Discovering Ontario · Drawing 16 of 32
A Rideau Canal Lock
Kingston Mills
Gates hold water between the lock walls. The boat waits to reach the next level. On the Rideau Canal, lock staff still open most of the gates by hand.
Did you know?
Kingston Mills is the southernmost lockstation on the Rideau Canal.
Look together
Why close the gates before changing the water level?
An idea to try
Draw a boat in front of a closed lock gate, then the same boat after the gate opens.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Kingston Mills is part of the Rideau Canal, completed in 1832. Ordinary locks change the water level in a fixed chamber, while Peterborough’s lift moves the chamber itself. The drawing is inspired by the site, with a simplified house and lock; it does not reproduce the entire series of structures.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
Simplified interpretation for colouring. Settings and people may be combined or imagined. Details, distances and proportions are not a measured record of the place.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Parks Canada: History of the Kingston Mills LockstationPlace, history or natural feature described on this page.
- Government of Canada — Parks Canada Pays Tribute to Past and Present Rideau Canal Workers (2007)Most of the canal is still operated by hand.
Page prepared on October 3, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book My Ontario to Colour
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