Sites to visit during Doors Open Vancouver 2015
Each year, Vancouver locals and visitors get an inside look at some of the city’s landmark buildings during the annual Doors Open festival. This year, the free, family-friendly event takes place on Saturday, October 3, and features 18 participating cultural sites and heritage buildings across the downtown. Check out a few of our top picks and remember this event takes place rain or shine, so dress accordingly!
Vancouver Public Library
350 Georgia St W, Vancouver, BC V6B 6B1Vancouver’s Central Library on West Georgia Street is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and is definitely worth a stop during your Doors Open tour. Designed by Moshe Safdie, the striking exterior is reminiscent of Rome’s oval Flavian amphitheatre (better known as The Colosseum) and is surrounded by piazza-like public spaces. The library is hosting tours every hour from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm to give visitors a chance to learn more about the unique nine-story building, which is home to more than 1.3 million books and reference materials.
Vancouver City Animal Control
1280 Raymur Ave, Vancouver, BC V6A 3L8Visitors are invited to get up close and personal with the furry friends at this Strathcona shelter during the Doors Open Vancouver event on October 3. Learn about how the animal lovers and volunteers at the Vancouver Animal Services Shelter work to protect and regulate the city’s pet population and find permanent new homes for more than 200 abandoned dogs and other animals every year.
Roundhouse Arts & Recreation Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2W3Learn more about the city’s locomotive history at Vancouver’s landmark Roundhouse in Yaletown. The 19th-century cluster of buildings once served as the western terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway and was home to numerous steam trains. A rejuvenation project in the 1990s helped this forgotten rail yard transform into a thriving arts-oriented community centre. Stop by during Doors Open Vancouver to take a tour with one of the original architects on the project, Graham McGarva from VIA Architecture.
National Works Yard
701 National Ave, Vancouver, BC V6A 4L3This 12-acre engineering operations complex on National Avenue is a benchmark for sustainable urban development. Built in 2004, the facility’s two administrative buildings were the first in Canada to receive LEED Gold Certification and the award-winning building continues to be an innovative testing facility for sustainable design and technologies. During the Doors Open event, architects Scott Kemp and Mike Hickman will be on hand to give visitors an inside look at some of the building’s unique architectural features and the ongoing green initiatives.
Vancouver Civic Theatres
When this vaudeville-style theatre first opened in the 1920s it was the largest theatre in Canada. The concert hall, which is now a designated national heritage site, is home to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and many international musicians, lecturers and performers have graced its storied stage over the years. The interior was refurbished in 2009 but still features a dazzling vaulted ceiling, sparkling chandeliers and many more historic architectural details. Representatives from the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame will be giving guided behind-the-scenes tours during the Doors Open event to share some insider stories about the theatre’s remarkable past.
Carnegie Centre
Vancouver, BCBe sure to sign up online to reserve a tour of this historic community centre on Main Street. Build in 1903, the Carnegie Community Centre was once the city’s first public library and is now commonly referred to as the “living room of the Downtown Eastside.” Volunteers at this important institution provide a number of different outreach programs to help the city’s homeless population and provide support for low-income adults in the area. If you miss the chance to register for a tour, you can always check out the historic photos on display in the third-floor library.
Stanley Park Children's Farmyard & Miniature Railway
610 Pipeline Rd, Vancouver, BC V6G 1Z4Sure the metaphorical doors are always open at this 1,001-acre urban park, but you won’t want to miss the chance to ride the park’s famed miniature train for free. During Doors Open Vancouver, visitors young and old can hop aboard a CPR #347 replica train and take a two-kilometer journey through the forested park. Once you’ve finished your choo-choo circuit, head over to the Vancouver Police Department’s Mounted Unit (located on Pipeline Road across from the Stanley Park Bus Loop) and take a peek inside the stables to meet the equestrian law enforcers who help monitor the sprawling park.
Woodwards Community Housing
Arguably the most iconic building in Vancouver’s Gastown neighbourhood, the flatiron-style Woodward’s Building has undergone a radical transformation over its 112-year history. Once one of the city’s premier department stores, the heritage site has been redeveloped in recent years to become a mixed-use complex that includes retail stores, residential units, civic offices and Simon Fraser University’s downtown campus. During the Doors Open festival, SFU and the National Film Board will be hosting a series of interactive tours (pre-registration required) to bring to life the building’s historic transformation.
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