A week tomorrow - Saturday May 29 - and continuing on Sunday May 30 - 146 buildings across Toronto will throw open their doors and lay out the welcome mat for a public eager for a peak at places they normally wouldn't - and often couldn't - go. During the lead-up UrbanToronto will pick several of the locations to highlight for you. We encourage you to see any of the buildings on the list of course, but have a some favourites here for your consideration: 

John St Roundhouse - Toronto Railway Heritage Centre                                                                          This is not the first time that the John Street Roundhouse has been on the Doors Open circuit, but this is the first year that it features the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre as a working museum. The Toronto Railway Historical Association has spent years restoring their bays in the roundhouse, restoring the turntable in the yard outside, and restoring many engines, freight cars, and rail buildings which have been moved to the site from across Toronto. A miniature railway has also been built onsite for the delight of children.

The location on Bremner Boulevard across from the CN Tower will be open both Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM until 5 PM, with last admittance at 4:30 PM. For more information on this site, click here. UrbanToronto suggests that you time your visit to the Railway Heritage Centre so that you can join us next door at the Roundhouse and Steam Whistle Brewing. 

John St. Roundhouse - Steam Whistle Brewing                                                                                 Steam Whistle Brewing, located in the eastern bays of the roundhouse, opened to the public during Doors Open 2000. Ten years later, the beermaker has won numerous awards and is going strong. The brewery's insertion into the historic building has been done beautifully, and therefore the tours have been popular ever since. Tours start on the quarter hour and include a sample of the beer.

While Steam Whistle will be open both Satuday 10 AM until 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM until 5 PM, UrbanToronto suggests you plan to be there on Saturday at Noon or 1 PM when Steam Whistle's architect, Dave Taylor of Ware Malcolm, will be on hand to present the design process of creating a brewery in a historic industrial building. Come see the building, enjoy the beer, and meet some fellow UTers amongst the crowd. For more information on this site, click here.