Jail time.

A few weeks ago, the munchkins were happily sent off to their grandparents’ place (thanks, Mom and Dad) so that the Mr. and I could wander around town looking at old stuff.

It was during the Doors Open Hamilton event in May that I fell in love with The Cotton Factory, a block of historic industrial buildings now transformed into a vibrant arts community, full of artsy people and their creations.

This time, Doors Open took place in Waterloo Region. We began our outing at the Pioneer Tower (c. 1926), climbing an enclosed 50-foot narrow staircase to the observation deck. Well… it was actually more ladder-ish than staircase-ish. I managed to avoid having an acrophobia-related panic attack. Barely.

In Cambridge, we toured the renovated interiors of the former Galt Carnegie Library (c. 1903). (I spied no ladders in that building, and though there were stairs, they weren’t the panic-inducing kind.)

The old Waterloo County Jail (c. 1852) had an intimate landscaped stone courtyard – a former “exercise yard” for inmates – with arched entrances. No ladders or staircases here, just benches. Good for play-it-safers like me, especially those whom have recently averted height-activated anxiety attacks.

Here, then, as an addition to the collection of interesting entryways found at Norm’s Thursday Doors weekly feature, are a few shots: