2023 Doors Open Toronto event will have 150 sites available for exploration

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Doors Open Toronto will be running a full slate of in-person sites open for public exploration.

One of the highlights of the 2023 edition of Doors Open Toronto, which runs on May 27 and 28, will be an open house at the TTC’s McCowan Yard — the facility that houses all Scarborough RT trains.

“This is something I think, to be honest, is a bit bittersweet,” TTC spokesperson Shabnum Durrani told CityNews during a tour of the carhouse on Thursday.

“As everybody knows, we are going to be decommissioning the SRT in November, so this is really the last chance for people to come in and see the home of the SRT.”

Building of the facility, located on Ellesmere Road east of McCowan station, began in 1983 — two years before the Scarborough RT went into service. The carhouse and the yard is 4.1 million square feet.

However, in recent years, it’s taken an extraordinary effort to keep Line 3 running beyond its expected lifespan as TTC staff performed overhauls and continual maintenance amid ongoing political delays finalizing a replacement transit solution.

“It is a 24/7 operation as most of our facilities are, but you have people here who honestly are experts on what they do,” Durrani said.

“It’s just become harder and harder to service these trains. It’s harder to find replacement parts.”

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On Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., residents will be able to walk through the carhouse, see the storage tracks, the train wash station and get a bite to eat during a barbeque.

“It’s a bit of a closing of a chapter here for us … we hope people come out and see this important piece of TTC history,” Durrani said.

McCowan yard isn’t the only TTC property that will be on display during Doors Open Toronto. The Danforth carhouse (southeast of Danforth and Coxwell avenues), which was built before the TTC became a public transit entity and currently houses various subway-related offices, will have displays setup.

“We’re going to use it to showcase the TTC then and now. So we’re bringing out our older vehicles, the GM bus, our first stree cars, and we’re also going to be showing you our newest vehicles, our e-buses,” Durrani said.

These TTC facilities are just two out of 150 sites that will be open to the public. Since 2000, the events have been held annually with the only major change to the program coming during the pandemic.

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The key principle is opening up many spaces that can be closed off to the public, or spaces that charge admission that can be opened for no charge to visitors.

“It’s a really great opportunity to be a tourist in your own city. It’s great for families. It’s great for people and newcomers who have never got a chance to see some of these sites,” Kristine Williamson, the event’s lead programmer, said.

“We’ve got buildings in North York, in Scarborough, in Etobicoke down by the waterfront — all the way across from east to west.”

Also included in this year’s program are the following sites:

• Toronto city hall (council chambers and the observation deck on the 27th floor)
• Toronto-Dominion Centre observation deck on the 54th floor
• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (airplane viewing area, hangers, Ornge air ambulance, equipment demonstration, musical performances)
• Osgoode Hall (home to Ontario’s top courts)
• Queen’s Park
• TIFF Bell Lightbox
• Spring bird festival at Colonel Samuel Smith park
• Black Creek Pioneer Village
• Archives of Ontario
• Spring bird festival at Colonel Samuel Smith park
• Port Lands Flood Protection Project
• Rouge Park Conservation Centre
• Multiple churches, fire stations, museums, art spaces, architecture firms and community organizations

In addition to open exploration, there are also a variety of lectures, events, performances and workshops to help reinforce this year’s “city of sound” theme.

With a variety of options and regardless of one’s interest, Williamson said all participating sites have one thing in common.

“Doors Open is really a photographer’s dream because it is an opportunity to take amazing photographs of some of these special places,” she said.

You can click here to view a full list of buildings and sites that are part of Doors Open Toronto 2023 as well as information on talks and tours.