Since 2002, significant buildings in communities have opened their doors in North America.
Centre Wellington has been part of the Doors Open program for several years, offering inquisitive guests the chance to see what lies behind the door. With a community so rich in heritage and cultural experiences, Centre Wellington had more than its fair share of visitors a couple of weeks ago.
The day was billed as “a unique opportunity to explore sometimes-hidden yet always-interesting places. Visit a woodworking shop, farmhouse, art studio and a net-zero home. Ring a church bell, tour downtown Fergus and learn the history of the buildings. Climb to the attic of the museum, watch our local Newspaper come alive, and have a peek in some of the area’s finest heritage spaces – including one of the oldest homes in the township!”
Friends on the other end of town with their woodworking shop, Almost Anything Wood, claimed over 250 visitors. They told visitors how they re-use downed trees to make furniture and demonstrated what live-edge means when it comes to furniture.
Since we are out of the core and no buses showed up, our numbers were limited to drivers. Over 165 made their way through our facility to learn what it takes to publish a Newspaper.
From first contact at the front desk to production, News and a state-of-the-art mailroom, guests were genuinely impressed with the size and scope of our operation. Our current digital efforts using social media and an award-winning website are going to match up well with new digital display screens that were available for viewing.
It takes extra effort to be part of these events. The reward for our staff members able to volunteer that day was seeing so many people interested in the Newspaper business. As an aside, a good percentage of visitors were from out of town and commented at the difference between a corporate-run Newspaper and our family-run enterprise.
This initiative will be seeking new locations for next year and we highly recommend opening your doors and making new friends along the way.
