Sheave Tower (owned and operated by the Cambridge branch of the Architectural Conservancy Ontario) is the province's last remaining wooden water-powered hydroelectric generator tower – a 19th-century marvel of ingenuity. This local landmark is neatly tucked away under a canopy of Carolinian forest and set within the boundaries of a provincially significant wetland. The 9.5-metre (31-foot) tower has been restored to its original bold oxblood colour. Built in 1876, it was a remarkable feat of engineering that harnessed waterpower via pulley and cable for the nearby gristmill. It was one of the world’s smallest hydroelectric generating projects. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below to learn more about this important historical building.

Laura and Josh Enns live in a museum – a Mennonite farmhouse built in 1850 that is located smack-dab in the middle of the University of Waterloo tech park. For the past four years, the young couple has called Brubacher House their home, living in modern accommodations on the second floor as they promote and manage the museum and its grounds. They're also working to update the narrative of the land to reflect its origins as territory belonging to the Attawandaron, Huron-Wendat, Anishnaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below to learn more about living and working in this museum.

A year-round tropical paradise and home to thousands of exquisite plants, butterflies, moths and bugs, the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory has been a remarkable institution in Waterloo Region since 2001. As a privately owned Canadian corporation, it is entirely self-reliant and must juggle the business of attraction with the responsibility of education, research and conservation. Andalyne Tofflemire, Conservatory Manager and naturalist, tours viewers throughout the magical 2,322-square-metre (25,000-square-foot) facility and its daily behind-the-scenes operations. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this tropical paradise.

Opened in 1993, The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery in Waterloo has become an integral part of the community while fostering and supporting emerging and established Canadian artists. Join us during Digital Doors Open for a behind-the-scenes tour of the vault, which contains 1,000 contemporary works in ceramics, glass and copper enameling. Curator Peter Flannery selects six pieces from the permanent collection to explore in detail, providing illuminating commentary about the works’ materials, style, esthetics and allure.

Dull, dirty and dangerous. These are the types of jobs that Clearpath Robotics is working to automate. Founded in 2009 by four University of Waterloo Mechatronics Engineering grads, Clearpath and its sister company OTTO Motors develop hardware, software and services to enable self-driving vehicle development, deployment and fleet operation. The award-winning company works with over 500 of the world’s most innovative brands in over 40 countries, serving markets that span industrial materials handling, mining, military, agriculture, aerospace and academia. Find out why Clearpath values automating dull, dirty and dangerous jobs in the following episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region.

This episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region features a conversation with Clarence Cachagee, the visionary behind Crow Shield Lodge – a place for reconciliation, Indigenous land-based teaching and healing. Filmed at the Lodge’s peaceful and remote location near New Hamburg, Cachagee shares his vision for a thriving community that is founded on unity, equality and understanding.

Author and historian Marion Roes has been surrounded by death her entire life. Her family founded Dreisinger Funeral Home in Elmira in 1904. Roes has written a 500-page book titled Death as Life’s Work, which lovingly and painstakingly documents an illustrated history of more than 120 undertakers and funeral businesses throughout Waterloo Region from 1850 through 2020. As part of Digital Doors Open, join Roes on this journey through the video below.

For all but 10 days of his life, Jim Eby has lived on this dairy farm in Woolwich, now known as Eby Manor. You'll be moo-ved by his story of the family operation that seized a golden (Guernsey) opportunity to create something truly special in the new niche milk market. Denoted by its unique, creamy texture and iconic glass bottles, Eby Manor and its small herd boast an avid following. As part of Digital Doors Open, find out more about Eby Manor and this dairy operation through the video below.

Part 1 of a two-part series on how Cambridge became Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale. The architecture, heritage buildings and stunning natural features of Cambridge are showcased in the award-winning web television series The Handmaid's Tale. The city's unique assets, central location and welcoming vibe for the production team made it winner. After three celebrated seasons and 37 major award victories, it's easy now to applaud the city's work to accommodate large production crews with tight schedules and narrow lead times. But what was it like for Devon Hogue, the Business Information Officer for the City of Cambridge during those first days in August 2016 when The Handmaid's Tale was just a concept being pitched for the first time? Just how do you explain to residents why there are gallows erected in the park, army tanks and men with machine guns on the bridge, and three bodies hanging from the wall by the river? Find out in the following episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region. And check the city's map of filming locations.

