Toronto police say they have solved the mystery of a tunnel discovered near a Pan Am Games venue in the city's north end.
Const. Victor Kwong says tips from the public helped them identify and interview two men responsible for building the underground chamber, adding it's been determined there was never any criminal intent or danger to public safety.
He says the pair told investigators they built the tunnel for "personal reasons" and that their explanation has been verified and the case closed with no charges.
Kwong says police are not releasing the men's names, or any further details since the case is not a criminal investigation, but he says there is no connection to York University, which is near the site where the tunnel was found, or the Pan Am Games.
He says the men are not believed to be survivalists, adding they just "wanted to dig a tunnel."
Toronto police announced the discovery of the tunnel on Feb. 24 and released photos of the site, prompting media coverage across Canada and abroad.
The bunker, discovered in January by a conservation officer in a densely wooded area, is located 25 metres from the fence of the Rexall Centre, which is to host tennis events for the summer's Pan Am Games.
Inside, police say they found plywood wall supports, a generator and a sump pump, as well as a rosary with a Remembrance Day poppy nailed to a wall.
Police said the chamber was almost two metres high, 86 centimetres wide and 10 metres long.
Deputy police Chief Mark Saunders had said there was no evidence to suggest any criminal intent in the tunnel's construction, adding "there's no criminal offence for digging a hole.''
But he asked for the public's help in solving the mystery and said police would continue to investigate until they discovered who built it, and that other authorities — including national and international security agencies — were notified.
The discovery of what has become known as the "mystery tunnel'' made international headlines, while social media bubbled with theories that ranged from zombie hideouts to affordable housing.
