EVENT: Doors Open a rare chance to see historic Toronto buildings

What do the Humber Centre for Justice Leadership, the Gretchen Ross Production Centre for the National Ballet of Canada and the Old Fire Hall on Lombard Street have in common?

They are buildings seldom open to the public but are part of nearly 150 buildings of architectural, cultural and historical significance available for viewing during the 13th annual Doors Open Toronto on May 26-27.

“It’s just a very rare opportunity for people to see locations … that they might not automatically think of as places to visit,” says Shane Gerard, a spokesman for the City of Toronto, which organizes the annual event. “The attraction of Doors Open is that it’s an interesting opportunity for people to see the history of the city they ordinarily wouldn’t experience.”

Each year Doors Open Toronto picks a theme. This year, the theme is 200 Years of Building Our City as it commemorates the War of 1812 Bicentennial. Last year, the theme was photography, and several years ago, it was 175 buildings to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Toronto, he says.

About one-third of the buildings featured are new to the program each year. Visitors will have a chance to see some of Toronto’s exclusive private schools and glorious churches as well as other unique buildings this time.

Some of the schools include Harvergal College and Upper Canada College (UCC) that graduated the likes of Jane Urquhart, Margot Kidder, Robertson Davies and Stephen Leacock.

•   Havergal, whose castle-like doors have ushered through more than 9,000 girls, sits on nearly nine hectares of land on Avenue Road. The campus features “Collegiate Gothic structures made of fine Credit Valley sandstone” and “has expanded with a thoughtful combination of heritage and modern additions,” including its athletic centre.

•   UCC, Ontario’s oldest independent school, is recognized for its landmark clock tower and expansive playing fields. Its current campus on Avenue Road north of St. Clair Avenue is 17 hectares and still retains the original Gatehouse building dating back to 1898.

Many churches new to the program include the Chapel of St. Alban the Martyr, Corpus Christi Parish and Emmanuel-Howard Park United Church, among others.

•   The chapel of St. Alban on Howland Avenue in the Annex was built in 1887 and served as a cathedral for the Toronto Diocese of the Church of England until 1936. Its double hammer-beam ceiling and heraldic stained glass are considered to be among the finest examples of their kind in North America, according to the program. It is now the active chapel of Royal St. George’s College, so visitors will get to hear its boys choir on May 26 as well as organ recitals over the weekend.

•   The Corpus Christi Parish was built in a Gothic Revival style and houses 20 stained glass windows by the Italian artist Guido Nincheri, who is considered the Michelangelo of Canada. In addition to his unique windows, the church also features the Last Supper window panel series above the altar and a mural by William Kurelek, a Ukrainian-Canadian painter.

•   The Emmanuel-Howard Park church was built in 1928 by Toronto architects George, Moorehouse and King and used brick, stone, copper and slate. They are the ones who designed Eaton’s then flagship store on College Street and the Toronto Stock Exchange.The church, which has a capacity for 750 people, features a Casavant pipe organ. Visitors can stroll the sanctuary and walk throughout the building and read the memorial plaques commemorating people who served in the First and Second World Wars.

Other interesting locations to see this year include the Humber Centre for Justice Leadership for those who want to see a crime lab, Gretchen Ross Production Centre to check out the props and sets used in National Ballet of Canada productions and the Old Fire Hall on Lombard for makeup demos by Complections College of Makeup Art & Design. The headquarters for Citytv and OMNI Television will also be open to the public.

Some other notable locations include One King West Hotel & Residence, which features two-storey ceilings, panelled walls and a 40-tonne steel door and vault in its Grand Banking Hall.

Several independent theatres will also be on display, including the Bloor Cinema, which reopened in March as the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. After a $3 million renovation by its new owners,  it is now the permanent home of the annual Hot Docs festival. Visitors can enjoy hearing knowledgeable guests talk about the theatre’s history and current documentary programming.

Up next: neighbourhoods. The local BIA in Islington Village will take visitors on a free trolley and walking tour of the neighbourhood and show off its 20 commissioned murals. The Beach will also be offering a walking tour showcasing its library, the Lion on the Beach pub housed in a heritage building and former bank and the local firehall, among other landmarks.

Other participating areas include the Waterfront, Harbord Village and Rosedale.

But be prepared for lineups wherever you go since nearly 200,000 people visit during the two-day Doors Open event. Gerard recommends going early, particularly to the sites that visitors believe will be most popular. The doors will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on both days for most buildings.

And don’t forget to bring your camera. Doors Open will be hosting its second annual photography contest, City in Focus. Photos will be judged in five categories, including best building exterior, interior, architectural detail, best door and the people’s choice. The winners will get a Lumix camera.

Click here to see the full list of buildings featured at Doors Open Toronto. Click here to view the 2012 buildings list highlights.

View Doors Open Toronto 2012 in a larger map