Ottawa Lockstation

The flight of eight locks at Ottawa Lockstation is the largest flight on the Rideau Canal © Parks Canada

0 km – 0,5 km

The Ottawa locks are located in a valley, called ‘Entrance Valley’, about 2 km from where the natural course of the Rideau River flows over a high cliff to meet the Ottawa River. Rising 24 m, the massive Ottawa locks demonstrate the innovative design and construction techniques developed to meet the challenges of the terrain. The lockstation has a long and narrow configuration, approximately 100 m wide between the sides of the valley walls and 500 m from the Ottawa River to the present-day Plaza Bridge, which is its southern boundary.

Stone masonry lock walls and cast iron hand-operated winches typify the canal’s engineering. © Parks Canada

The Commissariat building is the oldest building in Ottawa and is now occupied by the Bytown Museum. © Parks Canada

Stabilized foundations of the Royal Engineers’ building, which was demolished in the late nineteenth century as a result of railway construction. © Parks Canada

The lockstation office is an architecturally fine stone building, befitting its location in Canada’s capital city. © Parks Canada

Ottawa Lockstation to Hartwells Lockstation

0,5 km – 6,7 km

Connecting Ottawa and Hartwells lockstations is a 6,4-km excavated channel of varying width; it is the longest excavated channel along the entire Rideau Canal. The channel is flanked on both sides by masonry or concrete walls, and railings. Before reaching Hartwells Lockstation, the channel passes through Dows Lake. Originally a swamp, this artificial lake was created through the construction of two earth embankment dams to contain its waters.

View of the excavated channel from Dows Lake to Hartwells Lockstation. © Parks Canada

The start of the excavated channel leaving Ottawa locks. Many bridges have been built across the canal since its completion in 1832. © Parks Canada