Help us reimagine Doon Heritage Village
The stories we tell matter. They help shape how we see our community and the people in it.
The Region of Waterloo is looking for community input to shape the future of Doon Heritage Village! What stories and experiences will help ensure this museum reflects our community’s past, present and future? Region staff also want to hear residents’ stories and memories of what the Village has meant to them over the last 60+ years.
A public survey is live until April 18. Learn more about the Reimagining Doon Heritage Village project.
Doon first opened in 1957 and has evolved over the past 70 years. Throughout the 1960s, many historic buildings were transplanted there to recreate the historic “village.” The 60-acre, open-air museum now has over 22 buildings, including a railway station and general store.
Living history interpretation at the historic site temporarily closed in 2023 to allow for major improvements to the Village’s water mains, electrical and phone lines. This was also an opportunity to reflect on which heritages and stories it shares – and which are missing. These questions are being examined by many cultural institutions around the world.
The Village is expected to re-launch in 2025.
“A reimagined Doon Heritage Village should tell stories that resonate with our community, provide opportunities for learning and conversation, and create unique experiences for residents of Waterloo Region and visitors,” said Karen Redman, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in a recent news release. “We are excited to hear and celebrate the stories and memories of Doon Heritage Village from the past 60-plus years, while listening to important feedback from the community on how missing or underrepresented stories, histories, and traditions could be expanded to reflect the identities of our community.”
Doon Heritage Village is one of four museums the Region now runs. These sites help us understand our place in the world, and connect our past, present and future. They can inspire pride and a sense of identity.
