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Managing staff/volunteers

Community organizing committees are responsible for ensuring that each property provides sufficient volunteers and/or staff at each open site to manage visitors adequately. Volunteers and/or staff:

• ensure public safety (crowd and queue control)
• provide information to the public (direct visitors to entryways, exits and washrooms; answer questions; provide directions to other Doors Open sites in the community; etc.)
• guide tours and provide interpretive materials/experiences
• protect the site (act as security attendants – security attendants should not be responsible for providing public information as it pulls their attention)
• ensure that each site is identifiable from the street through highly visible signs

The Trust provides a detailed tip sheet offering suggestions for Recruiting and managing volunteers as part of the resource materials available to participating communities.

Managing visitors

The number of visitors that each property attracts varies greatly. Well-timed dissemination of promotional information to area residents and local media is critical to raising awareness of your event. During your event, it is also important to post signs that indicate the locations of Doors Open properties to visitors. Highly visible directional signs are useful for ensuring that visitors know how to get to the properties. The Doors Open Ontario signs – provided by the Ontario Heritage Trust – should be used to fulfil these objectives.

A representative at each property should develop a method of tracking the number of visitors to the site. Attendance figures need to be recorded and submitted to the organizing committee. The organizing committee is then required to include these numbers in the evaluation form that must be submitted to the Trust within one month of the end of their event. Providing final visitor numbers to the Trust is an essential step in validating the success of the program and demonstrating the need for future funding.

The Trust’s tip sheets (including Developing a promotion and publicity plan, Participating in Doors Open Ontario – A site organizer’s guide and Helpful hints – 101 pieces of advice from past events, a compilation of tips from community organizers) provide suggestions to boost visitor turnout. These tip sheets are included in the Resource Centre, which is available on the Doors Open Ontario website when registered users log in.

Finances and funding – Overview

Given the growing public interest in architecture, culture and heritage, Doors Open Ontario is designed to maximize regional tourism opportunities and encourage Ontarians and visitors to travel and experience heritage tours and events throughout the province. Doors Open Ontario events provide opportunities to build new community cultural and heritage tourism opportunities, products and packages. It also assists participating communities in attracting visitors.

Budgeting for your community event

Doors Open Ontario communities will require their own event management plan and strategy. Organizing committees should set a budget, identify required resources and secure funding or sponsors to cover community costs. Event management strategies will vary depending on the size of the community event, but some basic budget components to consider are outlined below.

Participating communities/community clusters are not required to pay the Trust a registration fee to participate in Doors Open Ontario in 2022. Should this change in future years, this document will be updated.

The organizing committee assumes responsibility for all community event-related expenses – although costs may be shared between partners and sites. Expenses might be incurred for items such as: brochures and maps listing all sites, interpretive materials, local launch events, volunteer/staffing, cleaning, local marketing and promotion, and the rental of portable washrooms or access barriers.

Admission to the main attraction at each participating property must be free to the public. Additional programming components can be offered for a fee. This might include special lectures or readings, sale of merchandise and refreshments, or fundraising events for the restoration of a building.

Sponsorship opportunities

Participating communities may seek sponsorship to assist with the coordination, promotion or implementation of their community event. Sponsorship of community Doors Open Ontario events could include services-in-kind, media coverage, financial support or other resources, as required.

Local sponsors of community Doors Open Ontario events may be recognized in community materials/events/products, including:

• community launch event
• community map/brochure listing sites
• interpretive flyers/brochures
• local site signs
• promotional items or products (T-shirts, posters, tote-bags)
• community website or page on other regional/community website
• advertising in community newspapers and other print media
• advertising in community broadcast media (radio/television)
• acknowledgment in releases to area media outlets

The Ontario Heritage Trust secures sponsorship for the provincial program. Provincial sponsors will be acknowledged in the Trust’s provincewide marketing and promotional materials, including any printed materials as well as the Doors Open Ontario website. Local community sponsors can also be recognized on a community’s event page on the Doors Open Ontario website.

Some community events may qualify for funding support from government agencies or departments. Organizing committees may wish to apply to one or more of these granting bodies for funding support. The Trust will share funding opportunities with registered communities as they arise.

Health, safety and security

Each participating Doors Open Ontario site must ensure that health, safety and security issues are addressed in accordance with legal requirements. Public safety and security are of utmost importance. Doors Open organizing committees should confirm and discuss this requirement with each site prior to their event.

In opening any property to the public, the possibility that personal injury, safety, theft, loss or damage may occur must always be considered. Each site must take measures to protect personal belongings, collections or the property itself from theft or vandalism.

Sites should be equipped to provide the following:

• barrier-free access wherever possible (full or partial access)
• information about nearby parking (either street or lot parking)
• a procedure for crowd control and line-ups (barricades, marked entry/exit, etc.)
• information about washroom availability (on or adjacent to the site)
• security against theft/destruction of property (attendants, cameras, cordoned off areas, etc.)
• health and safety provisions (first aid, fire exits, etc.)

Organizers should also consider:

• level of difficulty required on guided or self-guided walking tours (i.e., is the terrain flat or rocky?)
• alternate locations if it’s raining on their event date
• level of access for walking tours (e.g., can people in wheelchairs or with strollers access the tour?)
• information on appropriate attire that would assist the visitor (e.g., sturdy footwear recommended)

The Ontario Heritage Trust will not assume responsibility for any accidents, injuries, loss or theft of items that occur during community Doors Open Ontario events. The Trust offers suggestions concerning safety and security issues for Doors Open Ontario community events in the Site organizer’s guide tip sheet provided in the Resource Centre available on the website to registered communities.

Public liability and property insurance requirements

Each community organizing committee must ensure that all participating sites and properties have adequate public liability and property insurance. There are, however, no consistent approaches across the province due to the diverse range of organizations, levels of government, and volunteers involved in managing Doors Open Ontario community events. For community Doors Open events that are led by a municipality, the public liability insurance held by these bodies may cover the participating sites.

Communities will need to verify the coverage provided by their lead organization, and if none is provided, additional coverage may need to be obtained. Consult your insurance carrier. Some participating sites – such as commercial, federal, provincial and municipal buildings – may have their own public liability insurance if they are normally open to the public.

