Lockport is a small community in Manitoba about 17 miles north of Winnipeg. The town is centered on the Red River and is best know for its St. Andrews Lock and Dam.
The Bridge Dam and Lock were completed in 1910, submerging the St. Andrews Rapids and making the River navigable from the city of Winnipeg to Lake Winnipeg. The dam is a “Camere” dam measuring 270 meters (886 ft) long; it is the only curtain-style dam in North America. Curtains are rolled back before winter freeze-up to prevent ice jams and flooding during the spring thaw.
(Lock and Dam, upriver)
This structure holds the only canal lock found on the flat Canadian prairies. The lock measures 11 meters deep, 62 meters long and is 13.7 meters wide. Each summer hundreds of boats go through the lock, which is drained and filled by gravity. It takes a boat about 20 minutes to pass through the St. Andrews lock. A fish ladder allows fish to pass around the dam.
(Downriver view of the dam and lock)
The Dam was designated a National Historic Site in 1990. It is the only surviving dam of its kind in the world.
Lockport (downriver from the dam) is also a popular fishing location, with some trophy catfish caught here. Pike and walleye are also popular with fishermen.
When in Lockport, be sure to stop for lunch at Skinner’s. The restaurant originated in 1929, when you could get a hot dog for 10 cents and fries for 5 cents. The costs may have gone up but the restaurant remains a popular destination.
