Hello Everyone,
Please see this guest post from Scott Gillies, Curator of the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum:
DOORS OPEN RETURNS TO OXFORD COUNTY WITH IN-PERSON TOURS
Ever wanted to explore parts of Oxford County – the dairy capital of Canada – that are not always open to the public? Here is your chance.
After what has seemed like far more than two years, Doors Open Oxford is returning to in-person visits; this year in the Town of Ingersoll.
Eighteen different stops are on the tour taking place Saturday June 18th, between 10:00am and 4:00pm.
Begin your exploration by starting at the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum, located at 290 Harris Street, just 1 kilometre north of the 401 at Exit 218. Here you will receive a printed map and guide of all the stops along the way, as well as vouchers for BIA Bucks you can redeem at downtown merchants. After visiting this award-winning museum, head through Centennial Park and the Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre. Other stops include First Baptist Church, a virtual tour of the wonderful historic homes on Oxford Street, and a stop at Oxford Square to witness all the changes they are making to the former St. James Anglican Church.
From here it’s a short jaunt to the Ingersoll Kiwanis Farmers’ Market, the Ingersoll Town Hall and the site of the first curling club in town which is now home to Anderson’s Appliances. Your next stop is Trinity United Church, once described as the most impressive Methodist Church in the Niagara Conference. Since its first formation in the 19th century this structure has undergone numerous alterations.
A short drive through some of the older neighbourhoods in Ingersoll will bring you to the Ingersoll & District Curling Club – the one place in town you can throw rocks inside their house! Meanwhile the Ingersoll Pipe Band have plans for musically entertaining you while you visit their armoury.
While you are downtown spending those BIA Bucks, be sure to check out the slide show of historical photographs of Ingersoll on the big screen tv in Dewan Park. Try to answer all the questions on the scavenger hunt while you are shopping too. Then It’s off to the theatre – Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts. Come see how they have transformed the old movie theatre into a stage for plays, concerts and performances. A short walk will take you to St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. In that same area are some wonderful antique shops you can explore too.
Cross the river and head to Fusion Youth Centre, the former Sacred Heart Separate School that is now the site of dynamic interactive programming for youth. Check out their new recording studio and take a picture in front of their green screen. Thanks to modern technology you will be transported back in time and onto an historic image of Ingersoll!
Whip out your phone and log on for the virtual tour of Sacred Heart Church before leaving the parking lot. Around the corner are the Ingersoll Sports Hall of Fame in the Arena, as well as the Ingersoll Fire Hall and Kiwanis Safety Village. Your final destination (for the day) will be a quiet contemplative walk through the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery and the 1920s mausoleum which will be open for visitation.
For more information and to find photos of the Doors Open Ingersoll sites, visit https://www.doorsopenontario.on.ca/pages/events/oxford-ingersoll
Additional information is available by contacting the Cheese Museum at 519-485-5510.
Scott Gillies
Curator
Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum
290 Harris Street, Ingersoll
519-485-5510
http://www.ingersoll.ca/cheesemuseum
Twitter: @IngersollMuse1 Facebook: IngersollCheeseMuseum
Doors Open INGERSOLL – Saturday June 18 10:00am to 4:00pm
We want to see you in ’22
