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 14, 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
Every distance here is a straight line from the track to a town's point on OpenStreetMap, and the road is always 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
The slot floor opens at 10 a.m. and closes at midnight, seven days a week, the whole year round. The Player's Lounge keeps shorter hours. Monday to Thursday and on Sunday, it runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday it stays open until 10 p.m., so on those nights the slots carry on two hours past the lounge.
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
Ontario law keeps anyone under 19 out of slot facilities, staff at work aside. Great Canadian asks for ID from anyone who looks younger than 30. Bring government-issued photo ID in its original form, and expect that staff may ask for a second piece. 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. For live tables, the crew points you to Shorelines Casino Peterborough 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. Tables open Monday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to midnight. On Friday and Saturday they run noon to 2 a.m., and Sunday noon to midnight. Questions go to 1-833-678-0880.
Online in Ontario
Online casinos, Ontario rules
Since April 4, 2022, Ontario has had a regulated online market. A private online casino is legal only when registered with the AGCO and under a signed agreement with iGaming Ontario to operate. The directory at igamingontario.ca lists them all, and OLG.ca is run by OLG. Bets are taken only from people 19 or older physically in Ontario at the time. BetGuard, run by iGaming Ontario at betguard.ca, shuts a person out of every regulated site, OLG.ca included, for 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a set length.
The guide's home page carries paid links marked Ad. They lead to a private online casino partner that pays a commission and can change, not to OLG.ca.
Help
If You Need a Hand
- ConnexOntario is free, confidential and open 24 hours: call 1-866-531-2600, text CONNEX to 247247, or chat at connexontario.ca.
- My PlayBreak, set up through the OLG Support Centre at 1-800-387-0098, keeps you out of every Ontario casino for a term you cannot shorten.
- BetGuard at betguard.ca closes every regulated Ontario online site to you for 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a length you set.
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. A road is always longer than that line, and the crew does not guess driving times.
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.