Part 2 of a two-part series on how Cambridge became Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale. Under her eye: The award-winning web television series The Handmaid's Tale showcases much of the architecture, heritage buildings and stunning natural features of Cambridge in its fictional rendering of a dystopian Gilead. The city's unique assets, central location, and welcoming vibe for the production team made it winner. After three celebrated seasons and 37 major award victories, many of these key locations have put Cambridge on the map worldwide – with viewers and film production companies alike. Devon Hogue, the Business Information Officer for the City of Cambridge, takes us on a tour of key locations and the many challenges and rewards along the way. Join the tour in the below episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region. And don’t forget to check out the filming locations on the city’s map.

In the 1960s, the burgeoning neighbourhood of Forest Hill in Kitchener was touted by developers as “gracious living,” and its model custom home of distinction was known as the Home of Enchantment. Six decades later, this mid-century modern beauty is celebrating a revival thanks to the ambitious vision of its second owners who have meticulously restored its original character and maximum potential while dressing it in unique, decadent and quirky interiors that make it truly one-of-a-kind. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this unique home.

The Galt Arena Gardens is the oldest continuously operating arena in the world. Built in 1921 and refurbished in 1997, it is an imposing structure, representative of the epic achievements within its storied walls. It has been home ice to some of the hockey greats. A celebration of its 100th anniversary in June 2022 brought generations together to revel in its heritage as a landmark at the heart of a community. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this historical local landmark through the video below.

Since 1993, Hospice Waterloo Region has provided vital care for those living with advanced illness and support for their loved ones. In 2021, the organization realized a new chapter with the opening of the Gies Family Centre, which includes the 10-bed Cook Family Residence that provides 24-hour care to patients and their families. Located on 2 hectares (5 acres) of land in north Waterloo, this facility embraces visitors through its thoughtful design, warm materials and inviting landscape. While the structure is inspired by the lands and history of the region, the work within its walls is anchored in a holistic approach to care and honouring the life journeys of the community it serves. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this state-of-the-art facility.

If you attended high school in Waterloo Region, you might be mortified to learn that your high school yearbook (and that hairdo) may be preserved as a historical resource in the Grace Schmidt Room at the Kitchener Public Library. Local yearbooks are one of 10 favourite items that are explored as part of Digital Doors Open by Karen Ball-Pyatt, Manager of the Grace Schmidt Room’s vast collection, which has been documenting the area's history and families since it opened in 1984.

On his Instagram account @beautyandruin, Cambridge photographer and history buff Michael Johnston showcases more than 1,000 images of heritage homes and stunning structures that illustrate the fascinating past, present and future of Waterloo Region. In this episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region (entitled Beauty and Ruin in Waterloo Region, shown below), Johnston shares a selection of his favourite images and the stories behind the structures. Sites include: the Dickson Park grandstand, Preston Free School, Jacob Beck home, homes built by architect Ray Hall, Preston Springs Hotel and a selection of churches ranging from Gothic to mid-century modern in design.

With nearly 50,000 items capturing life in Waterloo Region, the collection at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum is the most comprehensive of any local museum in Canada. These artifacts’ origins range from the 1500s to the modern era and are lovingly obtained by, and preserved in, the museum’s state-of-the-art Curatorial Centre. The acquisition and safekeeping of these items provides a comprehensive visual history of the region and its stories. But the effort to preserve the past also serves the community in understanding the present and navigating the future. Explore the Curatorial Centre in the video below.

