Save the Date for Doors Open 2015

July 15, 2015 · 0 Comments

The Town of Aurora and the Heritage Advisory Committee are preparing to once again to celebrate the popular Doors Open Aurora event. This year, Doors Open Aurora features 16 sites, including six new locations and one new walking tour.
The 10th annual Doors Open Aurora event will take place on Saturday, August 15 with sites open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore fascinating sites in your own community. Admission is free! No tickets or reservations are required. Join thousands of visitors exploring Aurora’s hidden treasures, some of which are not open to the public.
Discover historic buildings, cultural landmarks and natural sites. Join the fun, ask questions, take part in an educational walking tour and provide your children with a great opportunity to learn more about the history of Aurora.
Doors Open Aurora is part of the Doors Open Ontario initiative, a community-based celebration that showcases Ontario’s built and natural heritage for residents and visitors alike.
The first Doors Open Day event was held in France in 1984. In 2000, the City of Toronto launched the first Doors Open event in North America. In 2002, Doors Open Ontario, the first province-wide event of its kind in Canada, was launched by the Ontario Heritage Trust.
Doors Open Aurora began in 2006. Since then, hundreds of sites of significant historical character have opened their doors and hosted more than 25,800 site visits.
Start your Doors Open day at the Aurora Farmers’ Market and Artisan Fair located on Wells Street in beautiful Aurora Town Park. Enjoy some of Aurora’s seasonal fruits and vegetables, baked goods, handmade jewellery and other crafts. Come before 1 p.m. and visit the Doors Open Aurora headquarters to pick-up your Map Guide.
Don’t miss the chance to see the Petch Log House next to the Aurora Seniors’ Centre, the Benjamin Stephenson House, the Aurora Lawn Bowling Club in McMahon Park, Aurora Armoury and attend David Heard’s “History and Mystery” walking tour, leaving the Town Park at 10 a.m.
Returning this year is the popular Emergency Readiness Centre located on Old Yonge Street. Now a private home, the site once located beneath a circa 1875 farmhouse, was purchased by Metropolitan Toronto in 1962 during the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The centre was intended to house city politicians and emergency service headquarters in case of a nuclear attack.
The Aurora Cultural Centre and the Aurora Public Library are back again as visitor favourites.
Visit the Aurora Cultural Centre, constructed circa 1885 in the late Victorian architectural style, which served as the former Church Street School. This site will feature a gallery gift shop offering a selection of local handcrafted jewellery, pottery, photography and more.
Hillary House, Aurora’s national historic site, noted for its long-standing presence in the community and association with medical history, will also be featured this year.
Also included are the Aurora Rising Sun Masonic Lodge, St. Andrew’s College, the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame, the George Russell House and Merlin’s Hollow.
Stay tuned for more information published in The Auroran about Doors Open Aurora and its participating sites, activities and historical information.
For more information about Doors Open Aurora, or to volunteer for the event, please visit http://www.doorsopenontario.on.ca/Events/Aurora.aspx.

We hope to see you there!