This weekend was the annual Doors Open Toronto event when many public buildings not normally open to the public allow visitors, or museums waive entrance fees. Having attended for several years (see links at end) I decided this year to focus away from the cluster of buildings downtown to some of the locations further out that I'm not normally able to visit.

First was Lambton House on Old Dundas St, just west of Jane St on Dundas St West. I sometimes bike past here along the Humber Biking trail.

This was used as a hotel since its opening until the late 1980s when it was finally closed down. Its heyday had long past and it had become somewhat of a rundown dump in its final days.

Nearby was a railway station and a mill. The station has long closed the mill burnt down in 1915. The recent decade saw extensive restoration to bring it back to its present state.

The weather was baking hot and it was expected to hit 32 degrees today. I walked back along Dundas St to Jane St to get the northbound bus. Next was Black Creek Pioneer Village at Jane and Steeles at the northern city limits.

The entrance is neither on Jane St or Steeles Ave and I had to walk round in the heat to Ross Murray Lord Pkwy on the east side.




In all my 20+ yrs in Toronto I have never bothered coming here, due to location, and I didnt think it was that interesting. That was a shame as its an outdoor folk heritage park similar to ones I've visited in Norway, Sweden, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Korea.




Aside from the midday heat and trying to keep in the shade the park was also overrun with many Asian people.

The park was busy with many families and kids in strollers. There were also several costume interpreters on hand to explain everyday life.

It's a good place to spend a couple of hours when there are no crowds around. I'm glad I made the journey today.

Next was Gibson House at North York Centre just off Yonge St south of Finch Ave. I used to work in of the office towers beside for 3 yrs and would sometimes walk by at lunch hour but never went in.

It is a period home with small museum and gift shop attached. This stretch of Yonge St is Koreatown so many of the signs were also written in Korean.

Final stop was McKenzie House a block or two away the east side of Yonge St on Doris Ave. Again I've walked by here at lunch when I worked in the area but never went in.

This house was slightly more grand than Gibson House I'd just visited.

Sunday I didnt visit any other venues I'd planned. It was too hot to go out and many of the same venues are reused each year so I can go next year. Although the same locations are not always used every year so you have to plan your route carefully each year.

To see more locations from earlier Doors Open events see the links below

Doors Open Toronto - 2014 (2 parts - Masonic Lodge, Montgomery Inn, Islington Church, Canadian Sufi Centre, Bosnian Mosque, MacKenzie House, Greek Orthodox Church, Spadina House, Tibetan Temple, Colborne Lodge)
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-en tries/londone7/28/1401134252/tpod.html

Doors Open Toronto - 2015 (6 parts - Don Jail, National Club, Queens Park, Rare Book Library, Coach House Press, Knox Church, Kadampa Temple, Gladstone Hotel, Aga Khan Museum & Ismaili Centre, Railway Museum, Shaver Homestead)
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-en tries/londone7/28/1435521180/tpod.html