LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As we navigate this landscape, both online through this report as well as through individual travels in the Niagara Region, it is imperative that we take the time to honour and show our respect to the native peoples of Turtle Island. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples have walked on this land; their relationship with the land is at the centre of their lives and spirituality.

We acknowledge the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, many of whom continue to live and work here today. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum agreement. Today this gathering place is home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and acknowledging reminds us that our great standard of living is directly related to the resources and friendship of Indigenous peoples.

The Welland Canal Lock One is a hidden historical channel of the early water-way system of the Welland Canal, located in Port Dalhousie, Ontario. The original passageway runs through the present-day Lakeside Park and adjacent parking lot, which is now covered with beautiful nature-centred common spaces featuring the hand-carved Lakeside Park Carousel (First Welland Canal). Originally used as an opening to the Welland Canal in 1829 as a response to the need for connection of Lake's Erie and Ontario (Moselhi, 1991), it was succeeded by the Second Welland Canal in 1845 (First Welland Canal). Port Dalhousie is one of two locations in which we are still able to see the coexisting characteristics of both the Second and Third Welland Canals, as well as the clear remnants of the First Lock (HCD Plan). The movement of the first lock was attributed to heavy erosion and recession of the town's foundational sedimentation (Elahi, 2008) which can still be seen in the seawalls of present-day Dalhousie Yacht Club. The town of Port Dalhousie has such a rich history that branches from this water-way, so much so that the Old Port Dalhousie has been recognized as a heritage conservation area since 2003 (2008). Some of the most notable features include Lakeside Park, Port Dalhousie Jail, Howes Park, and the old Lincoln Fabrics warehouse building. These features, and their surrounding area, are maintained by the Port Dalhousie Beautification and Works Committee, which is a volunteer and donation-based conservation group. The presence of the waterway has shaped the physical and cultural aspects of the area into a canal-based town, however, it stands above all other port towns due to the extremely present evidence of the town's history (HCD Plan). The town of Old Port Dalhousie was shaped by the need for economic growth, and the building and operation of the Welland Canal First Lock began that journey for the town as a whole. Today, Port Dalhousie is the perfect cozy port-town that is quite literally built on its thriving history.

LOCATION INFORMATION

Municipality: St. Catherines

Local area name: Port Dalhousie

Other identifying names or descriptions: Old Port Dalhousie

Physical Dimensions

Length: 265m

Width: 16m

Surface Area: 4240 m²

Elevation:

Highest / Lowest point: 76-79m

Latitude: 43.20273367021613

Longitude: -79.26506296238382

Map 1: The near-exact location of the existing East-ended mouth of the Welland Canal First Lock

During the industrialization of Port Dalhousie, the natural environment was negatively impacted by particles and pollutants which interfere with water purity and the respiration processes of plants (Hough, cp3, pg 88). Today, numerous municipality-run and volunteer-based groups have, and will continue, to focus on the restoration and conservation of this beautiful natural area so that plant, animal, and human species can co-exist and thrive.

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is a major contributor to the preservation and education of the natural environment in Port Dalhousie, and it is a great resource for anyone interested in the natural wonders of the Niagara region. One of the many things that the NPCA has contributed to Port Dalhousie specifically is the Naturalized Pollinator Garden (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, 2019). This garden adds an abundance of native plant species to the area and provides nutrients to pollinators, such as the Monarch butterfly (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, 2019). This garden needs minimal influence from humans to thrive, as all of the plant species within the garden are native to the Port Dalhousie area, and are already accustomed to growing in that environment. This garden features perennial flowers and grasses, such as Indian Grass, Hairy Beardtongue, New England Aster, and Common Milkweed (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, 2019). Another very common plant that can be seen along the exposed seawall is the Virginia Creeper, which is a fast-growing climbing vine that grows extremely well in any condition (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, 2019). These climbing vines are being monitored as the plant materials that grow along the stone seawalls are contributing to the deterioration of the stones themselves (Nasmith, 2017).

