Lock repairs taking longer than expected

NEWS RLEASE

PARKS CANADA

************************** Improvements result in unexpected delays

SAULT STE. MARIE - (May 29) - Work to replace all eight of the gate anchors on the recreational lock at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site of Canada is taking longer than originally expected.

Parks Canada and its contractors are currently discussing a revised schedule for the repairs, with the intention of opening the lock to operations as quickly as possible.

While the lock remains closed, access for boat traffic between Lake Huron and Lake Superior is available via the American locks on the St. Mary’s River.

Parks Canada is aware of and regrets the inconvenience this delay causes for both boaters and visitors to the site, who enjoy watching boats lock through.

The upgrades to the gate anchors are a necessary investment in the long-term sustainability of the recreational lock.

The anchor design is being upgraded to better carry the weight of the gates, and withstand the pressure put upon the gates during operations.

The Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site of Canada is one of 162 national historic sites operated by Parks Canada to protect and present significant examples of our nation’s heritage.

Completed in 1895, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal was the largest lock in the world when it opened and the first to be electrically operated.

The construction of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal marked the completion of an all-Canadian waterway from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Superior.

In 1998, following lock reconstruction, the canal was re-opened to recreational boat traffic.

Today, the lock is operated and maintained jointly by the City of Sault Ste. Marie and Parks Canada.

**************************