In addition, each participating site must ensure that they have adequate property insurance to open their site to the public. The onus is on the property owner to verify whether their existing insurance coverage is adequate, or whether they will require additional coverage. As circumstances may vary from carrier to carrier, it is important that each site works directly with their insurance provider to determine whether adequate coverage is in place.

Some Doors Open Ontario committees ask each of the sites participating in their event to sign an agreement confirming that the site is insured for public liability, damage and theft and that committee members will not assume any responsibility for any accidents, injuries, damage or loss that may occur during their Doors Open Ontario community event.

If you have a number of buildings that you would like to include but that do not have adequate insurance, consider developing a guided walking tour that allows visitors to see these buildings from the outside and, while they may not be able to go inside, they will at least be provided with historical information and stories about those sites.

Building tourism partnerships

Organizing committees from participating communities should consider partnering with community tourism operators to provide new tourism products and packages.

Examples of potential package items include:

• overnight accommodation and meals
• entertainment (shows, concerts, amusement parks, guided tours, etc.)
• transport (cruises, train tours, helicopter rides, etc.)
• outdoor activities (horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, rock climbing, etc.)
• local sites and events (festivals, markets, galleries, museums, etc.)

Evaluating your event

The first step toward building on the success of the Doors Open Ontario program at both the provincial and community level is to evaluate it. Good information on performance is important to any program, particularly those in a niche area – such as heritage tourism.

In the Resource Centre, the Trust provides each participating community with a series of evaluation forms to facilitate analysis of local events. These include:

• Visitor Survey – an evaluation of a visitor’s Doors Open Ontario experience
• Site organizer’s evaluation form – an evaluation of a site organizer’s experience of participating in a Doors Open Ontario event

Data collected from the evaluation forms is integral to the success of the provincewide program. Organizing committees are responsible for submitting evaluation information to the Trust within one month of the conclusion of their event.

Event cancellation

If an event has to be cancelled due to unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances, local event organizers will assume all responsibility for notifying the public, negotiating unfulfilled contracts and providing reimbursements, where necessary. If an event is in danger of being cancelled, it is highly recommended that it be scaled back in size rather than cancelled completely, if at all possible. Significant efforts should always be made to avoid cancellation, as it is impossible to notify all prospective visitors adequately. Event organizers should also contact an Ontario Heritage Trust representative to discuss options prior to cancelling an event.

Developing a promotion and publicity plan

Well-timed dissemination of promotional information to area residents and media is critical to raising local and regional awareness of your event. Organizing committees must develop a Promotion and Publicity Plan for their community event. It should facilitate decisions and ensure that everyone in your organization is working together to achieve the same goals. In addition, a good plan will ensure that your Doors Open Ontario event reflects a positive community image.

As a project management tool it should identify:

• the sites that will be involved and the important and interesting architectural, historical or anecdotal information about them that would be of interest to the public
• the events and activities that sites may offer
• who your target customers/audience will be (local residents, neighbouring communities, out-of-town visitors, etc.)
• the promotional methods you will use to let potential visitors discover your event (flyers, brochures, guides, maps, advertising, media articles, signs, posters, websites, etc.)
• the distribution methods you will use to get your message to the audience (media releases and interviews with media, newspaper inserts/advertising, brochure display racks, residential mail drops, internet links, posters, etc.)
• budget for promotion and publicity

Plans should incorporate the following components:

Local event brochure/guide/flyer

Each community must produce a local promotional brochure, pamphlet, flyer or guide with all the participating sites listed and identified on an easy-to-read locator map. Marketing materials do not have to be extravagant or expensive. The quality of materials produced should be consistent with the size of the event and available resources. The quantity of brochures printed should be reviewed with local tourism experts and compared with similar events and festivals in the area. This will probably represent the most significant cost to the Community Organizing Committee, but may be offset by a local tourism organization, Chamber of Commerce or other partners as part of their existing seasonal tourism and/or economic development plans. Communities may want to secure a sponsor for the brochure – perhaps a community newspaper or other local media outlet. The local newspaper may wish to publish a special Doors Open Ontario advertising feature.

Promotion and advertising

Participating communities need to coordinate their own local and regional publicity and advertising. Most communities should secure local media sponsors; ask to speak to your newspaper’s publisher. You may wish to place advertisements in your community newspapers that list all sites and properties participating in your event. By negotiating a sponsorship you can avoid paying an advertisement fee. You should also pursue radio and TV promotion, perhaps through reporters interviewing an Organizing Committee member about the event and heritage in your community. Public service announcements, which are free of charge, are another option.

Communities should target the following media outlets: regional/community newspapers, local magazines, newsletters, local radio and television stations, billboards and websites (especially those with event listings).

Launch event

Participating communities may wish to hold a party/reception prior to the launch of their local Doors Open Ontario event to thank participating site owners/operators, volunteers, donors, sponsors, etc. Local dignitaries, politicians and celebrities should be included in the ceremonies to draw attention to the event. Be sure to invite local print and broadcast media to cover the event.

Signs

During your event, it is important to post signs that promote the program and indicate the locations of participating sites to visitors. Directional signs are key to helping visitors find the sites involved in your program. Sandwich boards or signs that can be staked into grass should be considered as part of your promotional plan. Balloons tied to these signs also help to identify the location of a participating site from the street.

As well, colourful Doors Open Ontario promotional signs are available for order from the Ontario Heritage Trust. These signs are included in the cost of your community registration fee. The signs should be placed on display in a prominent position at each of your participating sites. They will also draw attention to each site’s participation in the program and aid in brand recognition of Doors Open Ontario. Signs should be retained for use in the following year’s Doors Open event. We contact each community in March to determine the quantity of signs required for their event.

Ontario Heritage Trust acknowledgement

Acknowledgement of Doors Open Ontario and the Ontario Heritage Trust’s support must be included in all community marketing and promotional materials, including any Doors Open Ontario-related websites/pages and the community map/brochure/guide of participating sites.