Levi Carroll is best known for a log schoolhouse built in 1820 that was Waterloo’s first educational institution. Once the community outgrew the 5-metre by 6-metre (16-foot by 20-foot) schoolhouse, Carroll lived in it for more than 50 years. This important historical structure now rests in Waterloo Park and provides a backdrop for exploring more about Carroll – an ex-slave from Maryland who, despite the odds, lived into his 90s and was described in his 1897 obituary as “a citizen whom almost everyone knows.” But that familiarity has been lost to time. Author and social historian Joanna Rickert-Hall is working to resurrect Levi Carroll’s narrative and its ties to other lost local stories and important conversations. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below to learn more about Levi Carroll and this iconic landmark.

Seven generations have farmed the land in Woolwich Township that is now home to Martin’s Family Fruit Farm - one of the largest apple growers, packers and shippers in Canada. While the business has blossomed with innovation and expansion in the past decade, each one of the orchards’ millions of apples is still picked carefully by hand, and locals continue to buy apples in the onsite Orchard Market. With the help of up to 300 employees, the Martins still run this family business, and they do so according to their core values that support their mission of growing for healthy communities. During Digital Doors Open, learn more about this family and their thriving business through the video below.

It is nearly impossible to notice at first glance, but an underground bunker known as MEGHQ-FREEPORT sits along the Grand River in Kitchener’s Schneider Park. Owned by the Region of Waterloo, it was conceived and crafted to serve as a Cold War fallout shelter to protect key officials following a nuclear attack. Now, 55 years after its construction, this unique and crumbling piece of local history is sparking debate about its future. Should it be demolished? Or should the space be restored, preserved and reimagined? As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this Cold War fallout shelter.

From its headquarters on Blair Road in Cambridge, the rare Charitable Research Reserve works to discover the most inclusive practices and answers to environmental issues, stewarding the reserve’s diverse network of natural landscapes for ecological integrity and future generations. rare offers Waterloo Region a diverse network of connected natural areas, protected intact in perpetuity. Its leadership in conservation, research, restoration and education is encompassed in North House, an aspirational 60-square-metre (650-square-foot) solar-powered home and working model of green technology. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this fascinating structure.

The death industry is changing and Parkview Crematorium in Waterloo is one of just a handful of crematoriums still owned and operated by municipalities in Ontario. In 2019, it seemed Parkview might also close amidst competition from private operators. But the community rose to save it from the ashes.

Once upon a time, the Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) consisted of two grass air strips. Today, it consistently ranks as one of the 20 busiest airports in Canada. YKF is unique in many ways and this behind-the-scenes exploration of its daily operation reveals a thriving aviation community that is passionate about safety and growth. Still enchanted by the magic of air travel, the dedicated staff are planning today to better serve Waterloo Region tomorrow. Find out how in the following episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region.

Waterloo Region has had, over the past 150 years, sightings of two so-called river monsters. Join us as we explore these Loch Ness Monster-like creatures that are part of the region’s history. Sightings of the infamous Nithy of the Nith River were reported in newspapers throughout Ontario in the 1950s. The lesser-known Doon Monster of the Grand River bubbled up a century before. Both of these river monsters generated a groundswell of interest that united and divided neighbours in a wave of debate about con versus phenomenon. As part of Digital Doors Open, the video below begins at what is today the Homer Watson House & Gallery, where a young Homer Watson is regaled with tales of when the sea serpent came to Doon in 1857. In 1929, he shares these stories with a local newspaper, and that article becomes the starting point for this local legend.

Despite its location in the neighbouring municipality of Centre Wellington, the Shand Dam has been vital to the health and wellbeing of Waterloo Region since it opened in 1942. In this episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region, the Grand River Conservation Authority provides web visitors with exclusive access throughout the dam’s superstructure, explaining the marvellous wartime feats of engineering that created it, and the balance of technology and human knowledge required to maintain it.

SPECTRUM is Waterloo Region’s first ever LGBTQ/rainbow community space. The small-but-mighty haven created by SPECTRUM is currently located in the historical Boehmer Box building in Kitchener. This poignant episode explores the rainbow community's long struggle to establish safe gathering spaces within Waterloo Region, and includes a walking tour hosted by SPECTRUM's President, Cait Glasson. Watch the episode below from Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region and explore downtown Kitchener from Glasson's perspective.