Yes, the University of Windsor has tunnels.  No, you can’t go in them!

For the longest time, it’s been known that their are subterranean caverns underneath the campus of the University of Windsor.  For a time, their existence was the talk of rumours:  rumours that they had been passageways for students back when the University opened in the 1960′s, rumours that they didn’t exist, rumours that they were only a small network between Assumption University and a few other buildings.

In 2006, the University newspaper, The Lance, published an article by journalist Heather Burnett who did some research as to whether or not there were tunnels and what purpose they serve.  And there are!  Read on…

The University of Windsor sits on top of several thousand meters of utility tunnels.  The tunnels originate from the “Energy Conversion Centre”, the Campus’ main powerplant (think: spaceship), and carry high pressure steam piping, 4.15 kV electricity cabling, compressed air lines and chilled water.  In a sense, the University tunnels form a vital set of self-contained infrastructure to support every single building on campus with various utility needs.

It may be true at one point in time that the tunnels were usable by students, professors and the like, however those days have since passed, and the only human lives that set foot in the tunnels these days are those of maintenance workers and building contractors who maintain the infrastructure.

This summer, the University’s tunnels have become a hot news topic, as a new tunnel branch is being installed between Sunset Ave and California Rd. in preparation for the building of the University’s new Centre for Engineering Innovation.

In the past several weeks, contractors from Coco Paving have been installing 84″, or 7ft diameter concrete tubes below the surface of one of the University’s parking lots.

The new tunnel stems from the existing network junction (right) which runs down Sunset Avenue, and continues east toward California St. (left).

The new tunnel peeks out from below.

Now speaking of the existing tunnel network…  Over the past year, I’ve been doing a bit of sightseeing around campus, conversing with employees at the University and consulting with Mike Beauchamp who explored the University tunnels long ago.

Using a number of visual clues on the surface around campus, I’ve put together a hastily drawn, speculative map of where the University of Windsor tunnels may run.

View University of Windsor Speculative Tunnels Map in a larger map

Perhaps the biggest visual clue is as bright as snow!  During winter snowfalls, certain lengths of property at the University seem to melt snow as fast as it can fall.  The tunnels are most likely quite warm inside, due to hot steam and the radiant heat produced by electricity cables.  Thus, the snow on the surface above the tunnels melts immediately as it touches the ground.

Another visual clue:  this parking lot pay station near the ETR tracks on the south side of campus also doubles as a ventilation shaft.

A ventilation pillar at the corner of Sunset and Wyandotte.

The central refrigeration plant on Windsor’s riverfront.  Water is chilled here for use in various campus buildings, by way of the tunnel system.

The University of Windsor certainly does have tunnels.  Not the type of plesant passageways we’re used to however, but something to share in common with the likes of ninja turtles, subways and sewers!

Something to ponder next time you’re on campus, and you consider what might be beneath your feet.  But just don’t go getting those Subterranean Homesick Blues!