The Ontario Heritage Trust logo must be displayed in a prominent position on all materials produced. The logo must be at a minimum height of ¾ of an inch (2 cm). Alternatively, you may list Doors Open Ontario and the Ontario Heritage Trust as supporting partners on the main/cover pages of all materials. The Doors Open Ontario website URL (www.doorsopenontario.on.ca) must also be cross-promoted in all community marketing and promotional materials.

All Doors Open Community Organizing Committees should consider asking each of the sites participating in their event to sign an Agreement to Participate in a community Doors Open Ontario event. This agreement should provide the Organizing Committee with all of the information they will need to know about a site. It should also confirm that the site is insured for public liability, damage and theft and that committee members will not assume any responsibility for any accidents, injuries, damage or loss that may occur during their Doors Open Ontario community event.

Suggested items to request from site owners/operators in an agreement to participate in a community Doors Open Ontario event:

• Full site name (e.g., Smith House, The)
• Street address of the site
• City/Town
• Postal code
• Latitude/GPS coordinates (if known) – the website will calculate this value automatically
• Longitude/GPS coordinates (if known) – the website will calculate this value automatically
• Public information telephone number at the site
• Website address (if known)
• Name of architect (if known)
• Year built (if known)
• Architectural style (if known): Choose from art deco, art moderne, arts and crafts, brutalism, classical revival, Edwardian, Georgian, Gothic revival, international, Italianate, log structure, neoclassical, octagon, Ontario cottage, Ontario Gothic, period revival, prairie, Queen Anne revival, regency, Renaissance revival, Romanesque revival, Second Empire, vernacular, Victorian, victory housing
• Building type (if known): Choose from Attraction, Commercial, Cemetery, Courthouse, Place of worship, Historic landmark, Library, Military, Museum, Post office, Private residence, Theatre, Transportation, Green building or Food and drink
• Landscape type (if known): Choose from Conservation area, Garden, Landscape or Natural heritage
• Date(s) and time(s) the site will be open (also include any special worship services or one-off tours)
• Brief description of the site (maximum 50-60 words, one paragraph only) – ask to have important and interesting architectural, historical or anecdotal information of interest to the public included; you may also wish to include, if there’s room, any special exhibits, events or activities that will take place at the site
• Is this the first time this site has appeared as part of your event? (check New site)
• Is this a Featured site (to randomly appear on the homepage of the Doors Open Ontario website)
• Is this site a trail? (check Trails)
• Site services available: Parking | Partial wheelchair access | Full wheelchair access | Washrooms | French services available | National Historic Site (Canada or United States) | Self-guided tours available | Guided tours available | Does this site offer kid-friendly activities? | Does this property have a blue and gold provincial plaque on site or nearby? | Is this site protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust?
• Name of main contact person at the site
• Address of main contact person at the site
• Telephone/fax numbers and email address of main contact person at the site
• Name and telephone number of emergency secondary contact person
• Plans for having volunteers/staff assist during the event
• Are there existing professional photographic images of the site available for use in Doors Open Ontario and community marketing materials – if yes, outline how the photos should be submitted to your Organizing Committee
• Confirmation that the site is insured for public liability and property damage
• Statement absolving the Organizing Committee of responsibility related to possible insurance claims or legal actions against the site during the Doors Open event
• Statement absolving the Organizing Committee from responsibility for any errors or omissions in Door Open publicity material
• Signature of site owner or operator
• Deadline to return the Agreement to Participate
• Name, email address, telephone and fax number of a contact on the Community Organizing Committee
• Address or fax number to return the completed Agreement to Participate to the Organizing Committee

Helpful hints – 101 pieces of advice from past events

Since Doors Open Ontario was launched in 2002, there have been hundreds of separate events in communities across the province. With each event organized and operated individually, however, there is not always a means to share advice and best practices.

This document is intended to provide insight into some of the trade secrets used by communities across the province to achieve effective and successful events. It is by no means a comprehensive list of responsibilities. It does, however, provide a useful reference point for coordinators of Doors Open Ontario events.

If there are any ideas presented here that you would like to further explore, please contact the Ontario Heritage Trust and we will put you in contact with a community that has successfully implemented a similar initiative.

Getting started and planning an event

1. Begin planning as early as possible. Registrations are due in mid-December and your first 10 listings for the website are due at the beginning of March.
2. Consider whether your event should be local or regional in terms of its scale. If there are relatively few sites available in your area and lots of interesting sites in nearby small communities, consider a regional event.
3. Use historical themes rather than political boundaries to define the boundaries of your event. Past events - like Doors Open Oil Heritage District and Doors Open Loyalist Parkway - have crossed municipal boundaries in an effort to include related sites.
4. Consider operating your Doors Open event as a component of another existing festival. There may be synergistic effects that benefit both events.
5. Check previous Doors Open Ontario event calendars prior to selecting a date for your event. Most events retain the same weekend each year, so be sure not to select a date already taken by another event in close proximity to your community.
6. Consult nearby communities that have participated in the program to determine what is required to operate an effective event. Many organizing committees are willing to reach out and provide assistance when asked to do so.
7. Confirm the hours of operation for your event. Will it last one day or two? Will sites be open during the standard Doors Open hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or will shorter/longer days be more effective? Be sure to carefully consider the extra resources required for a two-day event.
8. Make use of all of the templates and tip sheets available in this Resource Centre.

