Unauthorized work on a dike at the Chambly Canal National Historic Site has forced Parks Canada to close its access to traffic until next week. This passageway is important for boaters from Quebec and the United States, as it connects Montreal to Lake Champlain and New York.
What you need to know
- The Chambly Canal is an important passageway for Quebec and American boaters, as it connects Montreal to Lake Champlain and New York.
- Unauthorized excavation work on neighboring agricultural land changed the geometry of the dike.
- The canal is expected to reopen by next week.
It was after a technical assessment of the facilities and for safety reasons that Parks Canada decided, on August 20, to lower the water level and close the canal.
Further assessments revealed that unauthorized excavations on nearby agricultural land had changed the geometry of the dike, increasing its vulnerability.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PARKS CANADA
The dike, which was previously covered with a uniform vegetation cover, is now devoid of vegetation in the work areas, leaving the clay and muddy soil exposed.
“The dikes are water retention structures that are an integral part of the structure of the waterway, allowing recreational navigation thanks to a network of locks installed throughout the canal,” explains Parks Canada communications and public relations officer Audrey Godin-Champagne.
“Their protection is essential to the safety of canal users, surrounding communities and property under the responsibility of Parks Canada,” she adds.
Several fixes will need to be made to allow navigation to return. The installation of a geotextile followed by the addition of a pipeline and a large volume of stone will be necessary to restore the installations to good condition.
“While every effort is being made to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, the work will not be completed before the Labour Day long weekend,” said Audrey Godin-Champagne. “However, Parks Canada expects the canal to welcome boaters again next week.”
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Lock 8 of the Chambly Canal
An Unplanned Stop for the Americans
On Saturday morning, two American pleasure boats were still moored at the Chambly marina, waiting for the canal to reopen.
After a few days in Montreal, John and Angela Antonucci thought they would continue their trip to Burlington, Vermont, to spend the month of September there. Unfortunately, they arrived one day before the canal closed.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Angela and John Antonucci
“Instead of going to Burlington, we stopped here and now we’re waiting to see when they’re going to reopen the canal, because we have another trip planned,” says John Antonucci.
This retired couple is not complaining about this unexpected event, because, according to them, it allows them to spend time in Chambly and meet other boaters.