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Ever wonder what it’s like inside certain Toronto buildings? This weekend, Torontonians are being granted free access to roam through several sites with the 26th annual Doors Open event.
The city-wide event celebrates the architecture and cultural landscape of Toronto through tours, talks and access to over 160 buildings across the city on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sites vary from the Aga Khan Museum to the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant to even the Netflix office, with activities taking place around this year’s theme of “The world in a city.”
Residents had the opportunity to grab tickets — now sold out — to a special 50th anniversary tour through the inner workings of the CN Tower, including a look into the hollow hexagonal core.
“Go discover this wonderful city of ours,” said Mayor Olivia Chow at an unrelated news conference Friday. “This is the opportunity for local residents to check out the buildings, beautiful architecture, a lot of history.”
Chow said she’ll be at her office this weekend, which is also open to visitors, and recommends people check out the “magnificent” Old City Hall building.
Special 50th anniversary tours of the CN Tower during Doors Open are sold out. Guided tours will take people through the inner workings of the tower, including a look into its 300-metre hollow interior. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
A map by the city outlining Doors Open stated the theme this year celebrates the city’s diversity through architecture inspired by other cultures and buildings that act as community gathering spaces.
There are 28 new Doors Open sites this year, including the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, the Toronto Star office and the Waterworks Food Hall.
Indigenous centre designed to ‘feel like home’: executive director
Amongst the new additions this year is the Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT) building, which opened about a year ago and is the GTA’s first Indigenous healthcare centre.
“This is our opportunity at AHT to show our new centre to the public and to demonstrate our model of healthcare for Indigenous clients,” said executive director Michael Milward.
He said the centre integrates western medical practices and professionals with traditional medicine and healers. But it’s not just the work that is unique to AHT — Milward said the structure itself was designed for clients to “see themselves in the building.”
Michael Milward, executive director of Anishnawbe Health Toronto, said he looks forward to visitors seeing the unique architectural design of the building and learning more about their work. (Kate McGillivray/CBC)
“We did not want a health centre that would be perceived as institutional and would feel like home,” he said.
Unique architectural elements include the “skin” of the building being designed after a star blanket with a fringe that illuminates at night, a canoe-shaped reception desk and various pieces by Indigenous artists adorning the walls, he said.
Milward said the creation of the building was the life’s work of former executive director, Joe Hester.