Selecting participating sites

1. Develop guidelines for the selection of participating sites. Such guidelines ensure that participating sites meet the goals and objectives set out by the organizing committee.
2. Include as many normally inaccessible sites as possible. The main strength of the Doors Open Ontario program is its ability to provide access to places that aren’t normally open.
3. Focus on more than just old buildings. Some of the most popular Doors Open Ontario sites are neither old nor buildings.
4. Talk to people in your community to find out which sites they would like to see opened. People are going to have varied tastes when it comes to the sites they would like to see.
5. Take advantage of existing resources within your community to develop a short list of potential sites. Consult heritage registers, lists of designated properties, cultural asset maps, etc.
6. Remember that opening more sites doesn’t necessarily translate to more visitors. Be selective in choosing sites and select the ones that offer the best visitor experience.
7. Cap the number of sites you are willing to open during your event based on event resources. If there is more demand than supply, create a waitlist. Waitlist sites may be added to the event roster if a current site has to drop out of the program.
8. Select sites in clusters within a short distance of one another. This encourages visitors to get outside, walk from site to site and enjoy the overall community – not just the sites.
9. Select sites that capitalize on current trends in tourism. For example, if culinary tourism is popular in your region, include local farms, restaurants and wineries on your site roster. There are options for “green buildings” and “local food and drink” themed sites within the Building Type drop-down menu on the Doors Open Ontario website. Be sure to take advantage of these theme categories when uploading site information.
10. Open as many private residences as possible. Residences are often the best-attended sites. Be sure to ask homeowners if they’d be willing to open their homes.
11. Don’t immediately dismiss sites that are not in prime condition. There is often a sense of curiosity attached to sites that are abandoned or seemingly undesirable. If safety or liability is a concern, consider developing a waiver for visitors to sign before they enter the site.
12. Develop walking tours that focus on a specific facet of your community’s history. Tours can be designed based on location (e.g., downtown, waterfront, industrial areas, etc.) or theme (e.g., modern architecture, homes of influential residents, ghost stories, etc.).
13. If a site is unable to open for Doors Open, consider adding it to a walking tour to be included in a walk-past way. This allows for information and stories to be shared without actually accessing the property.

Managing sites

1. Choose one site to function as your Doors Open Headquarters. This site should be centrally located and staffed by knowledgeable representatives able to answer questions about the event. All promotional pieces should be available at your headquarters site.
2. Nominate one Doors Open Ambassador from each participating site. This ambassador should function as the liaison between the site and the organizing committee and should attend any necessary event meetings.
3. Develop a mentorship program between new and returning sites. The experienced sites will be able to provide guidance, answer questions and share best practices.
4. Reinforce the fact that each participating site is an operating partner in the production of the event. Site representatives are much more likely to promote the event themselves when they have a stake in its success. Ask that they spread information about the event through their distribution lists, on their websites and by word of mouth.
5. Ask site representatives if they have ideas on how to make the visitor experience more interactive. Are there historical photos that can be displayed? Is there a restoration project that can be described? Are there hands-on activities in which visitors can participate?
6. Provide access to more than just the main building. Encourage sites to extend their tours to other elements of a property (e.g., gardens, areas of archeological interest, archival storage areas, significant cultural collections or antique cars/boats).
7. Ensure that sites are able to remain open for the duration of the event. Make concessions for reduced hours only if absolutely necessary and make sure that hours of operation are clearly advertised before and during the event.
8. Encourage visitors to sign in at each site. Sign-in sheets should include columns for name, place of residence, comments and any other basic information that you wish to collect. For privacy purposes, you should include a general statement about what the gathered information will be used for (e.g., marketing or evaluation purposes).
9. Use additional signs for sites that may be off the beaten path to direct visitors from the main roads. New directional signs can be created or yellow Doors Open Ontario signs can be modified into directional signs by taping arrows on them with electrical tape or attaching them with Velcro. (Remember to remove the tape immediately after the event to prevent damage to the signs and to keep them in good condition for future years.)
10. Determine GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) for each participating site. In addition to helping visitors navigate their way to sites, GPS coordinates are also critical for creating digital maps. GPS coordinates can also be added to the Doors Open Ontario website.
11. At sites where visitors are required to remove their shoes (such as private residences), provide plastic bags so each person can carry their footwear through the site. This prevents clutter at the front door and allows visitors to exit out a side or back door.

Recruiting and managing volunteers

1. Determine volunteer requirements early in the planning process by consulting with all sites. Many sites will be self-sufficient and will not require additional volunteers.
2. Put out a call for volunteers in your local newspaper and on your website. Be sure to clearly describe the roles and responsibilities of all volunteer positions. The Doors Open Ontario website also has a section for you to recruit volunteers for your event. A tab on your Event page (Becoming a volunteer) can also be used to provide contact information and other information about getting involved.
3. Recruit volunteers from organizations with a vested interest in heritage – like historical societies, municipal heritage committees and genealogical organizations.
4. Invite high school students to volunteer at Doors Open sites. Students must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities to receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
5. Involve the mayor/reeve and local councillors in the event. Have elected representatives greeting and welcoming visitors to municipally-owned or -operated sites.
6. Develop volunteer participation forms and bring them to various community events in the months leading up to your Doors Open date.
7. Try to find a site expert for each participating site. These individuals will be able to respond to in-depth or detailed questions that other volunteers may not be able to answer.
8. Assign specific jobs for volunteers at each site (i.e., visitor counter, greeter, information agent, etc.) so that they know exactly what their responsibilities are on the day of the event.
9. Organize a pre-event orientation session to discuss responsibilities and familiarize volunteers with the program and participating sites. Be careful not to overburden volunteers with too many meetings before the event.
10. Issue brightly coloured T-shirts, hats or other identifiers to volunteers so that they can be quickly and easily identified by visitors.
11. Make special arrangements to open select sites for a pre-event volunteer tour. Otherwise, volunteers who work a full-day shift at a single site will not be able to catch a glimpse of any other sites.
12. Distribute goodie bags to volunteers at each site. The bags can contain snacks and keepsakes donated by local markets and retailers.
13. Organize a post-event barbeque, pizza party or get-together to thank volunteers for their help. This is also a good time to collect event materials (signs, attendance sheets, surveys, leftover promotional items, etc.) from site representatives.
14. Nominate your volunteers to be recognized through local awards programs. If your organizing committee did an exceptional job, consider nominating them through the Ontario Heritage Trust’s Recognition programs. Or if the volunteer group consisted of young people, consider nominating them for the Trust’s Young Heritage Leaders program.

