FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ontario Travel-Doors Open Ontario 2008

TORONTO, Spring 2008 - Doors Open Toronto 2008 takes place over the weekend of May 25, 26. Doors Open Toronto throughout various locations in Toronto starting Toronto's most spectacular buildings, including National and Historic Sites, will be in the spotlight during the 2008 installment of Doors Open Toronto, an annual event that gives visitors an opportunity to explore over 140 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and/or social significance. http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen/.

Additional Doors Open May events north of Toronto include events in Port Hope, Brockville and 1000 Islands, and the Loyalist Parkway. See Doors Open North of Toronto Additional Doors open opportunities include, “Doors Open Georgian Bay” Including Historic Huronia the and beginning of European history in Canada as we know it today.

Each year, hundreds of historic buildings, natural spaces and heritage gardens - some of which are rarely accessible to the public - open for free as part of Doors Open Ontario. Many of the participating sites offer special activities, such as tours, exhibitions and demonstrations With a record 54 events this year, more people than ever will have a chance to explore heritage buildings, architectural showpieces and community landmarks across Ontario.

Nine of the events in 2008 are new. Barrie, Brighton and Cramahe Township, Fergus, Gananoque, Loyalist Parkway (Prince Edward County and Lennox and Addington County), Norfolk County, Oakville, Oil Heritage District (Lambton County) and Whitby have all joined the program. Another highlight to watch for this season is the binational event in Niagara, featuring sites in both Ontario and Western New York.

"Nearly 2.5 million visits have been made to heritage sites during community events since Doors Open Ontario began in 2002," said The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust. "With its broad appeal and involvement of countless organizations and individuals across the province, Doors Open is an example of the many ways to engage citizens in community conservation."

To find out more,pick up the free Doors Open Ontario 2008 Guide - listing each event along with a selection of participating community sites. The guide is available by calling 1-800-ONTARIO (668-2746). For a complete list of participating sites, visit www.doorsopenontario.on.ca

"Doors Open Ontario continues to be a popular event, attracting more visitors every year," said Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture. "Participating communities have an opportunity to showcase their unique heritage and benefit from a boost to their local economy."

As always, Doors Open Ontario offers a chance to discover a variety of historic sites and hidden treasures across the province. Some of the interesting sites to explore this year include: the Norman Dam, built in the 1890s, first used to control lake levels until the powerhouse was constructed years later (Kenora); the "Mud House," built in 1937 using the ancient pisé deterre or "rammed earth" method (King Township); Frank Lloyd Wright's Fontana Boathouse in Buffalo, completed in 2007 based on Wright's 1905 design (Niagara, New York); Baines Machine & Repair Works, a shop that still produces oil well parts as they were made in the late 1800s (Oil Heritage District); and, the African Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in Otterville, one of the few preserved black pioneer burial grounds in the province (Oxford). Doors Open Ontario is a program of the Ontario Heritage Trust. The Trust also coordinates Trails Open Ontario, with support from the Government of Ontario. Information on this year's expanded Trails Open Ontario program will be available soon at www.heritagetrust.on.ca.

The Ontario Heritage Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage for present and future generations.

A list of Doors Open Ontario 2008 community events follows.

Doors Open Ontario 2008 Community Events

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Doors Open Aurora August 16
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Doors Open Barrie (NEW) September 28
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Doors Open Belleville and District September 13-14
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Doors Open Brant September 27
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Doors Open Brighton and Cramahe Township (NEW) June 21
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Doors Open Brockville-Thousand Islands May 24
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Doors Open Carleton Place September 27
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Doors Open Chatham-Kent May 10
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Doors Open Collingwood October 4-5
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Doors Open Cornwall-Seaway Valley September 6-7
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Doors Open Fergus (NEW) June 28
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Doors Open Gananoque (NEW) October 4-5
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Doors Open Greater Sudbury July 18-19
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Doors Open Guelph April 26
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Doors Open Haldimand County September 13
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Doors Open Hamilton May 3-4
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Doors Open Hills of Headwaters August 16-17
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Doors Open Huron October 18-19
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Doors Open Huronia June 7-8
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Doors Open Kawartha Lakes September 7
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Doors Open Kenora September 12-13
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Doors Open King Township September 20
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Doors Open Kingston June 28
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Doors Open Lanark Highlands June 7
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Doors Open London September 20-21
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Doors Open Loyalist Parkway (NEW) May 31
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Doors Open Markham August 23-24
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Doors Open Meaford September 27-28
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Doors Open Mississauga-Meadowvale September 27
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Doors Open Mississippi Mills September 27
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Doors Open Muskoka June 14
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Doors Open Newmarket September 20
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Doors Open Niagara (New York and Ontario) October 18-19
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Doors Open Norfolk County (NEW) April 26-27
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Doors Open Oakville (NEW) September 27-28
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Doors Open Oil Heritage District (NEW) September 20
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Doors Open Oshawa September 20-21
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Doors Open Ottawa June 7-8
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Doors Open Owen Sound June 7-8
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Doors Open Oxford September 6-7
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Doors Open Peterborough October 4
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Doors Open Port Hope May 31
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Doors Open Port Perry-Lake Scugog October 4
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Doors Open Port Stanley-Sparta October 18
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Doors Open Shelburne June 14
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Doors Open Smiths Falls June 8
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Doors Open Stratford, North Perth and Perth County September 27
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Doors Open Thunder Bay September 13
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Doors Open Timmins September 13
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Doors Open Toronto May 24-25
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Doors Open Waterloo Region September 20
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Doors Open Whitby (NEW) September 13
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Doors Open Whitchurch-Stouffville June 7
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Doors Open Windsor September 28
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For further information: Catrina Colme, Marketing and Communications
Coordinator, Ontario Heritage Trust, Telephone: (416) 325-5074, E-mail:
catrina.colme@heritagetrust.on.ca