce Court building. The construction company painted it white & left it in a niche on the sidewalk so people could have their names go down (or up) in posterity.
That brought back memories of working for my sister, as a summer student, in First Canadian Place back in the early 80's. Our family moved to KW mid 80's, and I haven't been back to the Path. Other than some updates, still looks the same after all these years. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Johnny for this video. Really appreciated. Disappointing that people are not back using the PATH. When they do come back how about a pub-crawl PATH walk showing bars that can be accessed from PATH. Not PC but would be handy for visitors, locals and appreciated by the hospitality trade who have bars and licensed restaurants to get people back using the PATH.
If the PATH was in the States the crime rate would be horrific. Parts of PATH even during pre-Covid times were creepy, particularly after 5:30pm or so. Always has been surprisingly clean. Traditionally a blessing when the temperature is -15 to -20 C with a 10 to 15 kph breeze. Far less busy during the warm months.
Tried to go the other way pre-smartphone, had the same experience. I think I went the way he walked back because the signs were more familiar, but I also had to go up top due to construction completely closing a segment. I remember I was in the basement of Hudson Bay at one point, the Path took you right through the store with merchandise everywhere, thought that was a little weird.
That's crazy with everything so empty. No one want's to go out due to the Delta Virus and now more people shop online to order everything. Have a great day. Stay safe. Cheers,!
@@christopherspavins9250 Thanks for your reply. I knew about the SARS second wave a few years before just like the Daft Government knew. They just changed the name to Covid-19. And now Delta virus is worse. When I do have to do groceries I wear double face mask and gloves. I can’t get the Flu shot or the vaccine due to been allergic to what is in them. So I have to be careful. One thing is I did buy my own home in Canada so that helps. Sure miss the UK as I always went back for Christmas but no more. Things sure have changed. And can not see Doctors about been partly blind. Now I am dealing with Shingles and very painful. Have a wonderful day. Stay safe. Cheers.!
interesting fact the bk of commerce (old one) use to be the tallest bldg in the common wealth , late fifties early sixties, now is dwarfed by the surrounding bldgs🥴. It was at the start of your filming
I used to like to go to Union station to get cinimon roles but when they started to renovate the place the cinimon roles place disappeared. I hope that they come back after the pandemic is over
Johnny mentioned the unfortunate stabbing that occurred in the td centre. There was another fatal stabbing couple years ago in commerce court where a son allegedly killed his own mother. :( As much as i love the path, it does seem to attract its fair share of the mentally ill.
thanks for sharing. I always want to find out how the Path looks like. well, shouldn't expect with shops like in Japan 😊as it's financial district and mainly to keep you warm. Will head to Toronto in few months. However it doesn't seem all stairs are wheelchair accessible and many stairs up and down between buildings
Wow Johnny you were able to cover a lot of ground in this PATH video! Thankfully you didn’t run into any unreasonable security workers. I often wondered why a small minority of security people have issues with recording devices while the majority don’t care enough to enforce a no recording policy (if such a policy even exists). The fact that most security do not enforce really has me questioning the ones that do. Anyways fantastic video!
People take liberties (of course). Up to and including film crews trying to surreptitiously use the fancy surroundings to shoot film scenes, without bothering to even inform the property owners. The kind of thing that entails significant potential legal liability (and requires the signing of waivers of liability, etc). This is the reason they're under orders to move the filmers along.
You are so wrong, a job without any supervision, in a clean environment, away from the harsh weather elements, seeing people pass by in a mall like setting, don't have to take work home .........that's like a dream job
Some of them drive little 'mini-zambonies' all night to clean the floors. Amazingly, the floors never look any different from this video - Covid or not, 24/7, 365 days a year. (The mass of cleaners who descend on this district every evening and night would outnumber some armies)
That was a really neat tour of Torontos underground PATH. I'm just curious is all of the underground area wheelchair accessible with elevators and ramps? I do like the touchless automatic door activation pieces. Who would've known that this place had a world record? That's really cool!
@@JordanLoweElevaToursCanada Hi Jordan, you’re welcome. :) Here are different scenarios I recommend if you want to explore the PATH: •If you don’t mind staying in a hotel, One King West is an excellent option. There are elevators to “The Vault” which leads to the direct connection of The PATH. Turn right and go straight then take the door to the right. You’ll pass by mailboxes as One king West has residential suites as well. After you exit the next door, voila you’re in The PATH (Commerce Court). This would be an ideal starting point because you’d be able to explore and cover a lot of ground without elevators. Commerce Court has decent food options (Breakfast, Canadian, Korean, Chinese, Mexican, Seafood). Second Cup Coffee resides there as well as a Harveys & Swiss Chalet two-in-one. You can connect to TD Centre by going past the food court which will eventually take you multiple doors. The only Starbucks open in The Path (the main part anyways) is there to the left once you hit the past the Telus and TD bank machines. Another random note is the only Canada Post with po boxes is in TD Centre. Not as many food options…there is a Timmies, McEwan (gourmet grocery store), Starbucks as mentioned. If you take a right instead of left, you can go straight and connect to First Canadian Place. Fcp is a brightly lit and beautiful building. There is a Longos, Pilot Coffee, Chatime bubble tea, Pistil Flowers and more. Two levels up, there are nice options of Thai, Greek, Chinese, Coffee and a nice outdoor seating we can see Johnny pass by. Once you enter FCP, you can go left by the LCBO which eventually leads to Longos and other retailers. One Level up has a beautiful menswear store, nice art shop, and more. There are elevators a plenty. In fact, rewinding back to when you first enter First Canadian Place, there in the middle are accessibility ramps leading to the elevators although these days i don’t know if they are open to the public you kay have to ask security first. If you take a right, you’ll see a row of BMO atms, Rexall, Pilot Coffee, Chatime bubble tea and Pistil Flowers. Going through those doors will connect you to Scotia Plaza. You can take a left as there is an accessibility ramp which leads to Bay Adelaide Centre. Once there, Second Cup is to the left and Deloitte is on the right (That beautiful building on the nw corner of Yonge & Adelaide). If you take a right you’ll pass by some food places and Shoppers Drug Mart. Going through the doors leads to the HBC Eaton Centre though i believe it’s stairs and escalators i don’t recall any elevators. Now back to Scotia Plaza, going straight leads you to a food court. Going right will connect to Commerce Court but not 100% sure it’s accessible but there are elevators in the middle of Scotia Plaza. Now, if you prefer a day trip where a hotel is not necessary, perhaps Union Station or St. Andrew Station is a good starting point if you’re taking ttc as those two stations have elevators. King Station unfortunately does not. There is Royal Bank Plaza (stunning gold building across Union Station) which has an LCBO downstairs which is great for people who don’t like waiting in line albeit smaller selection. Shoppers also down there and both are open on Saturdays. However, i do not recommend exploring The Path on the weekends or holidays as many access points are closed. Brookfield Place across Royal Bank Plaza has some stunning architecture inside. I hope that helps, Jordan, there is still a lot more to The PATH than the above.
@@enrico4092 thanks for all the information about the Toronto PATH, if I ever take a trip up to Toronto for a vacation trip I will keep this in mind so if I do have time go explore the facility I will definitely keep that in mind I appreciate it. PS might have to screenshot the info because there is a lot to cover LOL
From an Australian: why does this 'path' system exist? Is it a winter alternative to travelling above ground during your harsh snow & ice filled winters?
The PATH also serves the need of the tens of thousands of office workers in the Financial District by providing retail services. The Longo’s grocery stores there are a perfect example of this as they are smaller in size and stock mainly stuff for people on the go.