Partnerships

1. Work with natural heritage organizations, environmental agencies, conservation authorities and outdoor/hiking clubs to organize a Trails Open Ontario activity as part of your Doors Open event.
2. Create a regional network of Doors Open Ontario events. If there are several events occurring within one tourism region, encourage support from the local Regional Tourism Organization.
3. Consult with neighbouring communities to develop partnerships that will assist in delivering successful events. Consider hosting events on adjacent dates (i.e., one on Saturday and the other on Sunday) or producing joint promotional materials.
4. Partner with other local arts, heritage and/or cultural organizations to broaden the range of activities offered during your event. Invite local artists to show their work at participating sites or have musical or theatrical groups host short performances.
5. Cross-promote your Doors Open event with other local cultural events and festivals. Agree to provide advertising for one another in your respective promotional materials.
6. Develop strategic partnerships with media outlets – newspapers, magazines and television/radio stations – that have the ability to circulate event details to large audiences.
7. If your event occurs during the school year, be sure to notify local school boards. Arrange for classes to visit a couple of participating sites on the Friday prior to the event.

Sponsorships and funding

1. Make funding requests as far in advance of your event as possible. This gives potential funders more time to work your funding request into their annual budgets.
2. Become familiar with all federal, provincial and regional programs that provide grants in the field of heritage, tourism, arts, culture and economic development.
3. Develop a one-page, fact-filled backgrounder about your event that describes why it is important to the community. Hand-deliver this document to all potential sponsors.
4. Include advertising space in all of your Doors Open promotional materials. The revenue from the ad space will often outweigh the cost of designing and producing the piece.
5. Create a tiered sponsorship system that provides potential sponsors with different opportunities based on their level of commitment. Ensure that the benefit of sponsorship progressively increases as one moves from a lower-level to upper-level sponsorship.
6. Provide an opportunity for sponsors in different sectors to become an “Official Partner” of your event. Set clear guidelines for the level of commitment required to become the “Official Restaurant” or “Official Hotel” of your Doors Open event.
7. Encourage participating sites to put out donation boxes during the event so that visitors can make small financial contributions. Be sure to specify beforehand what the contributions will be used for and provide this information to visitors (and volunteers) on the day of the event.
8. Request small in-kind or cash contributions from participating sites that can be used to offset event expenses.

Marketing and promotion

1. Remember that good advertising is key to a successful event. Use as many different media as possible – print, radio, television, web, social media, etc. If people don’t know about the event, they won’t attend.
2. Emphasize the fact that the event is FREE to attend. Don’t be afraid to include the word FREE in big, colourful capital letters on all promotional items.
3. Create a distinctive and original logo or slogan that will help to establish a brand for your event. Get it out into the public domain as early as possible to generate buzz. And feel free to include it on the Doors Open Ontario website (in the Community information section of your event page).
4. Try to maintain consistency from year to year in the look and feel of your promotional materials. Build a brand that people will immediately recognize.
5. Create an event-specific website on a web domain that is clearly recognizable as your official site (e.g., www.doorsopenanytown.ca). Even if the content mirrors what appears on your event page on the Doors Open Ontario website, a standalone website extends promotional reach and provides an additional outlet for posting (and cross-promoting) information.
6. Develop an event brochure that contains a list of all participating sites, addresses for each site and a map showing how to get to each site.
7. Rather than simply describing a site, ensure that site listings in your event brochure also outline any special programming that is planned. Be sure to include important details such as start times and specific locations.
8. Suggest other nearby places to visit for each participating site listed in your event brochure. For example, include details for nearby restaurants, markets, conservation areas or unique businesses. Not only will this help to promote nearby attractions, it also provides more incentive for a visitor to travel to a specific town or site.
9. Post a PDF version of your event brochure online as far in advance of your event as possible. This allows out-of-town visitors to plan their visit before they leave home. And PDF documents are more accessible and user-friendly than Word documents. But be sure to include your event name and pertinent contact information on the PDF. Once someone saves it, it’s no longer attached to your website.
10. Don’t underestimate the importance of including maps on promotional materials. Visitors should be able to find their way from site to site using an event brochure.
11. Develop a Doors Open Google map that shows the location of each site and provides photos and descriptions. There is an online tutorial to guide you through the process.
12. Don’t reveal too much about participating sites in promotional materials – just say enough to create interest. Rather than including details about an interesting story, tell visitors to ask volunteers about it. This provides more incentive to visit the site.
13. Establish a presence on social media websites. Create a Facebook page for event followers and use Twitter to communicate event updates.
14. When using social media, ensure that followers are provided with an opportunity to express their opinions. Discussions before the event can establish a buzz and event feedback can lead to general event improvements in the future.
15. Include media outlets such as radio stations, television studios and newspaper offices as sites in your event. These types of sites are more likely to provide in-kind advertising support if they have a stake in the event’s success.
16. Plan a media launch in the week prior to the event to raise awareness among local media outlets. Invite elected officials to speak about the importance of the event and heritage conservation in general.
17. Post stickers on Doors Open Ontario brochures to provide more information about your event. Stickers should include contact information specific to your event.

Value-added programming

1. Develop contests for both adults and children to enjoy. Host a photography contest for adults and a colouring book contest or scavenger hunt for children.
2. Cluster child-friendly activities at the sites that are most likely to interest children. Consider producing a children’s guide with games and puzzles to provide even more incentive for young visitors to attend. You can then designate your participating sites as kid-friendly on the Doors Open Ontario website. Be sure to check the kid-friendly box when uploading site information to the website.
3. Create Doors Open passports that can be stamped each time a person visits a site. Have visitors return their passports after the event for a prize draw.
4. Work with local transit providers to offer free or discounted fares during your event. Strike a deal so that riders carrying a Doors Open brochure or passport receive the discounted fare.
5. Coordinate buses to carry visitors between sites. Operating patterns can be designed two ways. Buses can follow a loop path and cycle continuously between sites (with only a short stop at each). Or they can follow a predetermined route where they arrive at a scheduled time, sit idle while passengers visit the site, and then depart once riders are ready to be shuttled to the next site.
6. Develop event-themed discount packages so that Doors Open visitors can enjoy reduced rates at hotels, restaurants and other local businesses.
7. Use promotional materials to disseminate information about your community’s heritage conservation efforts. Indicate which participating sites are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, which have provincial plaques, which are on the Ontario Heritage Act Register, etc.
8. Use your event to attract public support for existing or future conservation projects. If a site is at risk, ask visitors for their support in securing its future.

