Community Update: Contractor Mobilizing to Site

December 2, 2016 – In September 2016, construction began on Edmonds Lock 25, Overflow Dam and Weir on the Rideau Canal National Historic Site. To date, work has focused on heritage stone masonry work on the lock and overflow dam, repair to the earth dam, and improvements to the roadway access to the dam from County Road 43.

Contractors have now completed the first half of the overflow dam masonry. This included the grouting and repointing of historic stonework. Moving forward, they will be completing stone replacement on damaged stonework within the overflow dam and weir.

Work on the earth dam is nearing completion for the season. As the weather gets colder, work on the earth dam will be on hold until the spring when the earth softens again. This past fall, contractors laid the base for the earth dam service road extension and dismantled a leaning heritage stone retaining wall in preparation for its reassembly following the completion of the service road in the spring.

Construction inside of Edmonds Lock is now beginning and will include the replacement of individual face stones, grouting and repointing with heritage appropriate mortar. The upper portion of the lock has been dewatered and the cofferdam downstream of the lock is being finalized. The cofferdam is a watertight enclosure built in the waterway to create a dry work space. This particular cofferdam will enable the dewatering of the lower end of the lock.

This phase of the Edmonds Lock 25, Overflow Dam and Weir project will be completed by May, in time to welcome boaters once again on the Victoria Day weekend in celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary celebration. During 2017, free lockage will be offered to all visitors along the Rideau Canal. This project is part of Parks Canada’s unprecedented $3 billion dollar investment over 5 years to support infrastructure work to heritage, visitor, waterway and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada. These historic investments will mitigate health and safety risks, halt the loss of nationally significant built heritage and stimulate the economy in communities across the country.

About Edmonds Lock 25, Dam and Weir

Edmonds Lock, Dam and Weir were constructed in the late 1820s to early 1830s. The lock was created with a 2.64 metre (eight foot, eight inch) lift, built on a clay foundation and wooden floor. A stone arch overflow dam was built with a waste weir installed to reduce the chance of floods. In the early 1840s, a stone lockmaster's house was constructed at the site then replaced with a two-storey house in 1905.

For More Information:

For up-to-date news on infrastructure work along the Rideau Canal, please visit our website: www.pc.gc.ca/rcInfrastructure. If you would like to be added to our community engagement list and receive updates on this project, please e-mail RideauCanal.info@pc.gc.ca and include "Edmonds Lock 25" in the subject heading.