The Ottawa PADS homeless shelter is near an old lock that was part of the lateral canal between the Illinois River and the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The Ottawa Canal Association hopes to rebuild the lock as a sightseeing destination. Former mayor Bob Eschbach says it’ll be a good enhancement for the trail system the city’s been working on.
Rebuilding the lock is okay with current Mayor Dan Aussem, although his plan isn’t for the full size version. He’s worried about someone falling in a lock the size of the original.
The Ottawa Canal Association showed a model of the proposed rebuilt canal to the City Council last night.
A closeup of the model (built by Earle Lecki for the Ottawa Canal Association) showing what a rebuilt lateral canal could look like. This would be at the northwest corner of the block where the PADS homeless shelter is. The shelter would be up and left from this view.
Another view of Earle Lecki’s model of a rebuilt lateral canal.
A view from down in the lateral canal lock, as modeled by Earle Lecki.