Teachers on Call Celebrates Doors Open Richmond Hill

If you’ve never heard of Doors Open Ontario, it’s a program created by the Ontario Heritage Trust to open unique and interesting cultural sites to discover and learn stories about. Our tutoring team at Teachers on Call love educational field trips filled with adventure and fun, which is why we are excited to share these events. This series allows locals, visitors and tourists the opportunity to explore the history behind every door, free of charge. Doors Open Ontario is traveling around the province over the next few months, and on May 13, 2023, they’ll be celebrating Richmond Hill and the city’s 150th birthday. Read on to learn more about how to participate!

What is Doors Open Ontario and how does it work?

How does Doors Open work? It’s simple! Find a Doors Open event near you (or a place you’d like to learn more about), and just check the schedule to find out when the event is running. Some events run for the entire weekend, but some are only open for a day, so be sure to plan accordingly! Some locations may offer digital experiences as well. Over the next few months, our tutoring team at Teachers on Call will be spotlighting all the festivities. Did you read our last feature on Doors Open Hamilton? If not, catch up here. In this blog, we’re featuring Doors Open Richmond Hill, which is taking place for one day only on Saturday May 13, 2023. You can find a link to the Richmond Hill Doors Open sitemap here.

How to Plan for Doors Open Richmond Hill

It can be intimidating with so many interesting sites available for visitation, and in this case over one day. The Teachers on Call tutoring service recommends reviewing the list together as a family to map out your Saturday plans with the sites you want to visit most. You may try for a target of five buildings for the day. It there are other locations you just can’t get to in time, check out which participants are offering other options and exhibits.

Doors Open Richmond Hill is featuring the following 10 sites in 2023:

There are 10 in-person Doors Open Richmond Hill sites available for viewing and visiting on Saturday May 13, 2023. If you are planning an excursion with your family, here is a list of all that is open to see. Our online and in-person tutoring team is especially excited about the art showcase featuring graduating high-school students work at the first feature location, so read on!

Thomas Boynton House Art Exhibition Space – 1300 Elgin Mills Road East, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 1M5

Thomas Boynton House is a designated historical site dating from about 1875. It’s also a good example of a classic Ontario farmhouse. It stands in its original location in what is now Richmond Green Park and is used as a community art exhibition space. During Doors Open Richmond Hill, the graduating class from the visual arts program of Alexander Mackenzie High School in York Region District School Board (YRDSB) will be showcasing more than 100 works including paintings, sculptures and multimedia artwork. Show hours are May 11 – 14, so not to worry if you can’t make it on the Saturday, there are other opportunities.

The Burr House Spinners and Weavers Guild – 530 Carrville Road, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 6E6

Both the house and the guild it houses have a fascinating history. The house was built in 1857, and the Guild is a vibrant collection of fibre art enthusiasts, artisans and artists, active in the community since 1982. During Doors Open, visitors can enjoy weaving, spinning, pottery and quilting demonstrations.

St. Mary and St. Joseph Coptic Orthodox Church – 11308 Yonge St., Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 1K9

This church is unique in its architectural features and historical background. The Coptic Church was founded by Mark the Evangelist in AD 43, priding itself as one of the oldest churches to preserve its traditions, rituals and theological beliefs since its inception over 2,000 years ago. Beautiful hand-painted murals, carved wood and imported marble from Egypt grace this church’s interior.

Richmond Hill Hindu Temple – 10865 Bayview Ave, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 1M1

The largest Hindu Temple in North America, built and operated under the Agama Sastra traditions. The temple was designed by Mr. V. Janakiramana Sthapathi, who comes from the same family of architects that built the famous Big Temple in Tanjavur in South India during the Chola period. Come and explore the fine artwork displayed throughout.

Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church – 10066 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 1T8

A Gothic revival church with unique patterned bricks erected in 1880. The cemetery behind contains tombstones dating from 1806 to the present, as well as a vault (the “dead house”) used to store caskets during the winter. The interior features Gothic-designed woodwork, original pews, beautiful stained-glass windows and a 100-year-old Casavant organ, which was installed in 1915.

St. Mary's Anglican Church – 10030 Yonge St., Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 1T8

St. Mary’s is a scaled-down version of Toronto’s St. James Cathedral, and it is the oldest remaining church in the original village of Richmond Hill. St. Mary’s is now a chapel for the main church, built in 1964 in the Gothic revival style.

Phyllis Rawlinson Park – 11715 Leslie St., Richmond Hill, Ontario L4E 3R7

Richmond Hill's largest Oak Ridges Moraine park, a bequest to the then-Town of Richmond Hill by Phyllis Rawlinson.  She had a vision of her farm helping to educate and raise public awareness about the conservation of rural landscapes. Her original farmhouse and barn still stand as York Region's oldest designated buildings.

Richmond Hill Heritage Centre (Amos Wright House) – 19 Church Street North, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 3E6

A well-preserved example of an Ontario regency-style cottage, built in 1840 by Amos Wright, the first Reeve of Markham Township. Today, it is home to the Richmond Hill Heritage Centre and surrounded by Amos Wright Park.

Artifact Collections Storage Operations Centre – 1200 Elgin Mills Road East, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4S 1M5

A building which houses thousands of historical artifacts in its climate-controlled facility, much of which results was provided by generous donations of local families. During Doors Open, visitors can take a behind-the-scenes look at the collections and learn how they’re catalogued, preserved and maintained.

Richmond Hill David Dunlap Observatory – 123 A Hillsview Drive, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 1T3

An observatory and research centre for the University of Toronto's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and a facility for public education and outreach since 1935.

Interested in some other near-future Doors Open events? There will be Doors Open events in Toronto the weekend of May 27th, Whitchurch-Stouffville on June 3, and Burlington on August 12.  Watch out for more features on our blog. Happy learning!