Community Update: Combined Lock 29A

September 15, 2017 - Parks Canada is in the midst of an unprecedented program of infrastructure investments to preserve assets located within national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas across Canada. To date, the Rideau Canal National Historic Site has announced more than $100 M worth of investments to rehabilitate the dams, bridges, locks, and canals that make up the waterway.

As a part of these investments, in 2016 Parks Canada announced funding that would support work to rehabilitate a number of components at Lock 29A in Smiths Falls. Both sets of hydraulic gates will be replaced, and enhancements will be made to both the hydraulic and electrical systems to improve the reliability of operation. Repairs will be made to the downstream concrete wharf and upper basin walls, and improvements made to guard rails and hand rails.

The design for this work has now been completed and, with support from Public Services and Procurement Canada, a tender for construction work has been let. Improvements will be completed in phases, with the more immediate work of concrete repair in the upper basin scheduled to take place over the winter months of 2017/18.

About Combined Lock 29A

The lock at this location in Smiths Falls was originally three locks in flight. The lock was combined into one lift adjacent to the original lock (pictured above) in 1972 – 73 to accommodate a new fixed bridge. With a higher elevation to overcome as one lock, the manual gates were mechanized. Combined Lock 29A is one of only three locks on the Rideau Canal with hydraulic gates.

For More Information:

If you have any questions about this project, or if you would like to receive email updates, please email us at: RideauCanal.info@pc.gc.ca and include “Combined Lock 29” in the subject heading.