Cabbagetown Monster in Toronto

The Cabbagetown Tunnel Monster or Toronto Tunnel Monster , was first observed in August 1978. This sighting remains the only recorded sighting in history.

Appearance
The creature is, according to the only known witness, “long and thin”. It has “long, large teeth” and “slate gray fur.” His eyes are “orange-red” and “slanted.” Of all possible analogs, it most resembles a monkey, though the monster is definitely not a primate.
It is capable of speaking, understanding and communicating in at least one human language (English).

Dwelling
The monster appears to live in a special tunnel system beneath Cabbagetown in Toronto — hence its two most commonly mentioned nicknames, “Cabbagetown Tunnel Monster” and “Toronto Tunnel Monster”.

Apparently, he is limited in his options solely by life. He doesn’t like to be disturbed, and trespasses on his abode. If someone accidentally enters his territory, he will utter “GET OUT, GET OUT”, which can be described as a “hissing voice”. In this case, it remains a mystery what it feeds on and what action it will take against those who disobey its warnings.

In addition, it remains unclear whether there is a connection between this lack of information and the lack of additional eyewitness observations…. or perhaps those who have seen it have never been able to tell the story.
The monster’s living conditions are extremely specific. The monster is inside a tunnel that the only witness claims collapsed years ago, and thus has become inaccessible. Furthermore, the exact location of this entrance is not known. The monster is actually contained in its home, which remains intact and isolated in its ecosystem.

Additional Notes
The area that later became the city of Toronto was historically inhabited by indigenous peoples for many thousands of years. However, in the early 17th century, the area was invaded by European colonizers, beginning with the arrival of the French. As was the case with much of North America, there were clashes and conflicts between the various European countries that gradually displaced the indigenous population. British colonizers established a settlement in the area in 1793, calling it the City of York, and it wasn’t until 1834 that it reclaimed the name Toronto, becoming the city we know today.

As the city grew, an extensive network of tunnels also developed beneath its surface. Naturally, over time, many amateur enthusiasts began to explore these tunnels, including both actively used and abandoned tunnels. Eventually, many of the obsolete tunnels remained accessible, although no official entrance was provided.

It was in one of these tunnels — more like a cell, as the only witness put it — that this subject settled.

We obtained almost all of our information about the subject, including his home area, from a single witness and a brief article published in the local newspaper, the Toronto Sunday Sun, on March 25, 1979. This article was written by Lorrie Goldstein, who became a famous columnist only in the early years of his long and respected career. The article tells the story of a man who referred to himself simply as “Ernest”. “Ernest” stipulated that his real name not be mentioned in the article because he feared that “he would be called a bunch of cranks” after his story was revealed.

Goldstein notes that Ernest did not report the story to the paper; the paper itself learned of it through back-and-forth contact and conducted its own investigation to find Ernest.

According to Ernest, who was 51 at the time, he had encountered the object in question the previous year, in August 1978, after descending into the tunnels near the Parliament Street apartment he shared with his spouse.

Ernest’s reason for entering the tunnel was that he and his spouse were caring for a litter of kittens and one of them had escaped.He hoped he would find the kitten inside the tunnel.About 3 meters from the level of what Goldstein called the “little cave,” Ernest encountered the creature, describing the event as follows: “Absolute darkness reigned there…..I discerned it with the aid of a flashlight.Its eyes glowed orange-red, with oblique pupils…..It was long and slender, like an ape…. About three feet long, with powerful fangs and fur the color of dark gray slate.”

Upon noticing it, Ernest said, the creature spoke. “It said, ‘Go away, go away,’ in a hissing voice. Then it moved slowly along the long tunnel.” Ernest rushed out of the tunnels in terror.

Ernest’s wife, Barbara, did not witness the event, but she confirmed the key point: “I believe Ernie saw exactly what he described,” she told Goldstein and the Sunday Sun. “He was terrified when he got back to the apartment and he is not easily frightened.” She also emphasized that he had not consumed any substances such as alcohol at the time; he was completely sober and cool-headed.
It is unknown if the monster is still on the loose in the tunnels under Cabbagetown and Toronto.

“Toronto Urban Legends: The Real Toronto Underground” at Torontoist.

“The Tunnel Monster Of Cabbagetown” at the Toronto History Weekly.

“Toronto’s Secret Tunnels” at the Haunted Walk.

“A Guide To The Secret Tunnels Hidden Beneath Toronto” at blogTO.

“Toronto’s Tunnels” at Heritage Toronto.