On August 28&29, 2004 Markham opened the doors of 25 cultural and heritage sites for public. Everyone was welcome to explore the Town’s most notable buildings and tour the historic streets as part of the “Doors Open Markham” celebration.

As the first North American municipality to win the Prince of Wales Award for built heritage, Markham is proud to participate in Doors Open 2004. The heritage districts are part of what distinguish Markham from other municipalities in the GTA.

Building on the success of last year’s event, Doors Open Markham offered the public a rare opportunity to explore sites of interest, many of which were normally closed to the public. Participants toured buildings, took guided tours, attended special exhibits and displays during the two-day event—all for free!

Markham Chinese Cultural Centre of Federation of Chinese Canadian in Markham was one of the cultural sites. It is located in the exciting Market Village Shopping Centre, the Centre offers programs in Chinese music, dance, arts, crafts and Kung Fu and plays an important part in the life of Chinese Canadians in Markham. In the two-day event, the Centre provided demonstration on Chinese brush printing and calligraphy, Chinese pottery making (Violet Quartz) and Dough flowers making.

Doors Open Markham was part of the international Doors Open program that began in Glasgow, Scotland in 1990 and has become a popular event in more than 47 countries worldwide. Markham’s program was coordinated by a group of volunteers under the auspices of the Markham Village Conservancy and the Town of Markham.

The sites of interest are:

• Heintzman House, 135 Bay Thorn Drive (Built: 1816)
• St. Volodymyr’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 15 Church Lane (Built: 1847)
• Thornhill Village Library, 10 Colborne Street (Built: 1851)
• Colborne Street Walking Tour
• The German Mills Schoolhouse, 80 German Mills Road (Built: 1874)
• The Heritage Schoolhouse, 2 Valleywood Drive (Built: c.1872)
• Queensbridge Mill, 4160 – 19th Avenue
• Ashlane Farms, 11270 McCowan Road (Established: 1869)
• Bethesda Lutheran Church, 20 Union Street (Built: 1910)
• Unionville Train Station, 7 Station Lane (Built: 1871)
• Main Street Unionville Walking Tour (from Train Station)
• Eckardt-McKay House, 197 Main Street, Unionville (Built: c.1835)
• Varley Art Gallery, 216 Main Street, Unionville (Built: 1997)
• The Village Church of the Nazarene, 218 Main Street, Unionville (Built: 1913)
• Benjamin Milliken House, 7710 Kennedy Road (Built: 1855)
• Markham Chinese Cultural Centre, 4350 Steeles Avenue East
• Ebenezer United Church, 5000 Steeles Avenue East (Built: 1878)
• Markham Village Fire Station, 207 Main Street North, Markham (Built: 1985)
• Markham Train Station, 214 Main Street North, Markham (Built: 1871)
• Markham Village Walking Tour
• The Ramer House, 250 Main Street North, Markham (Built: c. 1900)
• Markham Museum and Heritage Village, 9350 Highway 48
• The Robert Grundy House, 6 Alexander Hunter Place (Built: c. 1840)
• Markham Heritage Estates Walking Tour
• Albert Street Cottage, 41 Albert Street (Built: c. 1870)