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The '''Rideau and the Cataraqui , as well as some lakes. It is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America, and in 2007, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site {Link without Title} . HISTORY At the time it was proposed, shortly after the War Of 1812 , there remained a persistent threat of attack from the United States on Britain 's colony of Upper Canada . To impede and deter any future US invasions, the British built various forts (eg. Citadel Hill , La Citadelle , and Fort Henry ) and canals (eg. Grenville Canal , Chute-à-Blondeau Canal , Carillon Canal , and the Rideau Canal) to defend their territory. ''' The canal's initial purpose was military - to provide a secure supply and communications route between Montreal and Kingston, Ontario . Westward from Montreal, travel would proceed along the Ottawa River to Bytown (now Ottawa ), then southwest via the canal to Kingston and out into Lake Ontario (and vice versa for eastward travel from Kingston to Montreal). The intent being to bypass the stretch of the St. Lawrence River bordering New York State which would have left British supply ships vulnerable to attack or a blockade of the St. Lawrence. No further military engagements have taken place between Canada and the United States since the war of 1812, and consequently the Rideau Canal was never used for its intended purpose. 2004 , by Rideau Canal Celtic Cross Committee ]] The construction of the canal was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel and French-Canadian labourers. While the exact number of deaths will likely never be known, as many as a thousand of these workers may have died from Malaria , other diseases and accidents such as explosions during blasting. To make matters worse, unemployment and a major Cholera epidemic spread from Quebec City to Upper Canada after its completion causing further deaths. Despite this, most workers survived and many settled on area farms or entered the Timber Trade . Some of those who died remain unidentified as they had no known relatives in Upper Canada and were buried in unmarked graves. Memorials to the fallen labourers (mainly for the Irish workers) have been erected along the canal route, most recently the Celtic Cross memorials in Kingston and Lowertown Ottawa (near the Locks.) rideau-info.com The canal was completed in 1832. The final cost of its construction was £822,000. This was more than had been expected and By was recalled to London and questioned by a parliamentary committee before being cleared of any wrongdoing. THE WATERWAY on Colonel By Drive , at dawn]] hotel in sight]] The 202 kilometres (125 miles) of the Rideau Canal incorporate sections of the Rideau River and the Cataraqui River , as well as several lakes including the Lower, Upper and Big Rideau lakes. About 19 kilometres (12 miles) of the route is man-made. Today, only pleasure craft make use of the Rideau Canal. Boat tours of the canal are offered in the city of Ottawa and recreational boaters can make use of it to travel between Ottawa and Kingston with ease. Most of the Locks are still hand-operated. There are a total of 47 locks at 24 stations along the Canal. In normal operations the canal can handle boats up to 27.4m (90ft) in length, 7.9m (26ft) in width, and 6.7m (22ft) in height. In special circumstances a boat up to 33.5m (110ft) in length by 9.1m (30ft) in width can be handled. Communities along the waterway include:
THE SKATEWAY In winter, a section of the Rideau Canal passing through central Ottawa becomes officially the world's largest skating rink. ctv.ca The cleared length is 7.8 kilometres (4.8 miles) and has the equivalent surface area of 90 Olympic hockey rinks. It runs from the Hartwell locks at Carleton University to the locks between the Parliament Buildings and the Chateau Laurier . It serves as a popular tourist attraction and recreational area and is also the focus of the Winterlude festival in Ottawa. Beaver Tails, a Fried Dough pastry, are sold along with other snacks and beverages, in kiosks on the skateway. SEE ALSO
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