Celebrate Oshawa's history with Doors Open

The City of Oshawa invites community members to celebrate Oshawa’s history with free admission during Doors Open. Join the community on May 4 in celebrating the architecture and history of Oshawa by visiting unique buildings and sites across the city.

Doors Open is on Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free event gives residents an opportunity to discover and learn more about buildings and sites that shaped Oshawa’s history and culture. Many of these locations do not offer public visits or tours, so take this opportunity to explore the city! With 24 sites throughout the City, there’s something for everyone.

This year’s Doors Open theme is ADAPTIVE REUSE, showcasing heritage sites that have been repurposed to best serve their communities, while retaining their heritage attributes. Through the continued use and reuse of our historical structures, we realize their contribution to the sustainability and the economic and cultural energy of our urban and rural communities.

This year’s in-person sites include:

70 King - New
420 Wing - New
Biltmore Theatre
Bond|St Event Centre - New
Camp X / Intrepid Park
Canadian Automotive Museum
Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) Headquarters - New
Charles Hall, Ontario Tech University
City of Oshawa Fire Station 6, featuring “Creating Home: Building a Sense of Community and Belonging” exhibit in the Heritage Gallery - New
City of Oshawa Parks Greenhouse
Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Armoury
Durham College, Oshawa Campus - New
Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority, Oshawa location
Islamic Centre of Oshawa
McLaughlin Bandshell, featuring a performance by the Oshawa Civic Band at 11:30 a.m.
Oshawa Museum, Henry House and Guy House
Oshawa Public Libraries, McLaughlin Branch
Ontario Regiment Museum
Oshawa Second Marsh and McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve - New
Regent Theatre
Robert McLaughlin Gallery
St. George’s Memorial Church
Union Cemetery, featuring Oshawa Museum Walking tour
Windfields Farm – New, featuring celebrated horse Northern Dancer’s birthplace and final resting place

As part of the centennial celebrations and enhancing Doors Open, live entertainment will be located at McLaughlin Bandshell at Memorial Park, Bond|St Event Centre and the Oshawa Public Library - McLaughlin Branch. The City is proud to offer a hop on/hop off shuttle to various locations from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Shuttles will run in both northbound and southbound routes, with stops at the following sites:

Northbound shuttle starts at: Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Armoury – 53 Simcoe St. N.
Stop 1: Ontario Regiment Museum and 420 Wing – 1000 Stevenson Rd. N.
Stop 2: Campus Ice Centre – 2200 Simcoe St. N.
Hop on an additional free shuttle bus taking event patrons from Campus Ice Centre directly to the Windfields Farm site, as access onto farm property is by shuttle bus only.
Stop 3: City of Oshawa Fire Station 6 – 2339 Simcoe St. N.
Shuttle returns to: Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Armoury - 53 Simcoe St. N.

Southbound shuttle starts at: Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Armoury - 53 Simcoe St. N.
Stop 1: Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA), 100 Whiting Ave.
Stop 2: Oshawa Museum: Henry House – 1446 Simcoe St. S.
Stop 3: City of Oshawa Parks Greenhouse – 919 Farewell St.
Stop 4: Second Marsh and McLaughlin Wildlife Reserve – 1908 Colonel Sam Dr.
Shuttle returns to Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Armoury - 53 Simcoe St. N.

Accessible shuttle buses will be available.

Visit Oshawa.ca/DoorsOpen and DoorsOpenOntario.on.ca/pages/events/oshawa to start your adventure of local history. The City of Oshawa would like to thank Centennial sponsors Durham College, Ontario Tech University, Trent University and Ontario Motor Sales for their generous support.

Oshawa’s Centennial

This year, the City is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a city. To mark the centennial, various new events and initiatives will take place throughout the year as well as enhancements to existing events. For the latest updates on the Centennial year celebrations, you can visit Oshawa.ca/100 or send an email to [email protected].

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For City of Oshawa updates, visit Oshawa.ca/NewsCentre to follow us on social media, subscribe to news and alerts, and have your say on Connect Oshawa.

Quotes:

“Doors Open Oshawa is an amazing one-day opportunity to explore more than 20 unique, historic or architecturally significant spaces for free in the great City of Oshawa,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter. “This year, try our free hop on/hop off shuttle bus and plan to explore the many new Doors Open sites.”

“Doors Open Oshawa is just one of many exceptional signature destination events that make Oshawa a dynamic metropolitan city. Together with Doors Open Oshawa, Fiesta Week, the award-winning Peony Festival and Kars on King we will attract thousands of visitors from across Canada and around the world to our great city this spring and summer, helping to further put Oshawa on the big map – come check it out!” said Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee.

“Join us on Saturday, May 4 for behind-the-scenes tours of unique buildings and spaces in our city and learn more about Oshawa’s rich history. Some of the participating sites do not typically offer tours – don’t miss exploring these hidden gems!” said Councillor Bob Chapman, Vice-Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee.