NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH ARTS COUNCIL
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Doors Open Guelph is a day-long celebration of Guelph's finest buildings, creative spaces, and artistically or architecturally relevant sites.
Presented annually by GAC since 2002, the program showcases and celebrates Guelph’s hidden gems, as well as our great resources, businesses, and creative spaces.
The 2016 event will take place on Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Site details are posted here, and listed below.
On average, Doors Open Guelph attracts 6,000 people to its sites each year, 25-50 percent of whom are visitors to the city.
Since its inception, Doors Open Guelph has been part of Doors Open Ontario, an Ontario Heritage Foundation province-wide initiative that was also launched in 2002 to celebrate community heritage.
Doors Open Guelph has had the distinction of being the kick-off event for Doors Open Ontario, opening the province-wide initiative for several years.
Doors Open Guelph is generously sponsored by: Bisson Dentistry, Downtown Guelph Business Association, The Guelph Tribune, Dr. Reymarie Yabut Family Dentistry, and Sleeman Breweries.
2016 Site Listing
Hammond Radio Museum
595 Southgate Drive
Founded in 1982 by Fred Hammond, one of the founding members of Guelph's Hammond Manufacturing, the Radio Museum houses an extensive collection of rare and historically significant pieces. The 2000+ items exhibited reveal the development of radio throughout the past 100 years. Included are crystal radios, early tabletop and broadcast, early wireless, military and Amateur Radio equipment.
The Guelph Muslim Society
286 Water St.
The Muslim Society bought this former elementary school in 2012 and developed it into a place of worship, offices, community hall, library, classrooms and a daycare. It can now accommodate up to 1000 people in the masjid for special services. Special tours and displays will help visitors to understand the religion and culture of Guelph’s present Muslims and incoming Syrian refugees.
Trinity United Church
400 Stevenson St N
Established in the 1950's, its architecture and stained glass reflect the retro feel of the 60's. Beautiful murals enhance the meeting rooms. The church provides an accessible, open, welcoming, multi-media gathering hub for the community. Trinity is proud of its legacy as a caring community of faith in northeast Guelph.
Sleeman Breweries
551 Clair Rd W
Site Sponsor: Sleeman Breweries
The Sleeman name is legendary in Guelph, starting with the first brewery established by John H. Sleeman in 1834 and continuing in today's modern brewery. The brewing process follows the original recipe book, the bottles follow the original patterns and the "Notorious" family story is showcased in the museum.
Artist Julia Grady’s home and studio
41 Meadowview Ave
Built in 1855 of locally-quarried limestone, this was the home of George John Grange, first sheriff of Wellington County. It features original windows, doors and trim enhanced by modern environmental systems like grey water and heating with a Kacheloffen created by local potter Jessica Steinhauser. Behind the house is the modern studio of artist Julia Grady.
Bisson Dentistry
199 Woolwich
Site Sponsor: Bisson Dentistry
This third John Hall-designed house was built of red brick with white quoins. Also L-shaped, it has a more elaborate door system: an outer door with beautiful glass, miniature hallway and inner door, a trademark of Hall’s designs. Its ornate curved staircase, crown mouldings, ceiling medallions, fireplace pillars and bay window trim and glass are original.
Dixon Distillery
355 Elmira Rd N
Housed in an industrial mall, this spirited business is the first craft distillery in Guelph. Using locally-supplied grains, it produces spirits like vodka, gin and moonshine. When the distillery is finished with the grain, it is returned to local farmers for use as animal feed. Visitors will follow the distilling process from mash to bottling.
Blue Iris Studios
193 Woolwich
The studio is in the lower level of the 1901 Bell-Kennedy house. With its beautiful Art Nouveau features, the home is a bright and inviting space that has been adapted to suit the needs of a productive craft studio. Iris designs, makes and sells handmade functional pottery, as well as jewellery in fine silver and porcelain.
Dr. Reymarie Yabut Family Dentistry, (Dr. Yabut Smile)
215 Woolwich St
Site Sponsor: Dr. Yabut Smile
One of a group of houses by architect John Hall, this frame house built in 1872, unusual in Guelph, was the home of John Hall and his wife. The L-shaped Italianate style is deliberately unsymmetrical. Now used as a home and dental office, it has original flooring, curved staircase, fireplaces, radiators, ceiling medallions and French doors.
Guelph Hydro
395 Southgate Dr
This striking modern facility opened Phase 1 in 1995, phase 2 in 2006 and received LEED certification in 2011. It features many energy-efficient and sustainable characteristics including rooftop solar, a ground-source geothermal heating and cooling system, high-efficiency plumbing and lighting, and drought-resistant and native species landscaping.
Woodside (Findlay Home)
40 Spring St.
Built in 1869, this unusual "Jacobethan" house features original window glass and frames, staircase and banister, baseboards and French doors. The owner has renovated the house and built many pieces of furniture using wood from the original trees on the property. It features a Kachelofen created by local potter Jessica Steinhauser.
Woodlawn Cemetery and Lodge
762 Woolwich St
Built in 1883 as the home of the Union (now Woodlawn) Cemetery keepers, it remains so to this day. Guelph architect John Day’s design fee for the lodge, a stable, greenhouse and coach house (still in use) was $58. Especially attractive are the original oval front doors, mouldings, trim, hand-turned banister and interior window engravings.
Bonus Site: Trails Open - Arkell Woolen Mill and Dam Ruins
Meet at Barber Scout Camp parking area, off Stone Road East. 733 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1L 1B8
The hike starts and ends on the Radial Line Trail atop the Guelph aqueduct, but will venture onto other trails to visit the ruins of the Arkell Woolen Mill and dam on Torrance Creek, and walk under some of Guelph's largest trees. Dress for the weather. Guided hikes at 11:00, 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30. Meet at Barber Scout Camp parking area, off Stone Road East. 733 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1L 1B8
About Guelph Arts Council:
For forty years, Guelph Arts Council has been dedicated to supporting, stimulating and promoting arts and culture in Guelph.
Guelph Arts Council is funded in part by The Guelph Community Foundation and City of Guelph.
We also acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), an agency of the Government of Ontario, which last year funded 1,737 individual artists and 1,095 organizations in 223 communities across Ontario for a total of $52.1 million.
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