Doors Open Oshawa 2011
Celebrate Oshawa's History - Visit our Cultural Treasures
September 24 and 25, 2011Noon - 4:00 p.m (unless otherwise noted)
Doors Open is a province-wide celebration of community heritage designed to create access, awareness and excitement about our heritage.Doors Open provides residents and visitors with a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy sometimes hidden and always interesting places and spaces in our cities, towns and villages - all free of charge!Call 905.436.5636 x 2108 or email us for more info.
Volunteer for Doors Open Oshawa 2011.
Doors Open Oshawa would like to thank the following sponsors:
Confirmed Sites for 2011
Download the Doors Open Oshawa 2011 brochure (PDF)
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The Robert McLaughlin Gallery72 Queen StreetYear Built: 1969 Expansion 1987 Architect: Arthur Erickson (1987) *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4* |
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| This remarkable building, designed by noted Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, houses varied collections and celebrates the vitality of Canadian art. View works by the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Painters Eleven and others. Of special local interest are photographs from the Thomas Bouckley Collection. Internationally renowned artist and authur Douglas Coupland will be here to celebrate the unveiling of a new. permanent outdoor sculpture titled Group Portrait 1957 at 1:00 on Saturday |
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Oshawa Masonic Temple91 Centre Street SouthYear Built: 1928 Architect: C.C.Stenhouse *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4* |
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| Constructed in the Art Deco style, the building is now home to four lodges and two concordant bodies. Shrouded in symbolism, here"s a unique chance to view the Lodge Room and Library. | ||
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NEW: 61 Charles Street61 Charles StreetYear Built: 1903 *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4* |
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Built in 1903 by the T. Eaton Co. as a white goods factory, 61 Charles was expanded by the Oriental Textile Co. in the 1920s to manufacture fabric for the automotive industry and for nearly fifty years was home to Alger Press Ltd. After restoration, 61 Charles now provides two floors of classrooms, student services, a library and much more at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). |
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Portraits by Goguen191 Centre Street SouthYear Built: 1900 *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4* |
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| An excellent example of adaptive reuse, this delightful Second Empire was built as a residence and is now used as a commercial art gallery. Note the Mansard roof, ornate porch, dormer and cupola. One of only two Second Empire houses in Oshawa. | ||
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Canadian Automotive Museum99 Simcoe Street SouthYear Built: c. 1920 *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4* |
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| Established in 1961 and housed in a 1920's car dealership, the museum showcases the development of the automobile with approximately 65 vehicles dating from 1898 to 1981. The building has an original freight elevator and other historical items relating to the periods of the cars. | ||
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Oshawa Community Museum1450 Simcoe Street South Year Built: 1846 *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4*
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| Guy House, Henry House and Robinson House are designated historic houses that comprise the museum. Located in beautiful Lakeview Park, these buildings stand on their original foundations and represent different architectural styles. The museum and archives provide visitors with a good understanding of the lives of Oshawa's early inhabitants. | ||
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Simcoe Street United Church66 Simcoe Street SouthYear Built: 1867-68 Architect: Gundy & Langley *Saturday Only 12-4* |
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| Built in the year of Confederation for a Methodist congregation, this church is a fine example of the Gothic Revival style. Lancet-arched openings and a polygonal spire with pinnacles and dormers embellish the exterior. A Casavant organ, 36' ornamental timber arches and a pressed-tin ceiling dominate the interior. | ||
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St. George's Memorial Church51 Centre Street SouthYear Built: 1924 Architect: Eden Smith *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4*
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| St. George's opened in the same year Oshawa became a city. Constructed of Credit Valley sandstone in the old English Gothic-revival style, this Eden Smith designed church was considered by him to be his finest work. The buttresses and Gothic tracery are noteworthy. The tower supports a 15-bell carillon. The Parish Hall was an addition designed by Architects Forsey Page & Steele. | ||
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Camp X ToursIntrepid Park, Boundary Road Year Built: 1941 |
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| Join renowned author Lynn Phillip Hodgson for an hour and a hour long tour of Camp X at 10:30 and 1:30 both Saturday and Sunday. Meet at the monument and explore the former top secret WWII spy training school on the shores of Lake Ontario. | ||
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NEW: Northminster United Church676 Simcoe Street NorthYear Built: 1952 Addition 1961 Architect: Hanks and Irwin *Saturday 12 - 4*