The natural environment in Port Dalhousie, particularly the waterway system and the nearby Martindale Pond, invites a selective species of common birds and other animals to the area. Within the boundaries of this landscape, certain forms of waterfowl, such as Mallards, Rock Pigeons, and Canadian Geese can be seen swimming and flying around the canal (Birds on the move, 2018). Sightings of rare species of birds, such as the Double-Crested Cormorant, are a particularly spectacular sight to see as the maritime traffic and tourist activity makes the canal a noisy and unfavourable area for larger birds and animals (Birds on the move, 2018).

Despite the high amount of human activity from the Dalhousie Yacht Club and the Port Dalhousie Marina, recreation fishing is a popular leisure activity for the area. During the summer months, the areas along the seawalls of the canal are lined with anglers hoping to reel in one of the common species of fish that the Welland Canal has to offer. A few popular species include Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Chinook Salmon, and Coho Salmon (City of St. Catharines, 2012). This area is a predominantly warm water fish community and has been impacted by soil erosion and sediment build up caused by construction and the paving of roads along the sides of the waterway (Durley, 2006). These concerns have negatively affected aquatic animal habitats, and is a concern that is being monitored by the NPCA; this issue will be further discussed in later portions of this report. This area is regulated by the Ministry of Natural Resources, and interested anglers must possess a valid fishing license to fish in the area (City of St. Catharines, 2012).

There are specific challenges that follow any human made structures that are built upon flowing water systems, and Port Dalhousie is no exception. The general topography of the lower portion of the Twelve Mile creek, which includes Port Dalhousie, is relatively flat and only ranging between 70-80 meters above sea level (masl.) (Durley, 2006). This is a considerable difference between the extremely eroded valleys of the upper portion of the Twelve Mile Creek which range in between 200-250+ masl. (Durley, 2006). This difference between the two areas can be attributed to the branch-like patterns of the flow of the Twelve Mile Creek, which also attributes to the seawall erosion of Port Dalhousie as the town is located where the creek exits into Lake Ontario (Durley, 2006). The erosion in Port Dalhousie is slow and is generally concentrated in the sides of the canal, and is also greatly impacted by the rising water levels in the canal by severe storms and abnormal amounts of rainfall (Thompson, 1981). As the Welland Canal and the adjacent Martindale Pond rise and fall with the water levels of Lake Ontario, increasing water levels of the Great Lakes over the years has caused excess flooding in the lower areas of Old Port Dalhousie (Feenstra, 1972).

Port Dalhousie is a part of the Mixed Wood Plains ecozone, which is a rich and fertile soil area that is present along the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River system (Physical Geography). While Port Dalhousie does not use the soil for agricultural reasons, the surrounding areas of the port-town have taken advantage of the above-average soil quality to use for farming. The Niagara Escarpment and surrounding areas is known to be traced back to the Silurian Period, which was an era of erosion where rushing waters cut through soft clay materials and access the lower levels of stronger Silurian dolomite (Johnson, 1999). This type of limestone is present in the Niagara region, and is a material that is commonly found in the Niagara Escarpment to this day (Johnson, 1999).

Over the years, the First Welland Canal locks have been rediscovered through multiple excavation processes. These excavation projects have been held in order to reclaim the history of Port Dalhousie, while also making sure that present-day projects and conservation acts are aware of the boundaries of these historical sites. Two of the most recent excavation projects occurred within the past twenty years, and have uncovered the original Welland Canal Lock 24 and Lock 1 (Gannon, 2021). In 2008, French archaeologist, Jon Jouppien, was a part of the excavation team which uncovered the Welland Canal First Lock (Fraser, 2008). The project went underway in the hopes of making specific notes of the boundaries of the underground Lock while also examining the foundational structure and security of the landfilled passageway (Fraser, 2008). Jouppien also remarked that the First Lock would be a good candidate for a potential restoration in future years, however, the site has been paved over and is used for parking for Lakeside Park and Beach (Fraser, 2008).

