The Brockville Railway Tunnel is the site of the first railway tunnel in Canada, circa 1860. The tunnel is a fairly new attraction having been sealed for a considerable amount of time before the decision to restore it was made. It opened for Canada's 150th birthday in 2017.

The tunnel itself is about a half kilometer long, and passes directly under Brockville City hall, amongst other things. The tunnel is accessible to those in wheel chairs, and is pet friendly as long as they are leashed. The tunnel is fairly wet, as there is constantly ground water dripping, however it's generally not pooling and not enough to really require rain gear. As there may be parts that are a little slippery, proper footwear is recommended.

Walking through the tunnel there are three distinct areas, where different types of rock were encountered and different techniques used for excavation. Small stations outside the tunnel entrance and throughout the tunnel expand into more detail about how it was built and what you'll encounter as you walk through.

Lights in the tunnel

The entire tunnel is outfitted with a series of lights that change colour during the walk, as well as a soundsystem that plays music and occassionally a surprise train passing through. There are also street signs, indicating what lies above as you pass under the Brockville downtown.

Occasional events have also been held in the tunnel, such as the "Tunnel of Terror" which was a halloween style event with "spooky" decorations and costumed volunteers throughout the tunnel providing a different experience.

There is no admission fee to access the tunnel, but there are donation boxes at either end. The tunnel is generally open from 9am to 9pm year round, but there are occassional closures for events or maintenance. To learn more about the railway tunnel please visit the website.