Dougall Canal facts for kids

The Dougall Canal is a special waterway located in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It was named in 2015 to honor Bruce Dougall. He was the person who started building it back in the 1960s. You can find this canal in Orillia, on a piece of land called Couchiching Point. This land separates two lakes: Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe.

What is the Dougall Canal?

The Dougall Canal is a man-made channel of water. It helps boats travel between different parts of the lakes. It also gives many homes easy access to the water.

Why Was the Canal Built?

Long ago, around 1890, there were plans for many houses on Couchiching Point. But the land stayed empty for a long time. In the 1960s, Bruce Dougall started building homes there. He changed the original plans. Instead of many houses packed together, he decided to build fewer homes. He also added the canal.

This new area was called Crescent Cove. The canal itself didn't have a name at first. It was built where a street, Cumberland Avenue, was supposed to go. By digging the canal, many more homes got direct access to the lake. This meant 55 homes could reach the water, instead of just 25.

Who Takes Care of the Canal?

For a while, the city owned the canal and the land next to it. They were supposed to keep it working well. But over time, the canal became overgrown with plants. By the 2000s, it wasn't easy to use anymore.

So, the city made a deal with the people who owned homes nearby. The city gave the canal land to the homeowners. In return, the homeowners formed a group called a homeowners association. This group now takes care of the canal and keeps it clear for everyone to use.

How Big is the Dougall Canal?

The Dougall Canal is about 0.5 miles (or 800 meters) long. It runs mostly north to south across the land. In the middle, the canal is about 12 feet (3.6 meters) deep. But at both ends, where it connects to the larger Trent–Severn Waterway system, it becomes shallower, about 6 feet (1.8 meters) deep.