13-2-6

All through China town there are tunnels and back alley accesses that were built during WWII. There was a curfew for Asians living in Canada during the war and these tunnels and passageways were built to allow them to move around after hours without going out on the streets where they would be arrested.

It's been suggested there are fewer tunnels than rumored and city engineers have outright denied any of these tunnels existed though in the late 90s workers were digging up Alexander Street for repair and found a six foot diameter tunnel that extended 30' in either direction before being terminated. The repair crew didn't pursue it any further that that, filled the void that shouldn't have been there, and repaved the street.

This photo is of a narrow laneway that leads off Pender and branches off in two different directions connecting most of the buildings of the block with a walkway system that is hidden from the street and the laneway.