When people think about Canada, one of the first associations would be the cold. Or politeness? What do you think? Luckily the country absolutely mastered dealing with both. Today I'll write about commuting downtown in bad weather.
Imagine, that you live downtown, the weather network shows -15 Celsius and blizzard, and you have a team building invitation to Cuba for the same day. If you like travelling lightly, you can leave in your summer dress and flip-flops, grab your handbag with whatever you need there, don't forget the sunscreen and the passport, and go. It's not an April 1st joke. How is it possible?
The condos downtown are typically connected with a large system called the PATH. It is the largest underground shopping and commuting complex in the world. There are also some towers connected above street level, but not so many as in Calgary. Here those bridges are above the Gardiner Expressway and the rails. All the subway stations are multi-level, and the Eaton Centre historical shopping mall as well.
OK, so if you want to get from your apartment to Cuba without a single snowflake, you would take the elevator underground, pass the stores, and get on a subway to Union Station. There you would change to UP Express, during the ride the screen shows the latest flight information (and provides free wifi), and in 25 minutes you are at Pearson Airport. Check in, take your plane, and soon you can sip your fresh coconut cocktails on the beach.
I have no personal experience but I know it's doable, and at least one tropical journey is on my bucket list. As I heard, winter coats and boots are not needed there, so why not take advantage of the PATH and avoid the traffic. I occasionally use it whenever I go to the financial district. People who live and work there don't go outside if they don't want to. In Ontario a lot more indoor public spaces are available compared to Europe: lobbies of the offices and apartment buildings (ringers are indoor), food courts, stations, pedestrian bridges, and so on. Having the option to be out but in at the same time is practical and safe.
