Doors Open Whitehorse 2005

Under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures, over 1,200 people participated in Whitehorse's inaugural Doors Open celebration held on Yukon Heritage Day, February 25, 2005. "It was a resounding success," said Michael Edwards of the Historic Places Initiative program of the Heritage Resources Unit of Yukon's Department of Tourism and Culture, which helped to organize it. "People are already asking for a bigger event next year!"

The 13 participating buildings included the Taylor House, the Log Skyscrapers, the recently rehabilitated Firehall and the MacBride Museum. One of the more popular sites was the Cyr House, a two-storey squared log house with a gable roof, which was built in 1907 for Sam McGee.

Doors Open Placentia 2004

"The Doors Open Placentia event was a huge success," exclaims Kenneth Flynn of the Placentia Area Historical Society, which helped organized the inaugural event on August 22, 2004. "Some 460 people took part in visiting the twelve sites, despite some heavy downpours."

The twelve participating buildings, staffed mostly by volunteers eager to tell visitors about their historic or culturally significant features, included the O'Reilly House Museum, Sacred Heart Parish Church, the Chaloupe Construction Site/Placentia Board House, Castle Hill National Historic Site, Placentia Fire Department, Holy Rosary Parish Church, St. Luke's Anglican Church, the Leonard J. Miller Cultural Heritage Centre/Archaeological Interpretation Centre, Bell's Restaurant, Dixon Inn and Wakeham's Sawmill.

The Doors Open Newfoundland and Labrador program of the Newfoundland Historic Trust is supported by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's Cultural Economic Development Program and CBC.

The next event is Doors Open St. John's, scheduled for September 11 and 12. It is sponsored by the Telegram, City of St. John's, Spa at the Monastery and Signs Now. For more information on that event see www.doorsopendays.com