Welland Canal

Preservation

As the Welland Canal was enlarged and modernized over the years, the remnants of the previous canals were largely forgotten.   Many felt that this part of Niagara's history should be remembered, preserved, and if possible, redeveloped.  Several organizations have undertaken this work with notable results.    

 

Welland Canals Preservation Association

The Welland Canals Preservation Association (WCPA) was formed in 1977 by a group of citizens. It was recognized as a non-profit charitable organization in 1978.  The goals of the Association were to preserve the remnants of the Old Welland Canals, to increase public awareness of the old canals, and to encourage the development of these lands through a historic network that would beautify the land and provide residents with recreational facilities.  One of their early brochures notes that:

"St. Catharines is the city that the canals built.  The waterways were at the heart of the area's development, yet, through neglect, they have become eyesores rather than assets...With the support of the community, we want to preserve and develop the old Welland Canals that were constructed in the area during the last century and a half."

The WPCA has accomplished much since its inception.  They were successful in building a 28 mile hiking and biking trail from Port Dalhousie and Port Colborne; the building of parking lots at Oakdale, Westchester, and Glendale Avenues; the creation of signage and brochures to advertise the trails and local history; the building of a pavilion at Lock 7 Park in Port Colborne; a grandstand in Dain City; and the development of a park at the south end of the canal in Port Colborne. 

The association also undertook the Lock 24 archeological dig and related park development, renovation of the Knife works (formerly the Belmar Welding building), and provision and storage of a tourist information booth for the St. Catharines Chamber of Commerce.  In 1988, the group worked alongside the Regional Municipality of Niagara and the municipalities to link canal communities.  The Welland Canals Preservation Association cleared debris and partially restored Lock 1 of the second canal at Port Dalhousie.  This was a community service project which was done in conjunction with the Correctional Institute in Thorold.  

 

Welland Canals Foundation

In 1979, Louis Cahill of the Ontario Editorial Bureau established the Welland Canal 150th Anniversary Inc. to commemorate the opening of the first canal.  The region and local municipalities banded together to promote the Welland Canals.  After the celebrations, the Welland Canals Foundation was formed as a successor to the 150th anniversary.   This was a private group that worked in conjunction with the Seaway Authority.  

Welland Canals Society

The Welland Canals Society was a coalition of business, tourism, heritage, and recreational groups that joined with the regional government in 1986 to promote the redevelopment of the Welland Canals Corridor.  The mandate of the Society was to provide leadership and assistance to the public and private sectors in achieving heritage-sensitive and tourism/recreation related economic development in the Welland Canals Corridor. 

One of their projects was the creation of the Merritt Trail in St. Catharines.  The Society began construction of the trail in 1980.  It was completed in 1986 and takes pedestrians and cyclists by many of the old sections of the second Welland Canal.

The society folded in 1991 due to government funding cuts. 

 

 

 

Additional Resources

Archival Resources

Welland Canals Preservation Association fonds  RG 598

Welland Canals Foundation fonds  RG 75-11

Welland Canals Society fonds  RG 58

Books

Archaeological excavation of Lock 24, first Welland Canal / Welland Canals Preservation Association, 1988.  SPCL FC 3143.7 E94 H57 1988

The recreational potential of the Welland Canal system in the Niagara Peninsula of Southern Ontario:  statement / John N. Jackson  SPCL FC 3143.7 R38 J334

Welland Canals Corridor Development proposal / Welland Canals Preservation Association.  SPCL FC 3143.7 T68 W44 1986

The Welland Canals as a heritage resource / Welland Canals Foundation.  SPCL FC 3143.5 W44 1996.

Welland Canals Parkway:  a unique resource / Ontario Provincial Planners Institute Conference, Brock University.  SPCL 3143.7 P33 O567 1993

Recommendations for a proposed Welland Canals Parkway and Heritage system of development / John N. Jackson  SPCL FC 3143.7 P33 J345 1993

Preservation through development:  a pilot project of the Welland Canals Society.  SPCL FC 3143.7 R4 E567 1989

A proposal for the Welland Canals Heritage Parkway / Welland Canals Preservation Association.  SPCL FC 3143.7 P3 M76

The management of the heritage economic resource:  Welland Canals Corridor development guide / Marshall, Macklin, Monaghan Limited ; Niagara (Ont. : Regional Municipality).  SPCL FC 3143.7 T68 M352 1988

A commentary on the Welland Canals parkway development plan / John N. Jackson.  SPCL FC 3143.7 P33 J34 1994