Community Update: Replacements Progressing Well

February 20, 2018 – The replacement of the upper and lower wharves at Black Rapids Lock 13 on the Rideau Canal National Historic Site is progressing well. The project is on target to be completed in spring 2018, in time for navigation.

Since early January, the contractor at Black Rapids has demolished both the upper and lower wharves. Recently, they placed the concrete foundation for both wharves and are currently building timber cribs for the upper wharf. The construction of cribs for the lower wharf will follow. Concrete slabs will be the final element placed on the cribs to form the deck of both wharves in March. The new wharves are slated to be available for recreational use this navigation season.

Work to replace the Black Rapids Wharves is part of Parks Canada’s unprecedented $3 billion dollar investment 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 investments represent the largest federal infrastructure plan in the 105-year history of Parks Canada.

About Black Rapids Lock 13

In 1827, Black Rapids Lock was built along a 2.4 kilometre stretch of rapids on the Rideau Canal. The lock was built out of local limestone sourced from a quarry on the east bank of the river, opened specifically to supply the lock construction. In 1829, the lockmaster’s house was completed, with the dam and artificial channel completion following thereafter.

Throughout the years, a number of repairs and modifications have been made at Black Rapids Lockstation. In 1925, the waste weir was rebuilt in concrete. Concrete was again used in the late 1940s and early 1950s to rebuild the timber dam. In the late 1960s, under the operation of Transport Canada, Black Rapids Lock was converted to hydraulic mechanized operation to improve efficiencies for recreational boat traffic.

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 “Black Rapids Wharves” in the subject heading.