Established in 1864, this cemetery has been the final resting place for folks born from the 18th to 21st centuries. A quiet space for contemplative walks, the cemetery offers the chance to study the lives of hundreds of people who once called Ingersoll home. A special feature for Doors Open Oxford-Ingersoll will be the opportunity to explore the mausoleum.

Construction of the inner range lighthouse began in 1898. It is 16 metres (52.5 feet) high and has a tapered eight-sided frame that supports a 12-sided lantern and beaver-shaped weathervane. Access to the lantern is provided by four very steep and narrow wooden staircases. Today, the lighthouses in Port Dalhousie serve as a symbol of St. Catharines and its maritime history. Explore this fascinating lighthouse as part of Digital Doors Open through the video below.

In 1820, this fine neoclassical gem was built by Joseph Abbott Keeler, founder of Colborne, Castleton and Norwood, and the son of Joseph Keeler, the original American settler. Joseph Jr. established several mills, a newspaper, and a store with a post office, and he oversaw the incorporation of Colborne village in 1859. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this site in the video below.

The newly renamed Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives is located in the former Lindsay Jail, constructed in 1863, and showcases historical artifacts from Lindsay and the surrounding area. Come and experience the history of Kawartha Lakes with their range of exhibits as well as aspects of the former jail, such as the cell blocks that still exist inside the museum.

The Keefer Terminal was conceptualized in 1957 by the Canadian Lakehead Port Association, a co-operative consisting of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the cities of Port Arthur and Fort William. The terminal stands out as a major feature of the Thunder Bay Port, and is an integral part of the region's shipping. It was built to augment existing bulk cargo-handling capabilities at the Lakehead with modern facilities for lake vessels carrying freight for Western Canada, and berthage for ocean-going vessels for handling import and export trade. With the transition of package freight movement to the Trans-Canada Highway in the 1980s, marine activity decreased at Keefer Terminal. Since 2004, the Port of Thunder Bay has revitalized the terminal as a supply-chain gateway for heavy, oversized breakbulk and project cargo. Keefer Terminal’s regular cargoes, primarily destined for Western Canada, include steel products, windmill components, electrical infrastructure and bulk phosphate fertilizer. Capital infrastructure investment of $30 million has modernized Keefer’s cargo handling assets, providing value for shippers using the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. Learn more about this fascinating site through the video below.

Joseph Keeler’s (1763-1839) ancestors date back to 1560 in Scotland. In 1795, Keeler left the American colonies and landed on Lake Ontario shores, with 40 United Empire Loyalist families in tow, at Cat Hollow, now Lakeport. He built a sawmill and grist mill and established the economic foundations of the area. Keeler built significant homes, including this one, and ran the local tavern. The Keeler dynasty was carried on by Joseph II and Joseph III and via judicial land grants. These pioneers were the first developers of Lakeport, Colborne, Castleton and Norwood. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this site in the video below.

One of Brampton's best-kept secrets is its picturesque lakes and rivers. Behind the thousands of homes and busy roads, visitors and residents alike will find a wonderful oasis of peaceful lakes and flowing rivers in the Brampton area. Brampton is home to both natural and man-made lakes, including Professor’s Lake, Heart Lake Conservation Area, Loafer’s Lake, Esker Lakes and Norton Place Park. Brampton’s rivers were also used thousands of years ago as transportation routes. Since then, they have been sources of power to drive mills and sources of water for farms. Today, they are a tremendous asset to both the natural landscape and wildlife of Brampton. As part of Digital Doors Open, you are invited to relax and enjoy Brampton’s beauty. Discover their many lakes and rivers by taking this self-guided tour. And, while you’re outside, bring along the Nature Rubbings Activity and discover all the treasures that nature has to offer.

The McMaster Museum of Art has developed a self-guided walking tour that highlights architecture on the campus, with information about the history, evolution and styles of architecture along the way. Access the tour here, with photographs sourced from McMaster’s digital archives. You can follow the text descriptions or use headphones and be guided by recorded audio.

