Doors Open to city history
A single-lane bridge carries visitors over the thundering rapids of Twelve Mile Creek, leading to a historic building in a picturesque setting at the base of the escarpment.
Turbines within Decew Falls Generating Station No. 1 have been spinning at 286 r.p.m. for nearly 120 years, since they were first built by Voith in Heidenheim, Germany, transforming the flow of rushing water from Lake Gibson reservoir into enough electricity to power 16,000 homes.
The facility, the oldest continually running hydroelectric station in Canada, is visible from the Twelve Mile Creek Trail on the far side of the creek, but it’s a location very few people get to see up close.
Ontario Power Generation vicepresident of operations Gerry Foote says it has been nine years since the facility was last opened to the public, when OPG held an open house in 2008.
But that facility is one of 24 sites that will welcome visitors during Doors Open St. Catharines — a signature event organized by the city to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.
Although welcoming the community might be a bit of a disruption for busy OPG workers, Foote says it’s also something they’re looking forward to.
“Our employees are pretty proud to show off where they work and what they do, because not a lot of people know what they do,” he says.
Timing of the event will allow visitors a rare look at the inner workings of a generator.
“It’s absolutely an amazing time because our overhauls are 25 to 30 years apart. So, this would not normally be here,” Foote says gesturing to a 10,000-tonne turbine shaft assembly removed from a generator in the midst of being refurbished. “This is a really rare occasion for someone to see.”
In addition to the power station tour, Doors Open participants will have an opportunity to visit historic buildings, nine churches, industries and institutions throughout the city during June 24 event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., says St. Catharines historical services co-ordinator Carla Mackie.
“It’s pretty special,” she says while visiting the power plant Tuesday to announce plans for the tours. “It’s a lot of sites within one day.”
The Brown Homestead — the oldest home in the city built in the late 1700s—– will open its doors to visitors while members of the John Brown Heritage Foundation will provide historic demonstrations.
Ridley College will open its memorial chapel and great hall to visitors, “and if you haven’t seen their dining hall it looks a lot like Hogwarts,” Mackie says, referring to the fictional school in the Harry Potter movies.
THK Rhythm Automotive Canada is on the tour, as well.
“I was really hoping for a company like THK,” Mackie says, referring to the automotive manufacturing plant that has been a fixture of St. Catharines since 1929 when it began as Thompson Products.
“I sent an introduction about what the program was, and even before I walked into their building they greeted me outside and said, ‘Yes, we are in,’” she said. “I didn’t even have to go into more details, they were just fully on board.”
She said that tour will include a visit to an underground tunnel that connects THK’s two plants on ei- ther side of Louth Street.
“You get to go into the tunnel as well, so you get to see the original manufacturing company and the original one. They also have a war memorial on site as well, and huge history in the community.”
Mayor Walter Sendzik says the Doors Open event is “very much a staff-led initiative, looking at creative ways that we can support the 150th.”
“Staff worked really hard to find the doors that are uniquely St. Catharines, but also capture the history of our country. This DeCew Falls is a perfect example.”
Although Doors Open is a firsttime event for St. Catharines, some local historic sites have been part of the former Doors Open Niagara event in past years that was organized each fall by a binational committee based in Buffalo.
Mackie says the last Doors Open Niagara was held in 2012 and featured tours of a few dozen sites located on both sides of the border.
About 73 municipalities across the province are organizing similar events this summer, inspired by Canada’s sesquicentennial anniversary.
“It’s a special occasion event,” Mackie says.
Although the event is free, some sights including DeCew Falls Generating Station, require preregistration. More information and volunteer opportunities are available at www.stcatharines.ca/DoorsOpen.