Community Waterfront Heritage Centre (CWHC)

Celebrating the Marine, Rail and Industrial Heritage of Owen Sound, Ontario

Community Waterfront Heritage Centre Hours

Open By Appointment

 Notices and Announcements:

Cabin Fever Speaker Postponed

The February 13th Cabin Fever Talk about the Craigleith Ski Train has been postponed due to weather conditions. It will now take place on February 21st, 2025.

Open By Appointment

Our 2024 season has ended and we no longer have regular hours. We continue to be open by appointment. To book a visit, please call 519-371-3333 or email info@waterfrontheritage.ca. Regular hours will resume in spring of 2025.

Last Updated on February 13th, 2025

Community Waterfront Heritage Centre
1155 1st Ave W,Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8

Call Us: 519-371-3333
Email: info@waterfrontheritage.ca

CWHC is a registered charity:
# 839177177 RR0001

CWHC is a member of the Ontario Museum Association and the Ontario Historical Society.

A graphic with the text "Announcing Social Prescriptions Engage Cultural Seniors Project." A graphic at the bottom indicates that the project is supported by the Federal Government's New Horizons Program.

Introducing "SPECS"

The Community Waterfront Heritage Centre is pleased to acknowledge that we have received funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). This funding has allowed us to start our new project: Social Prescriptions Engage Cultural Seniors (SPECS).

To learn more about SPECS and keep up to date on its developments, click here or go to waterfrontheritage.ca/specs.

You can find a listing of SPECS events on our calendar here.

VIP Memberships

With 2024 coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to renew or sign up for a VIP membership with the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre! VIP memberships are a great way to support the museum while getting some benefits in return.

VIP Memberships grant you a number of fun perks! You will have free entry to the museum, a discount on some gift shop items, a 1 hour research credit for research conducted by CWHC staff, and voting rights at the AGM.

You can sign up for a VIP membership a number of ways. The easiest is to use this online form. If you would like to sign up in person, email info@waterfrontheritage.ca or call 519-371-3333 to arrange a time to come in. If you are a renewing member, you can also send an e-transfer to info@waterfrontheritage.ca, and include a note in the memo field that it is for your membership renewal.

An individual VIP membership is $25, and a family membership (including 2 adults and 3 youth) is $40. If you have any questions about VIP memberships, don’t hesitate to ask!

Cabin Fever Speakers

It can be easy to end up getting cooped up inside for a long time during the winter due to the weather and limited options for what to do. Fortunately, we’re running our “Cabin Fever” speaker series to ensure that there is still something worth coming out for!

Come to the CWHC on February 15th and 21st for two incredible presentations!

On February 15th, local historian Scott Cameron will be presenting “Sailing Blind into the Storm of December 7, 1927.”

Then, on the 21st we will be hosting Alessia Farris, curator of the Craigleith Heritage Depot, who will be diving into the history of the Craigleith Ski Train!

Doors open for each of these talks at 1:00pm. Entry is by donation. Please consider registering in advance by calling 519-371-3333 or emailing info@waterfrontheritage.ca.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for more information on our March presentation by Mat Johnson on the 1944 Operation BERLIN and the importance of Canadian industry in its execution.

This event is funded by the Federal Government’s New Horizons For Seniors Program as part of our SPECS initiative.

2025 Model Show and Sale

Calling all railway modellers and enthusiasts! The date has been set for next year’s Model Show and Sale! After the great success of our inaugural 2024 show, we will once again be inviting you to join us on Sunday, September 28th, for an incredible array of vendors and displays!

The show will be taking place at the Owen Sound Legion (1450 2nd Ave. W.) from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. You will find working models, rolling stock, modeling equipment and more! Not only that, but admission to the show will once again grant admission to the CWHC as well, so not only can you enjoy our dioramas in the museum, but you can experience more of Owen Sound’s Railway history as well!

If you or someone you know is interested in being a vendor at our show, reach out now to let us know! You can inquire about becoming a vendor by calling 519-371-3333 or emailing info@waterfrontheritage.ca

About CWHC

Learn all about the Community Waterfront Hertitage Centre

The Community Waterfront Heritage Centre celebrates  and  preserves Owen Sound’s heritage on the waterfront. It focuses on the marine, rail and industrial history of the City and surrounding communities.

Our Vision

The CWHC enlivens community connections and experiences through sharing collective stories.

Our Mission

The CWHC honours the legacy of “The Waterfront” community hub by sharing stories, presenting fun and educational experiences and offering unique opportunities to explore the curiosity of area residents and connect the imagination of visitors to our collective history

Our History

The Community Waterfront Heritage Centre is located in the historic CN Rail Station, on Owen Sound’s harbourfront. The Marine Rail Heritage Centre was first established in 1978 by a volunteer group of history enthusiasts who wanted to preserve and expand upon Owen Sound’s history as a thriving port. It preserves the area’s marine, rail and industrial history. It opened to the public in 1985. 

On June 28, 2014, the Centre officially opened under new management. We hope you will visit us regularly, whether in person or virtually.

Housed in a former Canadian National Railway Station, the museum features artifacts, scale models, archival photos and interactive stations. It also showcases exquisite ship models made by skilled artisans, along with CNR and CPR memorabilia. Each season, it hosts temporary special exhibits. The former CN station is now listed on the city’s Heritage Register.

Ask to see the working model railroad, or if you’re there at 12 or 5 p.m. enjoy the sound of the historic Kennedy Foundry Whistle.

CWHC is committed to having an open and transparent Board of Directors.

Chair: Nicole Egan
Vice Chair: Jan Chamberlain
Secretary: Lynda Chiotti
Treasurer: Janet Iles

Board Members:

Stephen Crane

Staff:
Zack McLean
Curator & Manager

Waterfront Heritage

A series of Newsletters published by the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre (CWHC

Contact Us

Comunity Waterfront Heritage Centre (CWHC)
1155 1st Ave W,Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8

Call Us: 519-371-3333
Email: info@waterfrontheritage.ca

Send Us a Message

8 + 14 =