Located in the northeastern corner of the City of Brampton is the uniquely designed Mount Royal/Pavilion Neighbourhood. Within the centre of this community, residents find natural spaces, a park and two educational facilities. One of Brampton’s most desirable neighbourhoods, and an exclusive community in Castlemore, is just minutes away from downtown Brampton. The Nurturing Neighbourhoods Program aims to connect residents with resources, improve civic engagement and empower residents to play an active role in enhancing their neighbourhood. We want to have meaningful conversations in our neighbourhoods. In 2020, and as part of Digital Doors Open, residents can enjoy a virtual neighbourhood walking experience and share what they love about their neighbourhood and what can be changed using the online survey and mapping tools. Though the city is there to support, the strongest neighbourhoods are made by the people who actually live there.

In 1765, British naval craftsmen from Fort Niagara erected a barracks on the opposite side of the Niagara River. Over the years, several buildings – known collectively as Navy Hall – evolved into a key military supply facility for British forts on the upper Great Lakes. During the American Revolution, the Provincial Marine wintered at Navy Hall and, in 1792, Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe converted one of the buildings into his residence. The Lieutenant Governor's home in the first capital of the Province of Upper Canada later served as a dining hall for the officers at Fort George. Navy Hall was destroyed by American forces during the War of 1812. After the war, the British rebuilt some of the buildings, of which one still survives today. As part of Digital Doors Open, you can learn more about this site’s remarkable history through the video below.

Located within close proximity to Bramalea City Centre, Bramalea Woods and Highway 410, the Norton Park neighbourhood represents one of Brampton’s most accessible neighbourhoods by various methods of transportation, including walking and cycling. The neighbourhood is also home to a hidden gem – Norton Place Park! This park features a boardwalk recreational trail along a small lake tucked behind the Lisa Towers (apartment buildings) and a community garden. Children can chase the ducks, climb in the playground and enjoy nature. As part of Digital Doors Open, enjoy a virtual tour of this park in the video below.

Where nature meets history! The O’Hara legacy began in 1789 when Patrick O'Hara arrived from Ireland and busied himself with starting a sawmill and creating a thriving homestead. Today, the O’Hara Mill Homestead is an opportunity to relive the day-to-day hardships and rewards of early pioneer life. Come and explore the restored original farmhouse, sawmill, carriage-house, shed and woodworking shop.

The Oriental Hotel was built in the 1890s to serve the village of Castleton, which was the township seat and a principal crossroads of agriculture. As well as the usual hotel services, it has housed a doctor’s office, the library and a branch of the Imperial Bank of Commerce. A family called Wolfraim owned and managed the hotel from 1903 to 1986, while another member of the same family owned the Brunswick Hotel on King Street in Colborne. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this site through the video below.

Built in 2011, the design of the Ottawa Humane Society celebrates its strong community values and commitment to the animals. The Shirley Kearns Memorial Adoption Centre was built to provide easy viewing and visiting of animals available for adoption. In the adoption centre, cats, dogs and small animals are housed in separate areas with rooms and enclosures designed to meet the animals’ daily needs. The education centre – a large, open, naturally lit room – hosts a variety of workshops and camps to teach pet owners about responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. In a modern clinic facility, veterinarians provide regular and emergency medical treatment for animals in shelter care. The clinic includes a critical care unit for Ottawa’s neediest animals, an X-ray room and surgery theatre. Before animals are ready for adoption, they are housed in the holding area. Holding is set up with high-volume/high-changeover air handling systems and full sanitary and wash-down facilities to provide maximum sanitation and to prevent the spread of disease. Administration is adjacent to the adoption centre and holding area to allow ease of access for staff and volunteers to the animal areas. The interconnected design promotes a strong connection between staff of various departments, volunteers and the public. During Digital Doors Open, take a virtual tour of the site and learn more about the important work that they do.

Some of the finest homes in Ingersoll can be found on Oxford Street. We invite you to get out of your vehicle, stretch your legs and marvel at the magnificent mansions along this tree-lined route. With this self-guided walking tour, thanks to the Ingersoll Public Library, you can explore the architecture – and the people – from Ingersoll’s past.

