August 2003
Community

Doors Open! Markham

Elizabeth was the founding Chair of Doors Open Markham. She had heard about Doors Open in a news item about its beginnings in France in the 1980s.

The Story

From Susan Casella

Elizabeth had heard about Doors Open in a news item about its beginnings in France in the 1980s. She was always researching, coming up with new and exciting ideas. With her customary conviction she brought it to Heritage Markham: "This is something we need to do here!". She pitched the idea around town council and managed to convince them to give a bit of money - but of course someone needed to make it all happen, and that was Elizabeth. Elizabeth, myself and a few other brave volunteers started the Doors Open Markham committee. We researched how others had run it in France, and in England where it had really taken off. This was 2003, so many of us were still pretty "low-tech". Elizabeth's expertise at sleuthing emails, finding contacts and soliciting participants and sponsors was key! We started it in the summer of that year, and it continues today, 20 years later!