A back-road guide from the Kawarthas
Fraserville Casino Online: Back Roads
Out to the Downs is an independent guide to the slots at the Kawartha Downs harness track, 1382 County Road 28, Fraserville. It shows you how to drive out, when the slots are open and what the gate expects.
By the Out to the Downs crewChecked October 11, 2026
Pick where you start
Which way in?
- Highway 401 east
- Exit 436, Highway 35/115
- Highway 115 north
- Off at County Road 28
- Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28
- Highway 7 east of Lindsay
- Fowler's Corners
- Ramp south onto County Road 28
- 15 km straight south
- Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28
- Highway 401 west
- Port Hope: County Road 28 north
- Or the next exit, Highway 115
- North to the track
- Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28
- Highway 7 around Peterborough
- Exit 45 on Highway 115, the Port Hope exit
- Where 115 meets County Road 28
- About 2 km south
- Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28
Sketch, not to scale. The four routes are the track's own; the road in Google Maps has the final word.
| Coming | The track's own directions |
|---|---|
| From Toronto | Highway 401 east → Exit 436, Highway 35/115 → Highway 115 north → Off at County Road 28 → Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28 |
| From the north and west | Highway 7 east of Lindsay → Fowler's Corners → Ramp south onto County Road 28 → 15 km straight south → Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28 |
| From Kingston | Highway 401 west → Port Hope: County Road 28 north → Or the next exit, Highway 115 → North to the track → Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28 |
| From the east | Highway 7 around Peterborough → Exit 45 on Highway 115, the Port Hope exit → Where 115 meets County Road 28 → About 2 km south → Kawartha Downs, 1382 County Road 28 |
The drive
Four Ways onto County Road 28
Kawartha Downs posts four sets of directions. From Toronto, take Highway 401 east to exit 436, Highway 35/115, then follow Highway 115 north to the County Road 28 exit. Coming from the north and west, take Highway 7 east of Lindsay to Fowler's Corners. Go down the ramp south onto County Road 28, then drive 15 km straight south. From Kingston, head west on Highway 401 and leave it at County Road 28 north at Port Hope, or at the next exit, Highway 115.
Coming from the east, take Highway 7 around Peterborough to exit 45 on Highway 115. This is the Port Hope exit, where 115 meets County Road 28, and the track lies about 2 km to its south. The slots charge nothing for parking. No published bus route serves 1382 County Road 28, nor is any shuttle or taxi stand listed, which makes this a car trip.
At the gate
- Parking costs nothing
- Bus or shuttle none published, so it is a drive
- Camping not on the grounds
- Dogs on race nights service animals only, and indoors
Distances
How Far the Towns Sit
Distances on this site are measured in a straight line between the track and each town's OpenStreetMap point, and any road is longer. Peterborough sits 12.1 km away, to the north and north-east. Port Hope is 29.5 km and Cobourg 32.8 km, both to the south. Lindsay comes in at 32.2 km, on the north-west side. Farther out, Oshawa is 51.3 km and Toronto 100.7 km, to the south-west.
The crew never guesses a driving time. Each town opens its own route in Google Maps. Matching a town to one of the four sets of directions is the crew's own pairing by side, not a road plan.
Straight lines, OpenStreetMap town points
As the crow flies
Where do you start?
12.1 km
| Town | Straight line | Side of the track | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peterborough | 12.1 km | north-east | Google Maps |
| Lakefield | 25.6 km | north | Google Maps |
| Port Hope | 29.5 km | south | Google Maps |
| Lindsay | 32.2 km | north-west | Google Maps |
| Cobourg | 32.8 km | south-east | Google Maps |
| Newcastle | 36 km | south-west | Google Maps |
| Bobcaygeon | 38.7 km | north | Google Maps |
| Bowmanville | 40.7 km | south-west | Google Maps |
| Port Perry | 45.6 km | west | Google Maps |
| Fenelon Falls | 45.8 km | north-west | Google Maps |
| Oshawa | 51.3 km | south-west | Google Maps |
| Brighton | 55.2 km | east | Google Maps |
| Whitby | 57.3 km | south-west | Google Maps |
| Uxbridge | 59.6 km | west | Google Maps |
| Belleville | 80.2 km | east | Google Maps |
| Toronto | 100.7 km | south-west | Google Maps |
| Barrie | 105.5 km | west | Google Maps |
| Kingston | 152 km | east | Google Maps |
Positions on the compass are squeezed so the far towns fit; the kilometres are exact straight lines, and roads are longer. The square marks the Peterborough casino, 7.7 km away, where the live tables are.
The clock
When the Slots and Lounge Open
Every day of the week, all year long, the slot floor runs from 10 a.m. until midnight. The Player's Lounge keeps shorter hours. The lounge serves from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Sunday. Friday and Saturday it closes at 10 p.m., so the slots run two hours longer than the lounge those nights.
Holiday hours for the slots are not posted ahead of time. If you are planning a drive out on a holiday, call the slot line at 705-939-2400 to confirm before you leave.
