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During the five-year restoration of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, hundreds of volunteers donated their time to a variety of tasks, including staffing promotional exhibits, conducting hard-hat tours of the building, assisting with fundraising activities and a multitude of office tasks. In addition, volunteers assisted in recreating dozens of beaded light fixtures for the Elgin Theatre and harvesting beech leaves for the Winter Garden's ceiling canopy.


Photo gallery

  • Doors Open Toronto at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre
    Credit: Bob ThackerDoors Open Toronto at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre
  • Volunteers at the Gift shop
    Credit: Bob ThackerVolunteers at the Gift shop
  • Public tour of the Elgin Theatre
    Credit: Bob ThackerPublic tour of the Elgin Theatre
  • Fun social gatherings
    Credit: Bob ThackerFun social gatherings
  • Fun social gatherings
    Credit: Bob ThackerFun social gatherings
  • Holiday gathering with volunteers
    Holiday gathering with volunteers
  • Thank-you cake to celebrate the EWG Volunteers
    Credit: Bob ThackerThank-you cake to celebrate the EWG Volunteers

Since the Theatre Centre reopened in 1989, volunteers continue to actively participate by offering their assistance with special events and projects, providing guided tours of the complex and staffing the gift shops. We are grateful to this dedicated group of volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer your time at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, check out the information below and/or complete the application form. For more information, call the Volunteer Office at 416-314-2873 and leave a message with your name and telephone number.

The following volunteer opportunities are available at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre:

Special event days

  • Doors Open Toronto – the last weekend of May
  • Ghost tours - the week of Halloween
  • Each event is unique with opportunities to volunteer in such areas as: crowd control, back-up for tours, ticket sales and gift shop staffing

Tour guide

  • Lead tour groups through the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre and provide historical information about the Theatre Centre, its history, the restoration process and its role today

Tour attendant

Pre-tour:

  • ensure that the front doors are locked once the tour begins
  • inspect the tour route for obstacles that could impede the tour through the Theatre Centre
  • ensure that the front doors are locked once the tour begins
  • open the gift shop and sell theatre merchandise to tour patrons
  • collect money for the tours and assist the tour guide throughout the tour

Gift shop

  • open the gift shop before performances; ensure that there is a sufficient supply of merchandise; sell merchandise prior to performance and during intermission; record and tally sales transactions and balance cash; close gift shop
  • answer questions from theatre patrons regarding the Theatre Centre, current and upcoming events and productions, local tourist attractions, etc.
  • provide directions (e.g., washroom and coat check locations) in the building

Application form