Fort Henry, Upper Canada Village, set to reopen

Fort Henry, a National Historic Site of Canada, is known to bring large groups of tourists into Kingston annually. Photo by Lucas Mulder.

The St. Lawrence Parks Commission (SLPC) has announced its historic sites, Fort Henry and Upper Canada Village will reopen Wednesday, Jul. 1, 2020.

“We have truly missed welcoming guests,” said Geoff Waycik, Director of Historic Sites. “Our teams have been hard at work preparing the grounds and adjusting programming to deliver safe experiences at these unique attractions. Although it will be different from past visits, the crowds will be smaller and tours will offer a unique approach to view our sites and create new memories for you and your family.”

According to a statement from SLPC, programming has been modified to provide a touchless experience as much as possible.  Fort Henry will offer self-guided tours with historic guards stationed throughout, sharing information. Upper Canada Village, in Morrisburg, Ont., will offer guided tours. Both attractions will sell tickets online or over the phone, to allow touchless ticketing and social distancing.

SLPC notes that they’ve enhanced cleaning practices throughout the tour routes and restrooms. They advise that visitors may bring their own gloves, masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant cleaning products if they wish.

“As SLPC adapts to new health and safety measures, the commitment to welcoming guests back safely remains a top priority. With updated protocols to reflect the latest best practices, clear guidance and training will be provided to staff and to help guests better navigate the historic sites during these changes,” their statement reads.

The SLPC is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and operates facilities in 16 municipalities between Kingston and the Quebec border.

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Samantha Butler-Hassan, Local Journalism Initiative

Samantha Butler-Hassan is a staff writer and life-long Kingston resident. She is a news junkie and mom who loves reading and exploring the community. This article has been made possible with the support of the Local Journalism Initiative.

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