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.

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.

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.

Olivetti. Olympia. Remington. Royal. Smith-Corona. Underwood. Typewriters are enjoying a big revival and Waterloo resident Currie Russell is swept up in the nostalgia revolution. What began as a pandemic passion project has evolved into a thriving side-hustle for this Waterloo collector. Russell is one of a handful of people in Ontario currently equipped to buy, sell and repair these majestic machines, but he is also part of a global movement spanning all corners of the planet where enthusiasts are connecting to share knowledge and learning that will keep these vintage marvels alive for others to discover into the future. Learn more about these machines and about Russell's passion as part of Digital Doors Open through the video below.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The William Street Pumping Station is an architectural landmark of uptown Waterloo and a symbol of the region’s innovation and industrial spirit. Built in 1899 as the site of the first groundwater wells in Waterloo, it provided access to a clean and reliable water supply that contributed greatly to the social welfare of the community. A point of pride for those who work to protect and provide water for our booming municipality, William Street Pumping Station is a reminder of the parts we all play in protecting the community’s public health. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this historical pumping station.

Waterloo’s first educational institution was a simple log schoolhouse, built in 1820. As the region expanded and outgrew the school’s modest capacity, this 5-metre by 6-metre (16-foot by 20-foot) structure served as a residence for the next 50 years. This important landmark now rests in Waterloo Park. Thanks to the efforts of many individuals and collectives over its 200-year history, it continues to serve the community. Among its many admirers is social historian Joanna Rickert-Hall who has written extensively about this historical gem and its relationship to other important local narratives. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes experience of this historical gem.

This scenic driving tour highlights four heritage cemeteries while winding through the three cities and four rural townships of Waterloo Region. Each stop tells a historical tale of mischief, mystery, mayhem or murder: the Bean Puzzle tombstone (the poisoning by chocolate of Meta D. Cherry), ghostly nights with the founder of Castle Kilbride, and a bodysnatching in Kitchener. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below for a tour of these four heritage cemeteries: Trinity Anglican Cemetery on 72 Blenheim Road in Cambridge, First Mennonite Church and Cemetery at 800 King Street East in Kitchener, Rushes Cemetery at 1915 Hutchison Road in Wellesley, and Fairmount Cemetery at 1062 Brewery Street in Baden (Wilmot Township).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Explore Waterloo Region’s oldest buildings — the 1852-53 Gaol (jail) and the 1878 Governor’s House — and learn how community action saved them from demolition. By combining designation with adaptive reuse, the granite Gaol houses Provincial Offences courtrooms. And the Governor’s House (jail warden’s home) contains legal offices. Questions? The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) North Waterloo Branch will be on-hand.

While it is now the largest craft brewery in Ontario, it was also the first, and Waterloo Brewing is simultaneously expanding its scope while stoking that pioneering spirit that launched it 36 years ago. Brewing beer with character, for people of character, the entire operation now runs from a single Kitchener location. It features a new beer store, patio and taphouse where a microbrewery affords passionate beer-loving staff to dream up and test the next big thing. Learn more about Waterloo Brewing's passion for craft beer in the following episode of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region.

Since its inception in 2002, The Timeless Material Company has operated in the true spirit of salvage. While preserving and repurposing wood and other building products from historical and iconic local structures, this Waterloo family business has simultaneously diverted tons of quality material from landfill. Working with its sister company Kieswetter Demolition, The Timeless Material Company promotes and facilitates a modern afterlife for the building components of our past. During Digital Doors Open, explore this unique site through the video below and learn more about its spirit of salvage.

Tapestry Hall is a new skin on old, strong bones. From its foundry roots of 1847 to today's reinvention as a premier event venue in Galt's burgeoning Gaslight District, this new, chic space is a warm embrace with storied limestone bricks, beaten wooden beams and smooth concrete. Voluptuous windows spill light throughout the hall, taproom and onsite brewery as the world's largest living sculpture, called Meander, draws from the ceiling to greet and guide visitors throughout this historical masterpiece. As part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about this unique venue through the video below.

In 2017, Stephanie Boutari took a big leap to paint big, joining her husband Adam (BOKO Studio) on a path of artistic and design exploration to make ideas happen. Her large-scale murals, often featuring vibrant palettes and geometric shapes, have been commissioned for dozens of public and commercial spaces throughout Waterloo Region. Inspired by the ways in which colour and scale transform the perception of space, Boutari’s work is refining her relationship between art and architecture. Watch the episode below of Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region to learn how Boutari is painting the town big.

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.

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.

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.