Join us on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, 2022 for Doors Open Toronto!
Doors Open Toronto showcases some of the most architecturally, historically, culturally, and socially significant buildings across the city, including the John Street Roundhouse. Since 2002, TRM has hosted an open house in Roundhouse Park and inside the John Street Roundhouse. We’re looking forward to celebrating the kick-off of our summer season with you! Stop by for a visit and to meet some of our wonderful volunteers.
Free admission! Doors Open weekend hours are from 10:00am-5:00pm. Visits to the museum in Stall 17 of the John Street Roundhouse are complimentary over Doors Open weekend, along with a host of other activities:
- View the small model train show in Stall 15 of the John Street Roundhouse
- Take a guided tour. Tours run at 11:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, and 3:00pm.
- Test drive the train simulator
- Climb aboard and go inside the rolling stock on display
The John Street Roundhouse
On October 15, 1929, Canadian Pacific Railway’s John Street Roundhouse officially opened. As one of Canadian Pacific’s largest roundhouses, it operated in the heart of Toronto for almost 60 years. Today, the Toronto Railway Museum is located inside three of the service stalls. Learn more about the John Street Roundhouse on the blog.
Doors Open Through the Years
2002
On May 25, 2002, the Toronto Railway Historical Association began hosting Doors Open at the former Canadian Pacific John Street Roundhouse. This popular annual event began in 2000 and the doors to the Roundhouse were opened to the public in 2001 for the first time since the City of Toronto had acquired the facility in 1988. Also, several pieces of rolling stock and railway structures were stored inside the building, like the watchman’s shanty pictured here.
2009
In 2009, the Roundhouse was undergoing major restoration and visitor access to the stalls was quite restrictive and challenging. However, TRM volunteers overcame this by rolling visitors into the building along track 17!
2010
Doors Open 2010 was extra special because the it was also our official opening as a museum. Consequently, over 7000 people visited the Roundhouse that weekend! Visitors were able to climb aboard the historic railway buildings and rolling stock pieces volunteers had carefully restored in the weeks and months leading up to the grand opening.
2017
Doors Open 2017 saw a new addition to TRM’s rolling stock collection. 1967 GO Transit Cab Car No. 104 arrived onsite just in time to celebrate the weekend. A cab car is a railway coach with full engineer controls at one end of the car and is placed on the opposite end of the train from the locomotive so the train can be operated in both directions without turning it around.
See you at Doors Open 2022!
We’re so excited for this annual tradition! Doors Open allows Torontonians and visitors alike to explore the heritage in their own backyards. Additionally, the John Street Roundhouse is a federally-recognized National Historic Site and is, “the best surviving example of a roundhouse in Canada.” Plan your Doors Open visit.
Nice Work!