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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.