Municipal Open House - Sunday, May 3, 2026

Join us on Sunday, May 3, 2026, for our annual Municipal Open House, in celebration of Municipal Awareness Week. This event provides an opportunity to visit some of the City's municipal buildings and get the inside scoop on how your city operates. This is a free family friendly event open to all ages.

Participating sites

Robin Hood Bay Recycling Facility 

340 East White Hills Road, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Do you know what happens to your recycling after you place it at the curb? In this region, recycling is collected, sorted and bundled for new markets in the Materials Recovery (recycling) Facility at the Robin Hood Bay Waste Management Facility. Come join this guided tour and see what happens to your curbside recycling and meet the staff that sort it!

City Hall

10 New Gower Street, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Come tour City Hall and discover one of St. John’s most recognizable civic buildings. Explore the halls, take in its striking Brutalist architecture, and visit the Great Hall, home to public art acquired through the City’s Art Procurement Program.

Step inside Council Chambers, where City Council meets to make decisions that shape our community. Ring the bell that opens Regular Meetings, sit in the Mayor’s Chair, and try the Mayor’s gavel.

Meet City staff and learn more about the services that help keep St. John’s running, including Parking, Planning, Regulatory Services, Operations, Occupational Health and Safety, Surveying, and the City Clerk’s Office.

There will also be fun activities for all ages, including a Kids Colouring Contest with prize draw and a City Hall hide-and-seek challenge. 

Looking for some friendly competition? Join our City Hall Trivia Challenge in the Foran Greene Room on the 4th floor at 12:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. Each session runs approximately 20–30 minutes. Teams of up to four people are welcome, and solo players can join too. Questions are geared toward adults, but everyone is welcome to participate. To reserve a spot, email cityclerk@stjohns.ca or call 709-576-8229. Drop-ins are welcome if space allows.

Central Fire Station

5 Fort Townshend, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Meet the brave firefighters of the fire department, who work tirelessly to keep our community safe. You will learn about fire safety and also can get your photo taken with one of the fire trucks on this self-guided tour. 

City Archives

15 Terra Nova Road, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Learn about the rich history of our city at the archives building, where fascinating stories and archival photos await in this guided tour. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience archival documents: maps, photographs, ledgers, microfilm, council minutes; and get a behind the scenes peek at the archival stacks. 

Visitors can test their St. John's knowledge with our Archives Quiz. Staff will be available for discussion and to answer questions.

H.G.R. Mews Community Centre

60 Blackler Ave

The H.G.R. Mews Community Centre is hosting an Open House with activities and free access throughout the day:

• 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Open House Activities
  Enjoy human-sized games, a craft area, a sensory zone, and a bouncy castle. Adaptive equipment will also be on display, with staff available to answer questions.
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Free Walking Track Access
  Drop in and enjoy complimentary use of the walking track.
• 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Free Open Gym 
  Take part in court sports during the evening drop-in session. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult aged 16 or older.

Paul Reynolds Community Centre

35 Carrick Drive

The facility will offer a free Open Gym session from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for court sports, with the requirement that children 12 and under be accompanied by an adult aged 16 or older.

Rotary Park

Thorburn Road adjacent to the boundary of Portugal Cove - St. Phillip's

Outdoor stations will be set up for the Open House taking place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring archery, hut construction, slackline activities, and other fun outdoor experiences. This location is weather dependent.

Parking and accessibility information for participating locations can be found on the Open House webpage.