Debunking the Labyrinth

If the weather stays as gorgeous as it is this morning and you don't mind rising before noon on your precious Sunday you may want to join The Impossible Tunnel tour of Chinatown: Rumours & Misconceptions.

The general myth is that starting the Sam Kee Building (you know the one, it's in the Guiness Book of World records) there is a winding stairway and the tunnel starts there. The first time I ever heard of the underground tunnels I was told that they served as escape routes when cops busted the opium dens. Other stories include baths, barber chairs and toilets.

The walk is led by John Atkin, a Vancouver author and historian. He'll walk you throughout Chinatown bursting the bubble that once precariously held the urban myth that underneath the shops of Chinatown lay a labyrinth of tunnels. He'll walk you around and retell the imaginary history of the tunnels, why we've come to believe it and other misconceptions of Chinatown.

The cost is $10 for non-residents, pay as you can for local residents. It starts at the Chinese Cultural Centre on 50 East Pender (at Carrall) at 10.30.

This is part of the Heart in the City that you'll be hearing more about through us.