Ontario time
Open when you get there?
| Place | Posted hours |
|---|---|
| Slot floorKawartha Downs | Every day, 10 a.m. to midnight, all year |
| Player's Lounge & CaféKawartha Downs, on the slot floor | Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Harness racingKawartha Downs track | A summer season only, May to September; race times are posted by the track, not here |
| Live tablesPeterborough, Fisher Drive | Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday noon to 2 a.m., Sunday noon to midnight |
Holiday hours are not posted: ring 705-939-2400 before a long weekend. Race times are set by the track each summer and are not on this site.
Inside
What Stands on the Slot Floor
Kawartha Downs has 150 slot machines and nothing else to play, with no live tables and no electronic tables. A payout counter sits on the slot floor. Great Canadian Rewards is the operator's player card, and its Comp Dollars are accepted here. Members are 19 or older.
There are two owners here. Under its Shorelines name, Great Canadian Entertainment operates the slots, while Kawartha Downs, a separate company, owns the harness track, the Player's Lounge and the grounds. The lounge offers light refreshments and a casual menu running from breakfast to dinner, along with a fully licensed bar. Call it at 705-940-0237.
At the door
What the Gate Expects
By Ontario law, nobody under 19 may enter slot facilities, except staff who are working. Great Canadian will ask for ID if you look under 30. Bring original government-issued photo ID, and be ready to show a second piece if staff request one. The Player's Lounge is 19 plus as well, with ID.
Designated areas are the only places where smoking and vaping are permitted, and cannabis is banned everywhere on the property. A person with a disability is welcome to bring a support person. Only service animals are permitted at the races, and because of the horses they must remain inside the building.
Summer
Race Season, May to September
Live harness racing at Kawartha Downs runs from May to September, and watching costs nothing. The race schedule sits on the track's harness racing page at kawarthadowns.com, so check it before you drive out. When night racing came in the early 1960s, Peterborough became the first so-called "B track" under arc lights.
Planning a longer stay? There is no hotel at Kawartha Downs, and the grounds are closed to camping. For campers, the track's FAQ suggests Bailey's Bay in Selwyn, Kawartha Trails Resort and Beavermead Park in Peterborough, and, in Omemee, Emily Provincial Park.
Live tables
For Cards, Head to Peterborough
Kawartha Downs has 150 slot machines and nothing else to play, so there are no tables of any kind at the track. If live tables are what you are after, the crew sends you to Shorelines Casino Peterborough, found at 3800 Fisher Drive. It sits 7.7 km from the track in a straight line, to the north-east, and Great Canadian runs it too.
Inside are 12 live table games. From Monday to Thursday, the tables run between 4 p.m. and midnight. Play goes from noon until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, then noon until midnight on Sunday. Questions go to 1-833-678-0880.
Online in Ontario
Online casinos, Ontario rules
Ontario's online market has run under regulation from April 4, 2022. Legal status for a private online casino calls for AGCO registration and an operating agreement that iGaming Ontario has signed with it. OLG runs OLG.ca, and the igamingontario.ca directory names every one of those legal sites. Bets are taken only from people 19 or older physically in Ontario at the time. BetGuard, iGaming Ontario's betguard.ca, bars you from OLG.ca and every regulated site: 1 year, 5 years, 6 months or a set length.
The home page of the guide holds paid links, each labelled Ad. They point to an online casino partner, a private one rather than OLG.ca, which pays a commission and can be swapped.
Help
If You Need a Hand
- Help from ConnexOntario is free, confidential and reachable 24 hours: call 1-866-531-2600, chat online at connexontario.ca, or text CONNEX to 247247.
- My PlayBreak bars you from all Ontario casinos for a term that can't be cut short; the OLG Support Centre sets it up at 1-800-387-0098.
- BetGuard, at betguard.ca, keeps you away from all regulated online sites in Ontario for 1 year, 5 years, 6 months or a period you pick.
Questions
Asked over the fence
Short answers from the checked facts. Tap a question to open it.
Are the slots open late on a Sunday?
The slot floor stays open until midnight on Sundays. It opens at 10 a.m. and keeps those hours seven days a week, the whole year round. Holiday hours are not posted ahead, so call 705-939-2400 to confirm them.
Where do I go for blackjack from the track?
Kawartha Downs has 150 slot machines and no tables at all. Blackjack is on the table list at Shorelines Casino Peterborough, 3800 Fisher Drive, 7.7 km from the track in a straight line.
How far out is it from Lindsay?
Lindsay is 32.2 km from the track in a straight line. Any road will run longer than that line, and the crew never puts a guess on driving time.
Do I pay to park out there?
No, the slots charge nothing for parking. Since there is no published bus route, shuttle service or taxi stand, expect to arrive by car.
Can I catch a race in the winter?
The races are a summer thing at Kawartha Downs. The harness racing season runs from May to September, and the schedule goes up on the track's harness racing page.