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UER Forum > Canada: Ontario > University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building) (Viewed 3273 times)
saros 


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University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< on 9/10/2018 6:11 PM >
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You know that feeling when you hear a rumor and need to play detective?

Years ago when I was a freshman at U Waterloo I heard rumors of interconnected passageways beneath the student residences (northwest campus side) - subterranean hallways that were since closed due to assaults and other unsavoury activities. I have no official source to verify this, but it sparked my curiosity.

(The closest I could find now: https://uwaterloo....stalgia-and-trivia)

The idea was that the Student Life Centre connected to the residences.

So I began to pay close attention to my surroundings on my way to and from classes, quietly testing unmarked doors around campus, exploring hallways.

I told some friends and we quickly became familiar with the public, interconnected hallways - which surprisingly connected from the south campus to the north west. Impressive public pedestrian systems that spanned most of the campus. So perhaps, there was some validity to a hidden tunnel system.

Years passed, and we never found anything to verify those initial rumors. And hope began to fade.

By my 4th year at U Waterloo a new major technological building was being constructed in the heart of campus nearby the Student Life Centre. So naturally, we made regular visits to explore during its construction. We hit the rooftop and marveled at the sparkling new rooms over a span of a few months...

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One spontaneous night of exploring, we decided to check out some of the funky and fancy equipment. These massive metallic capsules.

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The adventure eventually led to the basement. We weren't all too interested in the idea of a dead-end...

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But we kept pushing onwards, and realized that the tunnels were extending way past the physical size of the construction building.

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Naturally we had to blend in.

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Eventually the steam pipes led to a hallway ended at a metal door. It was a push-only door. Checking the frame for any electronic alarms, we decided to slowly open the door.

There was a burst of light. And we could hear people. And see people. We were so confused.

It was the Student Life Centre. With no sign of any interior construction at the student life centre, the construction site we had entered had seemingly interlaced itself with another older, existing steam tunnel system. I was mind blown.

When the door closed behind us, the door simply blended into the basement level of the SLC. No outside handles to enter from public access, just a plain grey door.

My sense of adventure stirred and it was like I rediscovered the spark of wonder all over again.

Let this be a lesson to always keep exploring - and if you're at U Waterloo, I would not be surprised if there are other systems hidden in plain sight in some of these large buildings.

Also check out the York University tunnel stories!

Wanted to share this for old times sake for the spirit of exploration.




yokes 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 1 on 9/10/2018 8:12 PM >
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I was there in the mid/late 90s (when the SLC was under construction/first opened) and can confirm that there is a tunnel from V1 to campus.




"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel
saros 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 2 on 9/10/2018 9:46 PM >
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Posted by yokes
I was there in the mid/late 90s (when the SLC was under construction/first opened) and can confirm that there is a tunnel from V1 to campus.


Man, I dig the history of places especially when it's right under your nose. That's cool to hear that the legends are true!




yokes 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 3 on 9/10/2018 11:10 PM >
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A buddy of mine had the keys to pretty much every off limits area of campus at the time. Good times.




"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel
yokes 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 4 on 9/10/2018 11:11 PM >
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Its been a while... but if memory serves, when the snow starts to fall, you can sometimes see the outline of the tunnels because the ground above them is warmer and the snow melts.




"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel
theninjalobster 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 5 on 9/12/2018 1:58 AM >
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This actually made me yelp with excitement and my butt hole started to tingle. So great. Thank you.

My experiences at the Science Centre kinda had the same thing. This long ass tunnel that plummeted downwards towards the second half of the complex was always a mystery. On my second mission into the building, after finally growing the nuts to see what was at the end, it turns out it popped open right into the middle of some familiar exhibits. It was so disappointing yet so fabulous at the same time. Just some plain old door I'd seen many times over the years as a kid...

God I love exploring...




Into the Fray. https://www.ninjalobster.com/
blaekly 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 6 on 9/14/2018 2:41 PM >
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Man, Waterloo's steam tunnels have alluded me for YEARS! I was a student there 10 years ago and my story was the same - always trying unmarked doors and checking janitors rooms, but never did find those tunnels.

It's actually what led to my full foray into urbex. I was always into the history and "lost" aesthetic but less the infiltration. The hunt for the steam tunnels basically bridged those curiosities. Haven't looked back since!

I DID make it up to the DC penthouse once at like 3AM. That was pretty tits.




DeclanSharp 

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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 7 on 5/22/2020 2:05 PM >
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This is so amazing, thank you!




OpenHouse 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 8 on 5/30/2020 4:29 PM >
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Everyone’s stories are very cool. Makes me wonder what’s under my own school. The theatre students use some underground tunnels at Sheridan and there’s an entrance to a maintenance tunnel down there. I’ve seen it wide open before, but never imagined it could possibly be very elaborate.




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JamieGray 


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Re: University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building)
< Reply # 9 on 8/17/2020 9:58 AM >
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As interesting as educational buildings and buildings can be. How many secrets are kept in these buildings and how many uncharted paths. While studying, I was not obsessed with looking for secret paths and other ways. My studies were interesting, but at times I faced problems. For the simplicity of solving problems with study I used the site https://ca.edubird...t-writing-services with the help of which I could perform tasks on writing various texts. This site is a writing service that provides assignment help for Canadian students. To some extent, I feel like I've had a dull time outside of school and class. I've always wanted some activity and to find something new.



[last edit 8/17/2020 12:57 PM by JamieGray - edited 1 times]

UER Forum > Canada: Ontario > University of Waterloo - Keep Exploring! (SLC and Nanotech Building) (Viewed 3273 times)


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