Ensuring success and creating a lasting impact

1. Adopt the annual theme promoted by the Ontario Heritage Trust or develop your own annual theme to keep programming fresh and new. There is a checkbox on the Doors Open Ontario website that allows you to highlight sites connected to the Trust’s annual theme. Be sure to use this checkbox when uploading site information to the website.
2. Re-evaluate your list of potential sites every year. If a site has had poor attendance compared to other sites over the last several years, it may not be a good fit for your event. Or it may be time to give the site a rest. Taking a break from the program often refreshes both the site and its volunteers.
3. Encourage returning sites to develop specialized tours that are detailed in nature. This allows for the content of the tours to be reinvented and renewed each year.
4. Refocus regional events on an annual basis to include new communities. If you focused on Community A in your first year, centre your event around Community B in Year 2, Community C in Year 3, etc.
5. Ensure the sustained success and operation of your event. If it becomes difficult to find volunteers or new sites, consider operating your event every other year.
6. Design promotional materials that will have a use beyond the event itself. If event details (e.g., event date and hours) are left off of site flyers, extras can be reused throughout the year or even at the following year’s event.
7. Develop a project timeline that outlines a schedule for completing all associated tasks. A timeline is an invaluable reference tool in cases where event planning is being handled by a new or inexperienced project coordinator.
8. Have a representative of the organizing committee travel around to each site on the day of the event to check in, answer questions and ensure that everything is operating properly and smoothly.
9. Take lots of photographs during your event. The resulting photos can be sent to media outlets for news articles or used in the following year’s promotional materials. They can also be submitted to the Doors Open Ontario website as post-event images or for site listings next year. You can also post images to the Trust's Flickr page.
10. Don’t base your success on attendance alone. Talk to visitors and site representatives to get a first-hand account of what people enjoyed the most about your event.
11. Develop a survey to collect detailed statistics from event attendees. Be sure to collect both quantitative and qualitative data and focus on gathering only the information that is most important to you and your community. For privacy purposes, be sure to include a standard disclaimer that indicates what this gathered information will be used for. A template survey is available in this Resource Centre.
12. Collect email addresses on site sign-in sheets, surveys or passports so that visitors can be notified of future Doors Open events. Send update emails that detail significant milestones and encourage people to forward them to their contacts.
13. Use data available from the Trust to quantify the local economic impact of your event. This data is useful when developing funding and partnership proposals. New data will be continuously updated on the Trust’s website in the new Resources section. Stay tuned!
14. Attend any Doors Open Ontario workshops or symposiums that are offered. These events provide a great opportunity to network with representatives from other events.
15. You get out what you put in! If you spend extra time and effort advertising and coordinating activities, you will likely attract more visitors and have a more successful event.

Participating in Doors Open Ontario: A site organizer’s guide

Thank you for agreeing to open your site as part of the Doors Open Ontario program.

The Ontario Heritage Trust has developed this document to assist you in managing your site during your local Doors Open Ontario event. For specific questions related to your involvement in the program, please contact your local Doors Open Ontario Community Organizing Committee.

History of Doors Open

The first Doors Open Day (La Journée Portes Ouvertes) took place in France in 1984. The idea soon spread to neighbouring countries, including the Netherlands, Sweden, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Scotland. In 1991, these events were united as European Heritage Days at the initiative of the Council of Europe. In 2003, all 48 signatory states of the European Cultural Convention participated in European Heritage Days.

In 2000, the City of Toronto launched the first Doors Open event in North America. In 2002, the Ontario Heritage Trust launched Doors Open Ontario, the first provincewide event of its kind in Canada. The Doors Open concept continues to spread across North America, with events now being held in Newfoundland, Alberta, Massachusetts, Western New York State, New York City and Denver.

Health, safety and security

In opening any property to the public, the possibility must be considered that personal injury, safety, theft, loss or damage may occur. As a site owner/operator you must also ensure that security, insurance, liability and health and safety issues are addressed in accordance with legal requirements. Public safety and security are of utmost importance.

Sites should be equipped to provide the following:

• barrier-free access wherever possible (full or partial access)
• information about nearby parking (street or lot parking) and public transit services
• a procedure for crowd control and line-ups (barricades, marked entry/exit, etc.)
• information about washroom availability (on or adjacent to the site)
• security against theft/destruction of property (volunteer attendants, removal of vulnerable articles, cameras, cordoned off areas, etc.)
• adequate public liability and property insurance
• health and safety provisions (first aid kits, fire exits, etc.)

Note: The Ontario Heritage Trust will not assume responsibility for any accidents, injuries, loss or theft of items that occur during community Doors Open Ontario events.

Safety and security

It is up to each site to protect any personal belongings, collections or the property itself from theft or vandalism, and to protect visitors from risk of harm.

Property owners can take several precautions to minimize risk:

• Be cautious about items that are put on display. Items of great value (including any priceless antiques or technological equipment) should be locked up, removed or not located in places where they could be in danger of being stolen.
• Never explain any security features of the property, or discuss where items of value are kept. Rooms housing items of value may be cordoned off to restrict people from entering, and, if required, certain rooms or areas of the property may be locked.
• Signpost any areas where the taking of photographs is not permitted. It is acceptable to ban photography in certain areas of a property to protect against potential theft or copyright matters.
• Monitor the property and/or collection. Have volunteers or staff on security watch to guard the property and/or collection (attendants monitoring security should not be expected to answer questions from visitors as it could distract them). For certain sites, existing closed-circuit television systems will enhance security.
• Monitor the maximum capacity of the site. Some sites may have limited capacity. In these cases, monitor the number of people entering and exiting the property to ensure that the crowd does not get too large, thereby posing a risk to safety and security.
• Ensure that site visitors will be physically safe by identifying and removing any potential and actual hazards (e.g., tripping hazards, provision of adequate lighting and unlocking emergency exits).

Public liability and property insurance

Each site should discuss the topic of insurance with their local organizing committee.

Due to the diverse range of organizations, levels of government and volunteers involved in managing Doors Open Ontario community events, there is no consistent approach to insurance across the province.

Some participating sites – such as commercial, federal, provincial and municipal buildings – may have their own public liability insurance if they are normally open to the public. For community events that are led by a municipality, the public liability insurance held by these bodies may cover the participating sites. But each site will have to check with their insurance carrier.

