The first annual Doors Open Oakville will be held the weekend of September 27 and 28. The free family event is part of a larger province-wide tourism initiative called Doors Open Ontario.
"The idea is that for one weekend, people from all different cultural and heritage institutions open their doors to the public and give them a chance to see something they wouldn't normally see," said Bill Nesbitt, Oakville Museum supervisor and a member of the Doors Open Oakville committee. "It is kind of a behind the scenes peek and I think people will be surprised at their own community and there's more going on in Oakville than they think. It is also completely free and run by volunteers, which is nice. We want people to see what a great breadth and depth of culture exists here."
Since the Doors Open Ontario program was launched in 2002, nearly 2.5 million visits have been made to heritage sites participating in the initiative. Doors Open Ontario, now considered a cultural phenomenon, will be even larger in 2008 with hundreds of communities participating in 54 events across the province from April through October.
Various members of the Oakville community have been striving towards hosting such an event here for years. A committee was officially formed last fall, putting the wheels in motion to make it become a reality.
"It will give people a sense of the heritage and history of the town of Oakville, so we encourage people to investigate their community and see what we have to offer," said George Chisholm, president of the Oakville Historical Society.
To date, there are 18 local venues slated to take part in the weekend event. More are expected to be added before the event kicks off.
Doors Open Oakville locations:
The variety of venues means there will be something for everyone, according to Nesbitt.
"We're looking at places of worship, historic areas and we even have a boat," Nesbitt said.
"It is not just old buildings and museums, it is a really broad definition of heritage. It encourages people to get out and explore parts of their communities they might otherwise not see."
Many of the sites will be offering special programming and exhibits that weekend, Nesbitt added.
"There will be a lot for people to do and see," he said. "If I were a kid, I would love it."
As Oakville's population continues to rapidly increase, Nesbitt said this event is a good way to introduce newcomers to the town.
"I think in a town like Oakville, which has changed so much over recent years, it is a good chance for newcomers and people who have lived here all their lives to see what is happening in their community and bring them together," Nesbitt said.
The event is made possible through grants. One, totalling $18,000 came from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which is an agency of the provincial government. The money will be used to cover the costs of a coordinator, various program expenses and volunteer support.
"This is a great program and I know that this will show people across the province the cultural treasures and riches we have right here in our own neighbourhood," said Kevin Flynn, Oakville MPP. "It is tough to convince people that our heritage needs preserved so I'm thankful to all our volunteers who made this event possible. Oakville has a remarkable history and a great collection of historical buildings and now we have an opportunity to showcase that to the rest of the province."
The Community Foundation of Oakville, through its Oakville Heritage Trust Fund, also donated $4,000 to the Doors Open Oakville committee.
"The CFO is very pleased to support Doors Open, which gives an opportunity to showcase the history and vibrancy of our town," said June Cockwell, vice chair of the foundation. "The CFO has long been a proud supporter of heritage. We recognize that remembering and celebrating our history and heritage of our community plays an important role in ensuring that we support and maintain a vibrant and exciting community that has roots."
Organizers say they expect the event to draw between 15,000 and 20,000 people from Oakville and across Ontario. This includes Doors Open "groupies" who travel from town to town to take part in the local events.
The potential for this event to turn into a significant tourist attraction is something organizers are banking on.
Hamilton's recent Doors Open, for example, featured close to 70 venues and attracted about 250,000 people over the course of the weekend.
Doors Open runs September 27 and 28 at various sites from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are still needed.
For information, e-mail doorsopenoakville@gmail.com or call 905-845-6601, ext. 5019.