The Welland Canal is the main reason why Port Dalhousie was chosen for the original waterway system, which means that water is an important topic to be mentioned. Maps and surveys were taken before the First Welland Canal waterway was created show that Port Dalhousie was simply the place where the Twelve Mile Creek emptied into Lake Ontario (Port Dalhousie). This originally was shown as a low-lying marsh with a defined stream running through the centre (Port Dalhousie), and not like the prominent canal we can see today. The section of the canal within Port Dalhousie has been modified to be wider to accommodate the excess water flow from the Decew Generating Station (Durley, 2006). The Martindale Pond was a major portion of the Old Welland Canal waterway for over a century and is also a part of the Lower Twelve Mile Creek waterway (Durley, 2006). Today, the pond has been dredged three times since 1930, as it is used recreationally for rowing sports, and also acts as a sediment capture basin just before Lake Ontario (Durley, 2006). The St. Catharines Hydroelectric Commission's Heywood Generation Station in Port Dalhousie controls the water levels and sedimentation build-up of the pond (Durley, 2006). Flooding has been identified as an issue in Port Dalhousie, as high stormwater levels and densely developed surfaces allow very little water drainage (Durley, 2006). A proposed method to alleviate flood issues is storing excess captured rainwater in a secondary location and releasing it into the waterway in small increments (Durley, 2006).

In the Niagara Region, the local climate is a mixture of warm summer months and frosted winter months with varying levels of humidity and precipitation (Yu Media Group). In the warmest months, which are July and August, the average high temperatures are around 25 degrees Celsius (Yu Media Group). In the coldest months, which would be January and February, the average low temperatures are around -6 degrees Celsius (Yu Media Group). The average range for rainfall is a high of 80mm in July and a low of 55mm in September and November (Yu Media Group). The municipality of St. Catharines is aware of its human impact on climate change and has been very active in the education and prevention of contributing to climate change. The city's projection for potential climate change impacts is higher average temperatures, excess amounts of rainfall, and more extreme weather occurrences such as severe storms (Climate Change). The city has outlined their plan of action to fight against climate change, in which both citizens and leaders can participate. Some of the highlights of their plan include the declaration of a climate emergency, committing to a 30% reduction in energy consumption, replacing old city vehicles with electric vehicles, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 45% by 2030 (Climate Change).

The town of Port Dalhousie is noted as an area with high archaeological potential due to its early history. The town contains the physical remains of the first three Welland Canals and a few former industrial buildings (Nasmith, 2017). For the remnants of the Welland Canals, lumber and metal structures of the locks can be seen along the seawalls as well as under the shoreline of Lake Ontario (Nasmith, 2017). Before the early European settlement, the Niagara Region was primarily occupied by the Indigenous Peoples of the Neutral Nation (Origins of Niagara). These early settlements included the region of Newark, which would become modern-day St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake (Origins of Niagara). The earliest settlers, the Mound Builders, lived in the Niagara area around 100 AD until 1400 where the Six Nations Confederacy took over the space. The Indigenous Peoples used the land for agriculture and fishing before the fur trades began with European settlers later on in history (History of Niagara). The settlement grew into more homes being built and the naming of "Port Dalhousie" when the First Welland Canal was built in 1824 (Port Dalhousie). Due to Niagara being used as a traditional territory for the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, the area can also be considered rich with Indigenous archaeological deposits (Nasmith, 2017).

Education / Interpretation:

The St. Catharines Museum and the St. Catharines Museum Blog is a large physical and digital resource that focuses on the education of the Welland Canals and other early histories of St. Catharines (Stcmuseum). The museum is located at 1932 Welland Canals Street in St. Catharines and is open for public access (St. Catharines Museum). The Brock University Map and GIS Library have a relationship with the Niagara Region in which they are able to collect and store various historical archives, specifically maps and documents. Brock offers a virtual tour of the Welland Canals in which users are able to explore the Old Welland Canal in a virtual form through maps and Google Earth (Welland Canals Exhibit).

Architectural Heritage:

There are 10 properties that are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. These include the Port Dalhousie Jail, rectory, commercial building, Lakeside Hotel, Carousel, Dalhousie House, Locktenders Shanty, Dwelling 95 and 41 (Nasmith, 2017). The municipality has enacted a Heritage Conservation District Plan (HCD) which outlines the goals of the town, such as potentially combining heritage areas into future development (Nasmith, 2017). In the commercial core, a popular architectural style in Ontario, known as Italianate, is used in most of the buildings in downtown Port Dalhousie (Nasmith, 2017). This style is known for its overhanging roofs and red-bricked outer layers (Nasmith, 2017). These buildings were constructed in the late 1800s and are also considered a part of the HCD (Nasmith, 2017).

Recreational Uses:

The Welland Canal promotes many opportunities for recreation, including watersports and other tourist attractions. Lakeside Park and Beach have been a place for tourists and locals alike to enjoy the warmer summer months out in the sun. The warmer weather also promotes the use of the marinas and yacht clubs of Port Dalhousie, in which pleasure watercrafts can be enjoyed both docked and in the open waters of Lake Ontario (Nasmith, 2017). Sailing, rowing, and canoeing are also a few activities that occur in the canal and the adjacent Martindale Pond. Particularly, the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta has been a rowing event in Port Dalhousie since its permanent establishment in 1880 (Nasmith, 2017). Brock University and Niagara College also use this area for rowing practices, and interested individuals with canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards use the space for recreational activities as well (Nasmith, 2017). This is a municipality-owned and maintained space with essentially full access for the general public.

The area of Port Dalhousie falls under the jurisdiction of the municipality of St. Catherines, Ontario (Contacts). The city can be contacted at:

PO Box 3012, 50 Church St., St. Catharines, ON L2R 7C2

City Hall Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Phone & Email Service: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

TTY: 905.688.4TTY(4889)

Tel : 905.688.5600 | Fax: 905.688.4077

Email: CitizensFirst@stcatharines.ca

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Catherine Nasmith, C., Shiomi Howson, M., & McIlroy, B. (2017, December). Port Dalhousie Commercial Core and Harbour Area Heritage Conservation District Plan (2017 Plan). St. Catharines. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/resources/....

City of St. Catharines. (2012). Fishing at Port Dalhousie. Niagara Greenbelt Gateway Website. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://brocku.niagaragreenbelt.com/listings/125-f....

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Feenstra, B.H. 1972. Quaternary geology of the Niagara area, Southern Ontario; Ontario Division of Mines, Preliminary Map P.764, scale 1:50 000.

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53-historic-a-heritage-sites/381-first-welland-canal-port-dalhousie.html.

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Gannon, D. (2021, July 23). Yesterday and today: Exploring a long-forgotten lock from the first Welland Canal. St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/life/local-his....

History of Niagara on the Lake. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2021, from https://notl.civicweb.net/document/3857/History.

Johnson, M. E. (1999). Silurian geology. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/science/Silurian-Period....

Moselhi, O., Leonard, C., & Fazio, P. (1991). Impact of change orders on construction productivity. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 18(3), 484–492. https://doi.org/10.1139/l91-059

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. (2019). Native Plant Guide - . Watershed Health. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://npca.ca/images/uploads/common/Native_Plant....

NPCA. (n.d.). Conservation. Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://npca.ca/watershed-health#native-plants-tre....

Origins of the Niagara region. Niagara Region, Ontario. (2014, August 21). Retrieved November 14, 2021, from https://www.niagararegion.ca/about-niagara/history....

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Port Dalhousie. The old Welland canals field guide. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2021, from http://oldwellandcanals.wikidot.com/port-dalhousie.

St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre. St. Catharines. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2021, from https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/St-Catharines-Museu....

Stcmuseum. (2021, July 5). History from here: Lakeside Park at Port Dalhousie. Museum Chat. Retrieved November 14, 2021, from https://stcatharinesmuseumblog.com/2021/07/04/hist....

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Map References:

WCM-BK1-Map1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This Local Landscape Report was prepared by Melaina Malcew for the Brock University course TOUR 2P94: Human Dominated Ecosystems on November 7, 2021.

All copyrights for cited material rest with the original copyright owners.