Each participating site must ensure that they have adequate public liability and property insurance to open their site to the public. The onus is on the site owner to verify whether their existing insurance coverage is adequate, or whether they will require additional coverage. As circumstances may vary from carrier to carrier, it is important that each site works directly with their insurance provider to determine whether adequate coverage is in place.

Your local organizing committee may request that each owner/operator sign an agreement confirming that the site is insured for public liability, damage and theft and that committee members will not assume any responsibility for any accidents, injuries, damage or loss that may occur during their Doors Open community event.

Interpreting properties

Visitors should receive information about the historical, cultural, natural or architectural significance of your site. Information may be provided by any convenient means – e.g., flyers, brochures, interpretive panels, multimedia shows, lectures, exhibitions, informal tours or through direct discussions with the onsite volunteers.

Interpretive materials do not have to be extravagant or expensive. The quality of materials produced should be consistent with available resources. Photocopies of existing brochures or flyers are usually sufficient.

More detailed information could be provided to specific volunteers who could act as Information Agents so that they will have additional information to provide the visitors. If a key volunteer is available to answer more questions, ensure that all other volunteers can identify this individual and direct visitors to this person as required.

Your Organizing Committee may be planning to prepare a standardized interpretation pamphlet for all sites involved in your local Doors Open event. Be sure to check with your Organizing Committee before putting effort or expense into producing your own interpretive materials.

Developing events/activities

Admission to the main attraction at each participating site must be free to the public. Sites that are normally open to the public might want to consider opening an additional part of the property or arranging a special activity. It is acceptable to charge a fee for special activities or events as a method of raising funds or offsetting expenses.

You might want to consider guided walks and tours, concerts, exhibitions, lectures, re-enactments or special children’s activities.

Walks and tours are popular. You might use them to illustrate the work of an architect, special period in time or the history of a district. Properties can also be used as the setting for a historical lecture, art exhibition or musical concert. Re-enactments also attract crowds – consider recreating a famous battle, event or court case that occurred at a site.

Be sure to discuss plans for any special event or activity with your local Doors Open Organizing Committee, so that they can promote it in their marketing materials.

Promotion and publicity

Your Doors Open Organizing Committee will handle the overall marketing and promotion of the event in your community and region. As a participating site, however, you can assist with promotion in many ways:

• use your site to distribute to the public copies of local marketing materials and the Doors Open Ontario brochure
• promote your site’s involvement in the event to anyone related to your site (employees, members, clients, etc.) – this can be accomplished through newsletters, announcements, email notifications, website listings
• on the day(s) of the event, ensure that the signs, flags, banners or balloons provided by your local Doors Open Organizing Committee to identify and promote your site are installed in a prominent position at your location – this should be done a minimum of one hour before your site is scheduled to open; these signs are key to helping visitors identify the location of your site from the street

Managing volunteers

The Ontario Heritage Trust has prepared a separate tip sheet to assist site owners in managing volunteers. Please request a copy of the Doors Open Ontario tip sheet – Managing and Recruiting Volunteers – from your local Doors Open Organizing Committee.

Managing visitors

The number of visitors to properties varies greatly; it is difficult to predict how many visitors any property/event will attract. Sites/events in areas where there are lots of Doors Open Ontario activities will attract more visitors than isolated properties. The more properties/events in one area, the more visitors there will usually be in attendance. Weather and other unforeseen circumstances can also have an impact on the visitor turnout.

Organizers need to devise a simple admissions procedure. Be prepared to deal with crowds at some sites. If necessary, set aside a waiting area and use the space for a display, refreshments or the sale of merchandise. Appoint a volunteer to keep everyone informed.

Each site should develop a method of tracking the number of visitors to the property. Attendance figures will need to be recorded for submission to the Organizing Committee as part of the post-event evaluation report that each site will be asked to complete. The submission of accurate attendance figures is vital to measuring the success of the program and to assist with future planning of the provincewide program.

Fundraising and the sale of merchandise

Doors Open Ontario is an ideal vehicle for fundraising related to the maintenance or restoration of your site. As mentioned above, additional programming components or activities can be offered for a fee. You might also consider the sale of merchandise and refreshments (gift shop items, souvenir books, crafts, baked goods, etc.). Merchandise sales can enhance the visitor experience. Placing a donation box near the exit to your site is also another acceptable method of fundraising.

Recruiting and managing volunteers

Community Organizing Committees should ensure that each participating site provides sufficient volunteers and/or staff at each property to manage visitors adequately.

Your organizing committee may want to appoint one person to act as a Volunteer Coordinator. This person, if required, could assist site owners and operators with recruiting and managing volunteers. They would also coordinate any volunteer recognition initiatives.

There is also an area on your Doors Open Ontario event page (called Become a volunteer) where you can advertise volunteer opportunities to encourage locals to get more involved with your event. When entering information for your event page, be sure to add some text and contact information to recruit volunteers. For more information, contact the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Volunteers and/or staff at community Doors Open Ontario sites:

• ensure public safety (crowd control, removal/marking of hazards, etc.)
• provide information to the public (direct visitors to entryways, exits and washrooms, answer questions, provide directions to other Doors Open Ontario sites in the community, etc.)
• guide tours and provide interpretive materials/experiences
• protect the site (act as security attendants – security attendants should not be responsible for providing public information as it distracts their attention)
• ensure that each site is easily identifiable from the street with well-posted signs

Recruiting volunteers

• Your Doors Open Ontario event should be fun and exciting. The volunteers in your community will perform important roles at each of the participating sites. When an event is perceived as fun and rewarding, it may encourage long-term volunteerism at sites where strong volunteer groups never existed before.
• Participating in Doors Open Ontario allows volunteers to contribute significantly to a regional and provincewide heritage tourism initiative. Volunteers do not need to be historians to join in the fun. Volunteers are needed in many capacities to make the event a success (see below for examples of volunteer roles and responsibilities).
• Students and young people in your community should be encouraged to participate. Contact local high schools and have your event registered as one of the volunteer opportunities students can participate in to accumulate the 40 hours of volunteer service they require to obtain their high school diplomas.
• Be patient and flexible with your volunteers. Many people are eager to participate and assist with your event. But it may take some guidance and encouragement until you find the right role for them.
• Volunteer recognition is important. Volunteers who feel that their time was well spent and that their efforts were appreciated will return to help in future years.

