EXPERIENCE
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Cruise into Chaffeys Lock

Set on a beautiful isthmus of land between Indian Lake and Opinicon Lake, here you will find the Lockmaster's House Museum bearing history of the Rideau Canal, the historic Opinicon waterfront resort offering exquisite dining and a charming ice cream shop, a heritage community hall, and recreational opportunities such as paddling, cycling and self-guided heritage walking tours. Those travelling by boat will find full marina services. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture photos of the many interesting sights, like the one-lane swing bridge and the picturesque old mill. 

Pick up your Picnic

 

Shop

 

Outdoor Activity

 

Picnic Areas

 

Stay

 

Points of Interest

  • Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall – This Historic Building was built on bake sales, dances, and raffles, and with nails, boards and labour donated by the community. At the helm of this tremendous community effort was the Chaffey’s Lock Women’s Institute, which succeeded in its goal of opening the Hall in time for the 100th anniversary of the Rideau Canal in 1932. 
  • Chaffey’s Lockmasters House & Museum (seasonal) Built in 1844 as a low-cost substitute for a blockhouse to defend the canal against American-based raiders. Originally a one-storey limestone building, the tin roof protected it in case of fire while two stone porches and gun-slits provided extra defence in case of attack.
  • Chaffey’s Lock Memory Wall & Outdoor Chapel - Heritage Plaque - Located at the entrance to Chaffeys Lock cemetery, the memory wall was erected by the Chaffey’s Lock and area Heritage Society (CLAHS) to commemorate the founding, building and continuing life of the community. The stones of the masonry wall hold plaques inscribed with the names of families who settled in this area.Buried in this cemetery are Samuel Chaffey and his wife, Mary Ann as well as 79 individuals including Rideau Canal labourers, mostly Irish immigrants, who died in the construction of the Rideau Canal.  
  • Chaffeys Lock is home to Queen's University Biological Research Station (QUBS), a satelite campus dedicated to nature studies and host to North America's largest Herbarium
  • Heritage Plaque: Chaffey’s Mills A provincial plaque erected at Chaffeys Lock commemorates Chaffey’s Mills. Falling water powered Sam Chaffey’s extensive milling complex here on the Cataraqui system in the 1820s and a small settlement known as Chaffey’s Mills flourished briefly. However, construction of the Rideau Canal necessitated the demolition and flooding of Chaffey’s mill sites.
    For more points of interest, please see the Heritage Walking Tour of Chaffeys Lock.   

Annual Events

  • Chaffey's Lock & Area Summer Concert Series
  • Canada Day at the Lock (July 1)
  • Annual Heritage Craft Market (August 5)
  • New! Chaffeys Lock Outdoor Expo (September 23)
  • Chaffeys Lock and Area Heritage Society (CLAHS) Halloween Festivities (October 31)
  • Heritage Christmas Pot Luck (December 3)

Event details are available on the Chaffeys Lock website: http://www.chaffeyslock.ca/events.html

 

Did you Know?

The construction of the Rideau Canal necessitated the demolition of Chaffey’s mills to make way for the building of the lock and dam. Colonel By purchased the mills from Samuel Chaffey’s widow, Mary Ann and his brother, Benjamin.

 

Watch the Documentary

Learn about the fascinating story of Fettercairn WWI on Indian Lake

 

More history, photos, maps and information at rideaulakes.ca/Chaffeys

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1439 County Road 8, Delta, ON K0E 1G0

613-928-2251 or 1-800-928-2250

Fax: 613-928-3097

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