City Celebration of Heritage Returns with Doors Open Ontario Event in Owen Sound 

Discover Owen Sound’s rich history and plan a day trip to explore heritage sites as part of Doors Open Ontario, an annual program of the Ontario Heritage Trust.  Come out to tour 14 sites in Owen Sound on Saturday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Doors Open Ontario is a provincewide heritage tourism program that gives the public free access to explore fascinating heritage properties across Ontario. It showcases the buildings, natural spaces, infrastructure, and cultural landscapes that shape and define our communities. 

This year's theme for the province-wide program is adaptive reuse, showcasing heritage sites repurposed to serve their communities best while retaining their heritage attributes. The continued use and reuse of historic structures contribute to our urban and rural communities' sustainability and economic and cultural energy.

Doors Open Ontario began in 2002 as a means of connecting people to places by facilitating public access to compelling built and natural heritage sites that typically restrict regular access to the public and to ensure that Ontario’s diverse heritage would be free to access by individuals and families of all socioeconomic backgrounds without the barrier of cost. 

Since then, its tangible impacts have been substantial: 8.6 million visits have been made to thousands of unique buildings and spaces, 15,000+ volunteer hours are generated annually, and participants spend more than $11 million during their travels in a typical year as they learn about heritage conservation and local history and have fun.

Doors Open Ontario's core principle is to create meaningful shared experiences for all Ontarians to enjoy and appreciate their heritage with as few barriers to participation. 

14 sites will be featured in Owen Sound in 2024, including Billy Bishop Museum, British Methodist Episcopal Church, Community Waterfront Heritage Centre, Georgian Bay School of the Arts, Giche-Name Wiikwedong Reconciliation Garden, Morland Place, Mudtown Station Brewery and Restaurant, Owen Sound Artists’ Coop, Owen Sound Farmers’ Market, Owen Sound Cenotaph, Potters Field, St. George’s Anglican Church, Tom Thomson Art Gallery and Tone Yoga Studio.

Doors Open Ontario is presented by The City of Owen Sound, TD Ready Commitment, Ontario Heritage Trust, Andpet Realty, 560 CFOS, and Barry’s Construction.

For more information, please contact Jen Wright, Events and Activation Coordinator, at 519-376-4440 ext. 1237 or email to jwright@owensound.ca.

Quotes:

"Through Doors Open Ontario, visitors can experience so many places and spaces in their communities that make Ontario so special, free of cost."

-      John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust.

Quick Facts:

• Doors Open Ontario is a provincewide heritage tourism program.
• Over 93 per cent of Ontarians live in a community that has hosted Doors Open Ontario since its inception in 2002.
• From April to October, explore Ontario’s heritage treasures at free public events across the province.
• See all sites and participating communities at DoorsOpenOntario.on.ca

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