Suggestions for recognition

• Check with museums and galleries in your community to see if they would be willing to provide you with complimentary passes to their attractions. Then hold a draw after your Doors Open Ontario event concludes. Or, if you have secured enough passes, you may be able to provide something for everyone who assisted.
• Seek a corporate sponsor who may be able to provide T-shirts, refreshments or incentive gifts for your volunteer group.
• Hold a launch event or post-event reception to recognize your volunteers.
• Send a thank-you letter to each volunteer and the site owners/operators from the community organizing committee.
• Complete the Trust’s Volunteer Appreciation Form (also part of this Resource Centre) to ensure that volunteers receive a special thank-you card from the Chair of the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Managing volunteers

How many volunteers are needed at each Doors Open Ontario site?

• The number of volunteers required at a property depends entirely on the size of the site and how the interpretation of the property is managed. If you have flyers, interpretive panels, multimedia shows, lectures, exhibitions and/or informal tours that enable visitors to learn about the site through self-guided instruction, the number of volunteers required may be reduced.
• Many previous Doors Open Ontario community participants have found that six to eight volunteers per site, per shift are sufficient.
• Ideally, each site should be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (depending on your event's hours). You could have two three-hour shifts – which means you will need twice as many volunteers – or one six-hour shift.
• If you opt for longer shifts, appoint a floater who can relieve volunteers throughout the day. Ensure that each volunteer has an opportunity to take a break during the shift. See “What are the roles of the volunteers?” below for information on the “floater” or “key contact” person.

How should you prepare your volunteers before the event?

• Identify the capabilities and interests of your volunteers. Assign roles that are appropriate for each volunteer.
• Hold an information session where all volunteers can meet to discuss their roles. Ensure that everyone understands his or her role. Remember, volunteers do not have to be a heritage expert or historian to participate.
• Ask your volunteers to work with site experts to develop answers to questions that visitors commonly ask. Most visitors will just want the highlights.
• Provide information packages to your volunteers with key messages and information about the site and the Doors Open Ontario program. Remember that you are encouraged, wherever possible, to promote the provincewide Doors Open Ontario program as a condition of participating.
• Let volunteers know that if someone asks a question that they cannot answer, then they should direct that person to someone who may know more – for example, a key volunteer who is a historian or heritage expert.
• Each volunteer should know where the washrooms and exits are located, as well as the locations of, and directions to, other participating sites in your community.
• Each volunteer should know basic procedures in case of an emergency. The key contact (see below) should be in charge of each site each day of the event. This individual will organize visitors and volunteers should an emergency arise.
• If merchandise is available at your site, ensure that volunteers know where to direct visitors should they wish to purchase something.
• If visitors wish to contact the Ontario Heritage Trust, have volunteers refer them to the Doors Open Ontario brochure or website for contact information. (The Doors Open Ontario brochure, supplied by the Ontario Heritage Trust, should be distributed along with your local Doors Open community event brochure/guide/map.)
• Ensure that volunteers are familiar with the survey that they will be distributing to visitors who tour the site.

What roles can site volunteers play?

• Greeters/Visitor counters: Ideally, two people should be positioned at the main entrance of each site to count (either manually or with a mechanical counter) visitors as well as provide basic information about the site. An accurate head-count is vital to measure the success of your community event and in future planning of the Doors Open Ontario program. Distribute handouts to all visitors as they arrive. Let them know which rooms are open in your site. If there is a guided tour, direct them to an area where they can wait for the next tour to commence. If members of the media visit, direct them to the key contact person who will ensure that they get the information they require. Greeters should also give visitors a Doors Open Ontario Visitor Survey (supplied by the Ontario Heritage Trust as part of these Resource Centre materials) or your locally designed survey.
• Sales agents: Sales agents, if required, may be needed to conduct cash sales at the site (merchandise, refreshments, etc.). They may also be responsible for re-stocking inventory, managing the cash float and preparing sales reports after each shift. At the end of the day (or whenever determined by you), money should be handed off to the key contact person at each site.
• Information agents: At least two people should be assigned to this post. Information agents will either conduct guided tours of the site, or they will be positioned in key locations throughout the site to answer visitors’ questions.
• Floater: One person may act as a floater. The floater should be able to do all of the above jobs. The key contact person (see below) may double as the floater if you find that you do not have sufficient volunteers to cover all shifts. The floater may relieve each volunteer for a break during the day, assuming the roles and responsibilities of each volunteer during that time. The floater also ensures that all volunteers are prepared for, and comfortable with, their roles.
• Key contact: One person should be on hand to oversee all volunteers. This individual could also be the central resource for all media. The key contact person sets up interviews with volunteers or visitors and assists in determining the best locations for photographs. This person is also in charge should an emergency arise. At the end of each day, the key contact person ensures that the site is secured, the money and Doors Open Ontario Visitor Surveys are collected, and that all Doors Open Ontario signs are brought inside and secured.

This is a good template to use when you're inviting sites to participate in your Doors Open event [PDF | 152 KB]

Use this template when building a survey for your Doors Open Ontario visitors [PDF | 130 KB]

With this template, you can sign up your volunteers to receive recognition for their valuable work and time [MS Word | 29 KB]

This template also provides basic instructions on crafting a media release for your event [PDF | 164 KB]

Please order your signs at least one month prior to your event. Unless otherwise specified by you, signs will be delivered one week prior to your event.

Please take a few minutes to complete this evaluation form. Your answers will help the Ontario Heritage Trust assess the impacts of Doors Open Ontario in your community and will provide insight on how to improve the Doors Open Ontario program in future years. Please complete and return the form within one month of the completion of your event. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Ontario Heritage Trust using the information noted at the bottom of this page.

English logo, black and white, with Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

English logo, colour, with Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

English logo, black and white, without Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

English logo, colour, without Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

French logo, black and white, with Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

French logo, colour, with Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

French logo, black and white, without Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

French logo, colour, without Ontario Heritage Trust [PNG | JPG]

If you need the logo in another format, let us know.