Thursday, September 18, 2014

Knock Knock. Doors Open!

Doors Open Waterloo Region 2014


From Left: AirBoss Rubber Compounding (former Dominion Tire/Uniroyal Goodrich Plant) in Kitchener, School of Optometry in Waterloo, School of Architecture in Cambrdige and School of Pharmacy in Kitchener.
All images kindly provided by Doors Open Waterloo Region 

except School of Pharmacy image taken from @UWPharmacy on twitter

In an earlier blog post, I wrote about how I grew up with very little. No money was budgeted for entertainment in the community. My family never attended the local fair, rib-fest, busker-fest or whatever other kind of festival was going on in my hometown of London, Ontario Canada that involved money.

I didn't feel like I was missing out on too much because if there was something FREE happening in the community, my Dad seemed to know about it and we were there. Church events were FREE! Canada day events were FREE! The beach was FREE! Springbank park was FREE! The wading pool was FREE! (Are you hearing Adam Sandler from "Bedtime stories" say FREE?! I can clearly imagine my kids quoting that movie as they read my blog.) Visiting Santa was FREE! Skating at Victoria Park in the winter was FREE! The opening event of a new grocery store, or any other kind of grand-opening event was FREE! Hanging out with amateur astronomers and watching Halley's comet whiz by earth was FREEEEE! 

I know, you get it!

If there was a "Doors Open" back in the day, I gaurantee you, my Dad would be taking me to these events because you guessed it, Doors Open events are FREEEEE!!


From Left: Sun Life Financial in Waterloo, Floralane Produce in Woolwhich Township, Quarry in St. Jacobs and Martin's Family Fruit Farm in Woolwhich Township.
All images kindly provided by Doors Open Waterloo Region

What is Doors Open?


I remember a Doctor telling me that a cup of yogurt had more culture in it than he had.


Well, Doors Open would be the prescription for him.


The diversity of doors that open during this event is enough to fill your culture cravings.


If you're new to Doors Open, you might want to follow the following "5 Steps Up to Open the Door" advice. If you've attended Doors Open in the past, read on any ways because if you're anything like me, I need this advice every year.



5 Steps Up to Open the Door

#1. Get your hands on a Doors Open Waterloo Region Event Map & Guide. You can find one at your local library or check out the online version here. If you haven't recycled your Saturday, Sept. 13th Waterloo Region Record, there's one in there too.


#2. Read thoroughly.


#3. Don't fall into the temptation to visit every single site that looks interesting to you. This will be hard. 2-3 sites can easily be a full day depending on the locations. It's really, really easy to lose time at one site and before you know it, 2 hours has flown by. This is the beauty of Doors Open. Embrace it!


#4. Scrap my advice and do whatever the heck you want. I've already picked out 5 sites (which are in 3 different cities and 1 village) and I'm just going for it. You can't stop me!


#5. If you feel the anxiety attack coming on, go back to steps 1-3 and have yourself a great morning, afternoon or day.


Here's a small taste of recent Doors Open events that my family has attended:



When my husband worked at Cannon Design, Toronto, his office participated in Doors Open. They have a creative office with stunning views of the city! This was also an opportunity for Cannon Design to showcase their work to the greater community and my kids enjoyed imagining working there too.
We stopped at the 19th century St. Andrew's Church in Toronto - A congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. We were serenaded by the accomplished organist and also explored The 48th Highlanders Museum  downstairs.

Our Doors Open Toronto adventures also took us to the Architectural offices of Diamond Schmitt Architects but we did not take any photos there because their office was bursting at the seams with people admiring their work and listening to on-site lectures by the architects. The mini workshop in their office stood out to me. Diamond Schmitt Architects continue to make hand-made models of their buildings for their clients. We had to hurry the kids away from that exciting little workshop with so many fun looking toys tools.



