Railway Roots creates a new platform for exploring Durham's past
Lisha Van Nieuwenhove
Uxbridge may no longer have its own heritage train to take visitors and residents back in time, but a new augmented reality experience promises to keep the heritage of the rail system in the area alive.
Conductor Bradley is ready to share with visitors how the railway shaped Durham Region.
Railway Roots is a brand-new immersive self-guided journey that brings to life stories of the people and places who were connected by the rail network.
Guiding the journey is Conductor Bradley, an avatar who welcomes visitors with stories of how the railway shaped Durham’s rural communities, alongside fascinating tales that include a resourceful conductor who cooked meals for stranded passengers in a snowstorm, students who hopped trains to get to school and a thriving factory that built everything from musical instruments to coffins.
“The historic societies from Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge provided amazingly rich content, which resulted in fascinating stories from a time when the railway connected communities,” says Chuck Thibeault, executive director of Central Counties Tourism. “Small community museums and heritages sites are often overlooked by both visitors and residents and, through cutting edge programs like Durham Region Railway Roots, we plan on changing that.”
Visitors can plan their trip at DurhamTourism.ca/RailwayRoots, where they can learn about the seven participating locations and download the free AVTR1 app. At each stop, look for Railway Roots signage and scan the QR code to begin the experience.
The stories featured in Railway Roots encourage further exploration of local history, museums, heritage sites and attractions.
Railway Roots is the result of a collaborative effort between Durham Tourism and Central Counties Tourism, combining local history and innovative technology to create an immersive visitor experience that inspires exploration.
“Railway Roots brings moments from Durham’s past to life in an engaging new way,” says Stacey Jibb, agriculture and rural economic development manager with Invest Durham. “We hope both residents and visitors are inspired not only to experience the augmented reality journey, but to also explore the communities, museums and historical sites that make our rural communities unique.”