VC Tunnel Revisted

The Wellington Street Tunnel was constructed in the early 1930s as an alternative to the CN Wellington Swing Bridge just a little ways down. Meant primarily as a connector between both sides of the canal, the tunnel fulfilled the important function of getting goods, merchandise, and supplies to the city from the port, it also helped to interconnect Montreal and its surrounding and developing residential (like Verdun) and industrial areas (like Cote-St. Paul). Here are a couple of shots I grabbed from some heritage site online.

As you can see this was quite the undertaking back then. The tunnel had a pedestrian walkway on one side and was the main thoroughfare of street cars and other vehicles at the time. Abandoned in 1994 for security and safety reasons, the tunnel system remains locked up and now covered in graffiti, a silent reminder of a time passed.

 

I've only been frequenting this area for a little while now, but it's definitely one of the more interesting for me as I have only had the opportunity to enter into the tunnel a few times, and when I have I have not gone in that far because of a lack of equipment or by the time I get there my camera is dead from a day long flick mission. I tried making a couple of specific mission plans for this spot but it seems it's always locked up or re-barred whenever I do. Although, a couple of times over the last few months I've gotten in thanks to some folks who either a) left the main gate open, or b) somehow parted the bars on the side so I could slip in. But didn't have a good flash light on me and my camera flash can only take me so far. I even went in with an external flash, but again, that can only take you so far.

In my research of this area I've come across some interesting stuff. Back in October 2009 there was some sort of art show that took place complete with rows of candles for internal lighting and small groups of guitar and bongo playing hipsters. Urban Exploration Montreal went in a couple of times over the past decade but they never really went the extra distance to show off some good shots of the interior and graff that's in there. Other interested parties have also used the tunnels for photo shoots such as suicide girls (a very interesting shoot indeed) and other artists and photographers.

These are my shots over the last few months all bundles into one update. There isn't a whole hell of a lot of pics like most of my other posts, namely cause this spot hasn't changed a whole lately. So the shots above are just quick updates from outside the tunnel. I guess this post is more of the shots I got from inside the tunnel.

In any case, I plan to go back at some point to map this spot out entirely so keep posted for those shots hopefully in the near future.More from October through December coming soon.

TA Wall & Factory May 2010

Hey folks, I've been meaning to post sooner by have been mad busy this past month. I've still got a bunch of finished pics of 'Bombe sur la main' to post but first here are some shots from the TA wall and factory and the area around Lionel-Groulx metro I got on May 17th. I also got some stuff from the streets and back alleys along St. Catherine's while I was on my way over to get those finished pics of that event that I'll be going through and putting together too. I finally climbed up that embankment of dust and dirt underneath the Ville-Marie to take pics of of that little wall at the top and all the supports that have been bombed and burned out. Got some good pans too.
I met a couple of writers hanging out along the side service road just a ways down from the wall who told me that some cops were patrolling in and around the factory area. Apparently they had received a call from some locals who were miffed about graff being done in the area which is pretty ironic considering that this area is soaked as it is. We chatted for a bit and then we all went in to the area after we figured the police had left, they to do some writing and me to take my photos.
As well, the construction under the Ville-Marie around the upper portion of the wall area is still going on and according to the foreman I met later that afternoon it will continue throughout until August and might go as far as the lower wall area if they can make it there by then. Lots of reparations going on, and security watching over the equipment while its not being used by the work crews during the day. So again, if your heading to the upper area keep an eye out for security or patrolling police. The lower wall and factory seem pretty open as usual. Here are those shots, more to come soon.

I'll post what I got from my trek out to the finished walls at 'Bombe sur la main' and along the way soon.
Till next.