My son Rémi loves films, so, off we went to the Open Doors of TIFF! We got some behind the scenes tours (no photos allowed) and learned that we could go into the community resource area anytime and watch pretty much any movie that has ever existed. For FREEEE! (not on big screen. nice computer screen. with headphones. research area.) Just Wow! Lovely historical exhibitions there too. An enlightening visit!
Last years Doors Open Waterloo Region took us down the street from our house to Creative Enterprise Initiative (CEI) where local artists rent out studios. These artists showcased their work for us and it was enriching to see what kind of magic was happening just up the street from our home.
Left to Right: Fun lego homes by Artist Dan Schumacher, CEI's sign - taken from their Facebook page - and gorgeous wood sculpturing by local artist Nicole Waddick.


Last years Doors Open in Waterloo Region also took us to the new Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum Nano-Centre that houses Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo. The architecture is stunning and is as intelligent as the scientists it houses. My kids were enamoured by the Engineering Science Quest team where they were actively engaged with fun science experiments. Doors Open Waterloo Region was also the perfect place to bring a visiting friend. We even got FREEEE yo-yo's!

A Pre-Doors Open Event  in my family goes something like this:



Kids: What are we doing today?
Us: We're going to Doors Open!! Yay!!!
Kids: AWWWWWWW!! This SUCKS! It sounds SO BORING!! 
Us: Well, we're all going as a family outing and we want you guys to be careful because you just might have fun!
**We leave and attend a Doors Open site**
Kids: THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!

(Perhaps this is a conversation some of us have with our inner-child sometimes?!)

You're going to Love Doors Open Waterloo Region. Whether you're a local resident, or coming in from out of town, there's lots to do and see and there's something for all ages. You will see all kinds of people playing "tourist" for the day, peeling through the map & guide and wondering what door to open next. All you need to bring with you is your curiosity and expect to walk away with new stories to add to your very own. 


The doors open this Saturday, September 20th, 2014 all across Waterloo Region. 
Most doors are open from 10am - 5pm. The weather looks perfect!

If you're participating in #livelocalkw here in Waterloo Region, this event will definitely put a notch or two on your local belt. 

As a special treat, my husband was voluntold to fill in for local Architect and Chair of the Grand Valley Society of Architects (GVSA), David Thompson, who is currently under one of those tight architecture deadlines. André Arseneault, executive member & tweeter of the GVSA, is honoured to share a few words with you about the value of Doors Open to this region: 

"Doors Open allows us the opportunity to fully experience Architecture in an intimate way. Typically, only the architect and the occupants of the architect's design get to fully enjoy and celebrate the spacial experience of the finished product. When architects begin the design process, the hope is that people that inhabit the space or experience the building from the street, will feel those special moments that were orchestrated to embrace the unique architectural narrative that was customized by the place and people that the building was planned to host. When you attend Doors Open Waterloo Region, pay particular attention to the way the light shapes the spaces, how the materials evoke feelings within you, the way the building frames the outdoor views from the interior and how the building connects to it's exterior surroundings. I wish you all the very best in your Doors Open adventures and hope the "common threads" of this year's thematic studies help to create strong memories for you to carry forward in the year to come. Until our next Doors Open in 2015, enjoy!"   
 ~ André Arseneault, B.A.S, MArch, MRAIC 

I guarantee you one thing about Doors Open: Doors Open will surprise you!


Left to Right: Independent Living Center of Waterloo Region, Schnurr's Hall in Linwood, Desire to Learn in Lang Tannery and West Montrose Covered Bridge, 
"The Kissing Bridge".

** Potential Door (Open?!) Prize! **

If you choose to visit "The Kissing Bridge", you may be lucky enough to spot Dee Brun/Cocktail Deeva on her riverside home patio beside the Grand River. Be sure to wave! Also, take an outside peek at her new Bed & Breakfast, "Olde Bridge Place" right beside the bridge. If you like what you see, you just might be invited to spend two FREEEE nights at this darling little country retreat. All you have to do is enter Dee's AMAZING contest and if you win, the FREEEE continues with more first class prizes that add up to total $1585.00. In other words, if you like FREEEE, you're going to like DEE! This historic bridge has a special place in my heart and I'm enjoying watching Dee showcase it's charming beauty through "Olde Bridge Place". Good luck to you if you enter!