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OMAH's guided walking tour focus on city's history, rekindles nostalgia

'People seem to really enjoy it; they learn new stuff, but the tour also triggers some memories as well,' says Orillia Museum of Art & History official
OMAH Historical Orillia Tour
The Historical Orillia Tour hosted by the Orillia Museum of Art & History takes place in downtown every Friday night.

The Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) is hosting a guided walking tour through downtown Orillia every Friday night this summer.

The Historical Orillia Tour began on July 9 in conjunction with the See You on the Patio program and the Peter Street Art Walks.

History Programming Coordinator Lindsay Earle says the tour is a way to share OMAH’s passion for the city with both its residents and visitors.

“The history of Orillia is a lot older than I think a lot of people realize. So, we want to teach people about some of the amazing history that has taken place in our city,” Earle said.

On the tour, folks will learn about Orillia’s past and how it connects to the modern world today.

“Orillia was an innovator in a lot of ways. We were the first to try daylight savings time in Canada; it was a failed attempt in 1912,” Earle said.

“There are so many interesting stories and phenomenal people, and we wanted to share this with the community.”

The tour happens every Friday night at 7 p.m. beginning at OMAH (30 Peter St. S). The tour costs $10 for non-members of the museum and $7.50 for members.

Earle says the feedback from those who have taken the tour has been positive.

“It’s going really well so far. We are a little limited space-wise because of COVID, but other than that it’s going great,” she said.

“People seem to really enjoy it; they learn new stuff, but the tour also triggers some memories as well. It brings people some nostalgia.”

Earle says the tour is fun for people who have lived in Orillia forever and also for visitors.

“It’s a really fun way to get to know the city. The downtown has just a ton of history in it. I grew up here, but I lean something new about Orillia everyday which is so rewarding,” she said.

The tour takes an hour and a half to complete and people should bring water, good walking shoes and sunscreen.

To register for the tour, click here.


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Tyler Evans

About the Author: Tyler Evans

Tyler Evans got his start in the news business when he was just 15-years-old and now serves as a video producer and reporter with OrilliaMatters
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