Dow's Lake
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- 2 chapters
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Through Lake
History
Early settlement
The lake is named after Abram Dow, an American-born settler who came to Ontario in the early 19th century and who owned land in this area in 1816. Before construction of the canal, this area was known as Dow's Great Swamp. The lake was created when a dam was constructed along the north shore (Queen Elizabeth Driveway is now atop the dam) to allow flooding for the canal. Originally, the Rideau Canal was to run north from Dow's Lake, but land speculation and Colonel John By's reluctance to reward such speculation resulted in the current location of the canal.
20th-century developments
Current parkland to the north and east consisted of rail yards until the 1940s, and the area was mostly industrial.
Situated next to the pavilion on the western shore is Canadian Forces Reserve Barrack Dow's Lake. This installation, opened in 1943, is home to HMCS Carleton, a unit of the Canadian Naval Reserve.
A rail tunnel, which was formerly owned and operated by Canadian Pacific, passes under the lake. This tunnel replaced a rail line that once crossed the lake on the surface. OC Transpo introduced the O-Train (today's Trillium Line) in 2001, a light-rail transit system, which remains the primary user of the tunnel.
Unveiled by Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, The Man with Two Hats is a 4.6-metre sculpture by Henk Visch. It commemorates the role played by the Canadian Armed Forces in the liberation of the Netherlands, and a reproduced cast of the sculpture that exists at the National Canadian Liberation Monument in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Facing the lake, it symbolizes the historical links between Canada and the Netherlands, as well as Princess Margriet's birth at the Ottawa Civic Hospital during the Second World War.
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Visitor activities
In May, the surrounding park, Commissioners Park, displays tulips planted by the National Capital Commission (NCC) for the annual Canadian Tulip Festival. More than 50 varieties and approximately 300,000 tulips bloom each May along the Rideau Canal. Each year, the Dutch royal family sends 10,000 tulips to Ottawa, as thanks for the city's support during the Second World War.
During the winter, Dow's Lake freezes and becomes part of the world's longest skating rink and one of the primary sites of the Winterlude festival in February, with events such as "bed races" and "waiter races" on the ice.
There are two scenic drives along the canal, which also pass on two sides of the lake. The Queen Elizabeth Driveway, named after the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (who traveled along it during the 1939 royal visit) runs along the north and west sides of the lake. The Colonel By Drive, named after the founder of the city, Lieutenant-Colonel John By, runs along the south side of the lake.
At the northern end of the lake, a pavilion housing three restaurants overlooks the water. They are Umbrella Bar, Lago and Mexi's. Other services at the pavilion include rentals of canoes, kayaks and paddle boats, boat mooring, and an indoor changing area for skating. It is open year-round.