Municipality of Magnetawan Magnetawan 4304 HWY #520 Lock System Magnetawan, ON P0A 1P0 (705) 387-3947 [email protected] Did you know? It takes approximately 20-25 minutes for the lock to drain or fill up with water. Please be patient while going through the lock! How the Lock History of the Lock System Operates A hand operated dam and lock system is Between 1883-1886, the Ontario Government located on the Magnetawan River to allow built the first lock system in Magnetawan. boats to travel upstream and downstream. It was built with stone-filled timber cribwork that measured 112 by 28 feet. The lock If a boat is "locking down," this means that Lock Operating Hours raised or lowered boat steamers about ten they enter the lock on the upstream side feet, allowing them to run between Ahmic Harbour, 10 miles below Magnetawan, and want to travel downstream. DOWN TO AHMIC LAKE and Burk's Falls, 20 miles above it. The lock 1 0 : 0 0 A M was later replaced in 1911 by the concrete Boats come up to the lock and the lock 1 2 : 0 0 P M gates can easily be opened because the 2 : 0 0 P M structure you see today. water inside the tank is at the same 4 : 0 0 P M 6 : 0 0 P M elevation as the boat. In the quarter century following the lock Once all boats are in the lock and the completion, a total of 704 passages were TO LAKE CECEBE gates are closed, the upstream valve UP made through the lock each season. Notable gets closed and the valve on the 1 0 : 3 0 A M among those ships were the "Wenonah" 1 2 : 3 0 P M (1886), "Glenrosa" (1891), "Wanita" (1896), downstream side gets opened to allow 2 : 3 0 P M water to drain out of the lock. As the 4 : 3 0 P M "Glenada" (1904), and 'Armour" (1906). The water drains, the boats float down. 6 : 3 0 P M "Mike," was the last steamship to ply these When the water level in the lock is the waters and was removed from the river same as the lake on the downstream OPEN DAILY FROM THE around 1934. LAST WEEKEND IN JUNE $5 side, staff opens the gates and allows per day boats to travel out. TO LABOUR DAY WEEKEND If a boat is "locking up," this means the upper valve gets opened to let water into the lock, raising boats up until the water level in the lock is at the same elevation as the upstream side. .