Built in 1911, this Edwardian-era red brick generating station is one of the oldest in Ontario. In its early years, it powered the local railway and paper mills and drove the region's economic growth. For 115 years, it has continuously harnessed the mighty Otonabee River to generate electricity for Peterborough – using the original turbines and equipment.

What happens to food you throw into green bins? Visit the big white dome at the landfill to see where the contents are mixed with leaf waste, ground, stewed, placed in windrows and churned up. After 10 weeks, the food waste contents from 27,000 bins turns into mountains of rich compost used by nearby farms to grow new food.

What happens when you flush the toilet? Find out how Peterborough’s wastewater treatment plant uses screens, settling beds, aeration, ferric sulphate, micro-organisms and ultraviolet light to turn 68,000 cubic metres (2,401,400 cubic feet) of filthy effluent into clear, clean water safe enough to return to the Otonabee River every day, since the 1920s.

Built in 1920 following water-borne cholera and typhoid outbreaks, this plant was the first in Canada to use rapid sand filtration and the second to use chlorination for disinfection. Pumps in the original Edwardian building continue to work in this modernized and expanded facility that supplies 104 million liters of safe, clean water to the city every day.

Prepared by local historian Gord Young, explore the historic route across Inverlea Bridge to Goose Pond, Peterborough’s lost hamlet. Built in 1910, it was Peterborough’s first reinforced concrete bridge. Its three graceful melon arches, formed of virtually indestructible compressed Portland cement, remain one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Meet at the corner of Parkhill Road East and Auburn Street.

Since 1988, Hospice Peterborough has provided compassionate support to people living with serious illness, grief and loss, as well as their caregivers. Completed in 2019, the exterior of the facility was designed to honour the historic Langton House that once stood on the site. During Doors Open Peterborough, meet friendly volunteers and learn more about the site and Hospice’s services.

Have you ever wondered what the symbols on gravestones really mean? Join local historian Don Willcock for a guided walking tour of Peterborough’s historic Little Lake Cemetery and discover the hidden meanings behind iconic memorials. Opened in 1850 and surveyed with the assistance of Sandford Fleming, the cemetery is the final resting places of some of Peterborough’s most prominent citizens.

This Baptist congregation first gathered in a chapel in 1846. After 65 years of growth, they hired famed ecclesiastical architect Edmund Burke to design this Gothic Revival stone edifice. Celebrating its 180th anniversary, the church remains a downtown landmark, known for its crenellated tower and community outreach, including emergency shelter, food and clothing.

Built in 1875 in the Italianate style, the Old Examiner Building was home to the Peterborough Examiner from the 1880s through the 1930s. During Doors Open, visitors are invited to step inside this historic landmark and explore its new life as the modern offices of B&A Landscape Architects and EcoVue Consulting. Entrance is located on Chambers Street.

Opened in 2022, the Peterborough & County Military Museum invites visitors to discover the region’s remarkable military heritage. Located on the ground floor of the historic Peterborough Armoury and operated by knowledgeable volunteers, the museum features artifacts and stories spanning the War of 1812, the 1837 Rebellion, Fenian Raids, both World Wars, the Korean War and today’s peacekeeping missions.

Built in 1892 for industrialist James Kendry, Sadleir House is a striking Queen Anne home that was once the heart of Trent University’s Peter Robinson College. Now run by the not-for-profit P. R. Community and Student Association, it has been turned into a vibrant community hub hosting concerts, exhibitions and more. Enjoy staff-led tours and a vintage clothing display by Statement House.

Showplace has been home to outstanding live performances since 1996. Built in 1947 as the Odeon Cinema, it later operated as the two-screen Trent Cinema from 1979 to 1995. Purchased by the newly formed Showplace Board of Directors, the building was lovingly transformed into a vibrant live performance venue that continues to entertain audiences today.

Celebrating its 200th anniversary, St. John’s is Peterborough’s oldest church. The church was built of Jackson Creek limestone in 1835-37 and is one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Ontario. Come and admire the beautiful stained glass and other features of this vibrant Anglican parish that serves both the spiritual and material needs of the community.