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| Northmister United Church is an imposing solid stone structure built in 1952. The interior is a centre-aisle layout which leads the eye to an 18 foot hand appliqued mural mounted on the wall at the front of the church. The adjoining Christian Education building was added in 1961. The architect for the church was Hanks and Irwin. Hanks and Irwin were known for the extensive portifolio of work. They were the key architects for the Kingsway subdivision in Toronto. | ||
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Cowan House39 Athol Street WestYear Built: 1858 *Saturday 12 - 4* *Sunday 12 - 4*
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| Cowan House is a Georgian style dwelling with Italianate properties - seen in the bracketed eaves and portico elements. It was home to businessman and Mayor W. F. Cowan and his family. Today, it serves as offices and meeting rooms for St. George's Memorial Church. | ||
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Regent Theatre44-52 King Street EastYear Built: 1921 Architect: John McNee Jeffrey *Saturday 12 - 2* *Sunday 12 - 2*
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The Regent Theatre was constructed in 1921 for the Famous Players theatre chain. The King St. façade was modeled on Georgian architectural lines. The building is one of the few remaining examples in Oshawa of this classically inspired style. Reopened in September 2010, the Regent is used as a large lecture theatre for UOIT students, and for community and cultural events during the evenings and on weekends. This weekend showing a silent film by George McLaughlin of the Early days of Oshawa from 1926. The film is courtesy of the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Designated in 2001 |
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Channel 12 Studio10 Simcoe Street North Year Built: 1873 |
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| Built in 1873 after a devastating fire destroyed much of this area, the building is one of the oldest remaining in Oshawa. Built of red brick with contrasting beige qoiuns, eyebrows and brick banding, this style is representative of a mid-1800s downtown store. The Statler Piano Studio occupied the store from 1887 selling the Oshawa built Williams Piano. The CHEX12 studio is opening after extensive renovations. This state of art, studio will be a have both studio and production space all in the same building. |
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Union Cemetery760 King Street WestYear Built: Established 1837 Guided Tours each day or self-guided. |
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| Many famous people from Oshawa's and Canada's past are interred in 'Thornton's Burying Ground'. Today, the site covers 29 acres and includes private mausoleums and a Gothic Revival chapel. The Mausoleum was built in 1924 and features an ornate marble interior and hand-painted stained-glass windows. | ||
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St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church194 Simcoe Street North
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| Built at the end of the 19th century in the French Romanesque style, this impressive structure sits across the road from Parkwood, the R.S. McLaughlin Estate. Much of the interior was made locally at the William Piano Works.
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Church of Saint Peter (Anglican)1175 Cedar Street
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| Although built in 1961, this church is a repository of artifacts from previous churches dating back to the 1850's. Victorian and Art Nouveau items adorn the interior including a statue from Walsingham England, stained glass windows, carved wood pulpit and altar pieces. View an exhibit of vestments and sacred vessels.
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St. Stephens United Church1360 Simcoe Street North
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St. Stephens is a small old rural church that was originally built as the North Oshawa Union Sunday School in 1912. It has since been engulfed by the suburbs of Oshawa. St. Stephens celebrated its 100 Anniversary of worship and fellowship in North Oshawa.
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NEW: St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church 31 Bloor Street EastYear Built: 1950 *Saturday 12 - 4 *Sunday 12 - 4*
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| St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox parish was founded in 1935. The church started to worship in an older church which is now the parish hall. After outgrowing the older church, the present church was built in 1950 in the Byzantine Style. St. John is known for its' Iconostasis and iconography. | ||
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Columbus United Church3285 Simcoe Street North
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| Columbus United Church is a historical landmark in the village of Columbus. A beautiful design in an idyllic, the body of the church is dressed with red brick with cream accents. It is strengthened and ornamented with the buttresses and a spire rising to a height of approximately125 feet. | ||
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Windfield Community and Victory Garden2951 Simcoe Street North |
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Former Home and Site of the Wilcockson Farm and Union Hotel. The Union Hotel was was of the four hotels in Columbus and was a vital srevice in this busy crossroads, serving the movements of goods up and down Simcoe Street. The Windfield Community Garden is situated on 10 acres and is divided into community plots. This years project is to reproduce the design of a Victory Garden. Victory Gardens were encouraged during the WW2 and provided a vast amount of food that kept the war effort going. |
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Columbus Community Centre3265 Simcoe Street North
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Neighbour to the Columbus United Church this building was the East-Whitby Town Hall. The Town Hall was the centre of the community from 1859. Historical displays of Columbus and Oshawa. Designated in 2011 |
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