Kirkfield Lift Lock facts for kids
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| Waterway | Trent-Severn Waterway |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Maintained by | Parks Canada |
| Operation | Hydraulic |
| First built | 1907 |
| Latest built | 1969 |
| Length | 42.4 m |
| Width | 10.1 m |
| Fall | 14.9 m |
| Above sea level | 256.2 m |
| Coordinates | 44°35′23″N 78°59′23″W / 44.58973°N 78.98981°W |
The Kirkfield Lift Lock is a special kind of boat lift located in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada. It's near the village of Kirkfield. Think of a boat lift as a giant elevator for boats! It helps boats move between different water levels.
This lock is called "Lock 36" on the Trent-Severn Waterway. It sits at the highest point of this entire canal system, which is 256.2 meters above sea level. The Kirkfield Lift Lock is Canada's second boat lift of its kind. The first one, the Peterborough Lift Lock, is also on the same waterway.
Building the Kirkfield Lift Lock
How it was Built
Building the Kirkfield Lift Lock was a huge project. It took seven years, from 1900 to 1907, to finish. A clever Canadian engineer named Richard Birdsall Rogers designed it. He got his ideas from similar boat lifts in Belgium.
Before this, no one had tried to build a hydraulic lift lock in Canada's cold weather. The Peterborough Lift Lock, also designed by Rogers, was the first. When both locks were successfully built, it was a big step forward in technology for Canada. It showed that these amazing water elevators could work even in harsh climates.
Making it Modern
In the late 1960s, the Kirkfield Lift Lock got a major upgrade. The old controls, which people had to operate by hand, were replaced. New electric and automated systems were put in. This meant that one person could control everything from a new tower.
Many original parts were removed during this time. The old water-powered engines and pumps were taken out. Concrete walls and steel structures were also removed. Even the shops and houses for the lockmasters were taken down. The lock was made stronger with a huge concrete structure. A new two-lane road was built to go under the lock.
Today, the Kirkfield Lift Lock is mostly used by pleasure boats. These are boats used for fun, like sailing or cruising. The canal is no longer used by big commercial ships. This change happened after the modern Welland Canal was finished in 1932.
