Coatless In Toronto, Thanks To Underground Walkways

TORONTO - It's 21 degrees, snow is stacked high on a Yonge Street lamppost, and your new shoes aren't waterproof.

No problem.

Toronto is a city of accommodation, despite being portrayed as a wintry no-man's-land after a 50-inch mid-winter blizzard this year.

You can land at Pearson International Airport, check into the Royal York Hotel or other high-end hotels linked to the city's underground walkway, and never stick your nose into the elements until you are back in milder climes.

Toronto's Underground City, a subterranean pedestrian path packed with everything from restaurants and bookstores to dry cleaners and photo-processing centers, takes your business downstairs because it gets rough outside in winter.

The new Air Canada Centre, home to professional hockey's Maple Leafs and the NBA's Raptors, also can be accessed via the underground. (And if the weather is rainy in summer, you still can get to the SkyDome for a Blue Jays baseball game without an umbrella.)

In winter, leave your coat in the hotel room.

"I think the underground was built as much for commuters as it was for tourists," says George Spezza, an economic development officer for the city of Toronto. "You see a lot of people with their shirts and ties on down there. It's used a lot more during the winter, of course."

The underground was born of necessity in the mid-1960s, when sidewalk traffic was beginning to bog down pedestrians. Thirty tunnels and three overhead bridges link 50 office towers, 1,100 shops and restaurants and several luxury hotels. The entire span of the underground runs 7 miles.

The tunnels - brightly lighted tiled walkways that vary in width - also are linked to stops on the city's subway system. A trip can begin at Union Station and end at the Atrium on Bay at the end of the path. Throughout the walk, branches of the tunnel lead to other places, such as the CBC Broadcast Center or the Toronto Stock Exchange, the world's 10th largest.

From any of the hotels connected to the walkway, have breakfast at Movenpick Marche, part of a Canadian chain that exceeds any such connotation. Marche is really an open-air market with a number of stations offering something different. One station for fresh fruit, another for omelets, another for fresh baked breads. The place is busy most of the time.

On a Friday morning, the underground was as jammed as a Manhattan sidewalk, filled with shoppers, office clerks, a smattering of street people and the usual mall kids.

At all times, clearly marked signs tell you which way to go for what. Need to find your way to a certain store or eatery? Check the overhead signs. They direct you to the next building. Maps are abundant and easy to read. You also can grab a map from the concierge at any hotel or tourism office.

Shop until you drop

The underground stores are a potpourri of consumerism, with some being generic mall outlets and others family-owned.

The real flavor is among the smaller shops and markets, all independently owned. One merchant was eager to sell all of her rather expensive leather tote bags to us one Saturday morning - in other words, she wanted them gone that day before she closed.

"This is all on sale for what you want it to be," the woman offered in broken English. "We can deal for this. This is the last day." Her Polish accent added to the multi-ethnic atmosphere that is vintage Toronto.

And deal we did; one American dollar gives you almost $1.50 Canadian at most shops, which are happy to give you a fair exchange rate.

Underground walkway cuisine is a mishmash of food-court fare and more interesting dishes. A Japanese bento box lunch gives you a good deal on some fair sushi, $5 Canadian for nine pieces. European-style lunch counters sell a croissant, soup, fruit and a cookie for $4.

A number of bistros offering wine-glass dining also are part of the underground. Perhaps the best of that lot is Acqua, a beautifully designed eatery that teeters on trendy spilling into comfortable.

You also can grab a meal at the 360 Revolving Restaurant atop the CN Tower. A splendid view of the city offsets less-than-spectacular food.

Weekends are the relatively quiet times for the underground. With office workers gone, tourists dominate. Union Station, ground zero for traversing most of Toronto by subway or walkway, is bustling at all times.

It's a great time to check out the architecture of several historic office towers. The 70-year-old Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has beautifully sculpted ceilings and moldings. If you dare step outside for just a second, look at the old city hall - grab the side door out of Eaton Centre that opens onto James Street.

The solid sandstone structure still houses the provincial criminal courts. Rock-'n'-roll fans may recall the pictures of Rolling Stone Keith Richards on the city hall steps after his 1977 arraignment on drug charges.

The warrens of the underground are easy to navigate and packed with all the services you could possibly need. Remember, you will get what you put into it. If all you seek is the familiar mall surroundings of home, it is right there. But even underground, the character of the city runs rampant.

IF YOU GO

More information: Phone the Metropolitan Toronto Convention and Visitors Association, 800-363-1990.

Underground facts: Seven hotels are linked via the underground: Cambridge Suites, Crowne Plaza Toronto Centre, Marriott Eaton Centre, Hilton Hotel, Royal York Hotel, SkyDome Hotel and Sheraton Centre.

There are 1,100 stores, shops and restaurants, including 4 million square feet of retail space, two major department stores and three multilevel shopping centers.

The multilevel walkway - including portions of the path that extend above ground - covers 7 miles.

The underground has 30 tunnels and three bridges.

The underground connects 50 office towers that employ about 120,000 people.

It has access to five major subway stations.

Attractions accessible by the underground include the Hockey Hall of Fame, SkyDome, CN Tower, six theaters, the Toronto Stock Exchange and two concert halls.