Rideau River
The Rideau River Flows north from the Upper Rideau Lake and ends at the Ottawa River at Rideau Falls. The river is named with the French word for “curtain” to describe its beautiful waterfall. It runs near several vibrant, growing communities. 11 of the communities near the river merged with the city of Ottawa in 2001.
The Rideau Canal, joins the Rideau River with the Cataraqui River. The river diverges from the Canal at Hog's Back Falls in Ottawa. It is still used today and has many original structures intact. It is the oldest canal system in North America still in operation. The system has locks for navigation that open in May and close in October.
After the War of 1812, the British colony of Upper Canada remained under persistent threat from American attack. The Rideau Canal was proposed by the military, along with several other canals and forts at the time. The canal opened in 1832 and helped to enable secure supplies and communications between Montreal and Kingston. Once the canal was in lace, there were no further military engagements and the countries have been at peace ever since.
In winter, a portion of the canal is made into the world's largest skating rink. This is a popular tourist attraction, being the focus of the Winterlude festival in Ottawa. There are rumors that the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators may play a regular season game outdoors on the Rideau Canal.
If you are relocating to the Rideau River area, make sure you use these handy tips:
1. Find your mover and storage facility well in advance, at least five weeks ahead
2. Send rarely used items to the dump rather than packing and moving them
3. Clearly marking the contents of all boxes will save you time and energy
4. Make sure the boxes do not open during shipping by using professional packing tape
5. Shorten unpacking time; use wardrobe boxes to ship your clothing on hangers
6. Free boxes can often be found at your local church or community center
7. Keep a photographic inventory to show the original condition of valuables
8. Picture frames survive the move intact when you pack them upright instead of flat
9. Cleaning before you unpack will give you a fresh start in your new home
10. Pack a box with essentials that will be easy to access your first night in the new home
Whether you are moving to the area to enjoy all the canal has to offer, or just visiting, the Rideau River and canal has much to offer for the entire family.