Come and visit this plaza during Doors Open Ottawa. Construction is underway to restore and modernize the Centre Block and advance construction of Canada’s new Parliament Welcome Centre. Though the Centre Block is currently closed, visitors during Doors Open can view a special exhibit featuring videos, images and information about the design plans for the building and the Parliamentary Precinct.

The earliest mention of Castleton occurs when Joseph A. Keeler (1788-1855), the founder of Colborne and son of the original settler of the township, built a mill there around 1806. In that year, Keeler would have been 18 — young to be in the building business. But this goes to show his ingenuity and pioneer spirit. At first, the settlement was known as Piper’s Corners, given its location on Piper’s Creek, then Centreville and later the British-sounding name of Castleton was adopted. In 1875, Samuel L. Purdy purchased the mill, built the adjacent Gothic farmhouse in 1880, and his family lived there and operated the mill until 1948. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this site through the video below.

The Red Sky Métis Independent Nation (RSMIN) are descendants of the original French voyageurs who settled in the area and the Indigenous women they married. Specifically, they are composed of the descendants of those 84 Métis recognized by the Crown as beneficiaries and annuitants under the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850. RSMIN are culturally distinct from the First Nations people, holding their own traditions, customs and practices. The history of the RSMIN dates back to as early as 1506. As part of Digital Doors Open, through the video below, the RSMIN shares with us their traditional knowledge of preparing birch tea. Birch tea has anti-inflammatory and medicinal properties to it. Different parts of the birch tree found in the Thunder Bay region have been used for centuries for the preparation of this tea.

Join this unique tour of Belleville sites that have had new power systems installed and learn more about these renewable power sources – such as solar panels and new power systems. We start with the Meyers Pier and the Water Treatment Plant, which boast rooftop solar panels. Next is the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, which has both an extensive solar rooftop array as well as power converters that send AC back to the grid. In addition, the Centre uses Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems – which produce both electricity and heat from a single fuel source onsite. In addition to reducing emissions, CHP systems also improve energy efficiency (up to 90 per cent in some locations), which also means lower costs. Finally, check out Belleville Transit, the Sewage Plant and the City of Belleville’s Human Resources building for more examples of renewable power sources. Learn more about CHP systems here. And, as part of Digital Doors Open, explore these sites – with their aerial views and photos.

Here stands the eight-sided house constructed by Reuben Bartlett Scott on the occasion of his marriage to Maria Huyck in 1850. Scott was an industrious young man who operated a grist mill, a soap factory, an iron foundry and an evaporator. He clearly espoused the theories of Ogden Squire Fowler — the American eccentric who touted the virtues of an eight-sided house versus a square house, which had corners that were thought to be “intrinsically evil.” Scott and his wife had 12 children and their descendants still live in the area. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this house in the video below.

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.

This year, the people of Sacred Heart Church are unable to provide in-person tours of this beautiful Gothic-style church. But they invite you to enjoy this virtual tour (see video below) and learn more of the history of the building. Erected in 1880 after a design by architect George Durant, this place of worship includes original stained-glass windows by Robert McCausland, ornate sculptures, vaulted ceilings and more.

Located in the old post office building, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum showcases artifacts that illustrate the city’s history. Over three floors of exhibit space and one and a half floors of archival space, exhibits include the Walter Wallace Military Gallery, Skylight Gallery, Marine Gallery, Music Gallery, Sports Gallery and the Durham Gallery, which features rotating exhibits.

Come and learn about Sault Ste. Marie through this informative walking tour and hear some of the fascinating stories behind many of the city’s iconic buildings – including the Algonquin Hotel, Precious Blood Cathedral, the cenotaph, the Old Stone House and Blockhouse, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum, the courthouse, several banks, the former YMCA and the Memorial Tower.

The Senate of Canada Building is full of history, art, architecture and parliamentary treasures. It is the Senate’s temporary home in downtown Ottawa, while its permanent home (the Centre Block building with the Peace Tower) is closed for major rehabilitation work. Over the years, this building has hosted many important national events (the repatriation of the Canadian constitution) and has served many different functions (it opened in 1912 as a train station). Today, as the temporary home of the Senate, you can explore – through this virtual tour – where the Senate works.