Tay Canal
Encyclopedia
The Tay Canal is the portion of the Tay River
in the Eastern
region of Southern Ontario
extending from Beveridge Bay on Lower Rideau Lake to the town of Perth
. The canal is 9.8 km (6.1 mi) in length and is operated today by Parks Canada
as part of their Rideau Canal
operations. At the entrance to the Tay Canal are two locks, Upper and Lower Beveridges which provide a total lift of 7.6 m (25 ft.)
had no mandate to build any branch canals. So it was decided to form a company to build the Tay Canal. On March 16, 1831, legislation to form the Tay Navigation Company was passed.
In 1831, John Jackson, an ex-Sergeant in the army and a miller in Perth was awarded the contract to build the canal. The route would lead from Perth to the mouth of the Tay River. The locks were to be smaller than those on the Rideau, only 90 feet long by 20 feet wide (27 x 6.1 m), and a depth in the channel of 3.5 feet (1.1 m). This was a less expensive option and it was felt that it would accommodate most of the commercial traffic of the day. By the end of 1834, 5 locks, 6 dams (with timber slides), two swing bridges and several embankments were built. This became known as the First Tay Canal.
The First Tay Canal was never a commercial success. Revenues were not sufficient to allow proper maintenance and the condition of the canal deteriorated over the years. In 1865 several of the locks were destroyed by logs and the canal was shut down.
To the disappointment of the residents of Port Elmsley, the second route was chosen. In 1883, a Federal government order-in-council authorized a contract with A.H. Manning & Macdonald Company for the construction of the Tay Canal. The proposal included deepening the entire system to the required 5.5 foot (1.7 m) depth; cutting a 60 foot (18 m) wide, one and a quarter mile (2 km) long canal to Beveridge Bay; building two locks near the south end of the canal cut, each with a lift of 13 feet (4.0 m); and building a flat overflow dam across the former channel of the Tay near the entrance to the new canal cut.
The locks were built to the same design and specifications as the Rideau Canal locks. Started in early 1885, they were completed in 1887. Final excavation of the canal to the required navigation depth and an expansion of the basin in Perth were not completed until 1891.
For a time, the canal from the Beveridges Locks to Perth became known as "Haggart's Ditch".
as part of their Rideau Canal
operations. In normal conditions the canal can handle boats up to 27.4 m (90 ft) in length, 7.9 m (26 ft) in width, and 6.7 m (22 ft) in height with a draft of up to 1.5 m (5 ft) (boats drafting over 1.2 m (4 feet) are asked to contact the Rideau Canal Office of Parks Canada prior to their trip). The locks are in operation from mid-May to mid-October.
The limiting factor for a trip right into Perth is the fixed height of the Craig Street bridge (2.1 metres/7 feet). If your vessel is higher than this, you’ll have to dock at Last Duel Park, a short walk from downtown Perth. If your vessel is less than 2.1 metres above the waterline but higher than 1.6 metres (5.2 feet) you’ll have to have the Beckwith Street Bridge swung in order to get right into the Perth basin. Mention this to the lock staff at Beveridges who can advise when the bridge will swing.
Tay River (Ontario)
The Tay River is a river in Eastern Ontario which empties into the Rideau River.This river starts in Bobs Lake and flows through Christie Lake. The river then travels through Glen Tay, continuing to Perth. The river splits into two main channels as it flows through downtown Perth. The two...
in the Eastern
Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
region of Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
extending from Beveridge Bay on Lower Rideau Lake to the town of Perth
Perth, Ontario
Perth is a town in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada . It is located on the Tay River, 83 km southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.-History:...
. The canal is 9.8 km (6.1 mi) in length and is operated today by Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
as part of their Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
operations. At the entrance to the Tay Canal are two locks, Upper and Lower Beveridges which provide a total lift of 7.6 m (25 ft.)
History
First Tay Canal
Proposals to make the Tay into a navigable waterway date to 1824 when local Perth entrepreneur William Morris started to lobby for this to happen. When the construction of the Rideau Canal started in 1826, Perth business interests hoped that this would include the Tay, but the Superintending Engineer for the Rideau Canal, Lt. Colonel John ByJohn By
Lieutenant-Colonel John By was a British military engineer, best remembered for supervising the construction of the Rideau Canal and, in the process, founding what would become the city of Ottawa....
had no mandate to build any branch canals. So it was decided to form a company to build the Tay Canal. On March 16, 1831, legislation to form the Tay Navigation Company was passed.
In 1831, John Jackson, an ex-Sergeant in the army and a miller in Perth was awarded the contract to build the canal. The route would lead from Perth to the mouth of the Tay River. The locks were to be smaller than those on the Rideau, only 90 feet long by 20 feet wide (27 x 6.1 m), and a depth in the channel of 3.5 feet (1.1 m). This was a less expensive option and it was felt that it would accommodate most of the commercial traffic of the day. By the end of 1834, 5 locks, 6 dams (with timber slides), two swing bridges and several embankments were built. This became known as the First Tay Canal.
The First Tay Canal was never a commercial success. Revenues were not sufficient to allow proper maintenance and the condition of the canal deteriorated over the years. In 1865 several of the locks were destroyed by logs and the canal was shut down.
Second Tay Canal
After the demise of the First Tay Canal, a political lobby started to build a new canal. The Canadian Government had taken over the Tay Navigation Company and in 1881 they initiated an investigation into making the Tay navigable to Perth. Perth's local member of parliament, John G. Haggart, had some influence in launching this investigation which was carried out by the engineers of the Rideau Canal under the direction of Superintendent Wise. Two routes were examined, one following the route of the First Tay Canal to Port Elmsley and a second involving a canal cut from Beveridge Bay of Lower Rideau Lake to the Tay River.To the disappointment of the residents of Port Elmsley, the second route was chosen. In 1883, a Federal government order-in-council authorized a contract with A.H. Manning & Macdonald Company for the construction of the Tay Canal. The proposal included deepening the entire system to the required 5.5 foot (1.7 m) depth; cutting a 60 foot (18 m) wide, one and a quarter mile (2 km) long canal to Beveridge Bay; building two locks near the south end of the canal cut, each with a lift of 13 feet (4.0 m); and building a flat overflow dam across the former channel of the Tay near the entrance to the new canal cut.
The locks were built to the same design and specifications as the Rideau Canal locks. Started in early 1885, they were completed in 1887. Final excavation of the canal to the required navigation depth and an expansion of the basin in Perth were not completed until 1891.
For a time, the canal from the Beveridges Locks to Perth became known as "Haggart's Ditch".
Tay Today
The Tay Canal today is operated today by Parks CanadaParks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
as part of their Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
operations. In normal conditions the canal can handle boats up to 27.4 m (90 ft) in length, 7.9 m (26 ft) in width, and 6.7 m (22 ft) in height with a draft of up to 1.5 m (5 ft) (boats drafting over 1.2 m (4 feet) are asked to contact the Rideau Canal Office of Parks Canada prior to their trip). The locks are in operation from mid-May to mid-October.
The limiting factor for a trip right into Perth is the fixed height of the Craig Street bridge (2.1 metres/7 feet). If your vessel is higher than this, you’ll have to dock at Last Duel Park, a short walk from downtown Perth. If your vessel is less than 2.1 metres above the waterline but higher than 1.6 metres (5.2 feet) you’ll have to have the Beckwith Street Bridge swung in order to get right into the Perth basin. Mention this to the lock staff at Beveridges who can advise when the bridge will swing.