There's no arguing that the
Soo Locks are one of the most impressive feats of engineering in the United States, which is why it is always a good time to go and see ships go through them and to learn exactly how they work.
This Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will open the Soo Locks to the public for Engineers Day, an annual open house.
In addition to getting to see the locks up close and personal, visitors will also have the rare opportunity to walk across the lock walls--a privilege usually reserved for the men and women working there. It is these walls that make it possible for freighters to traverse the 21-foot- drop between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. And while the physics of it all can be explained, it's much more complete when learned through a visit to the locks.
"The Soo Locks complex offers such a unique glimpse at both our history and our way of life," says Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Architecture, engineering, and the lore of the Great Lakes all come together in this beautiful park setting."
Engineer's Day festivities are held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., and the gates are open to allow visitors across the Locks and into other facilities, like the Davis Building and the Administration Building. Both are historically-important structures used solely for the work of one of the world's busiest Lock systems.
Visitors are welcome to stroll the park, tour the Open House at the Cloverland Electric Hydroelectric Power Plant and LSSU Aquatics Lab , and climb observation platforms as mammoth freighters ply the waters of the St. Marys River system.
The Soo Locks are located on West Portage Avenue in Sault Ste. Marie. The park and all facilities are open free to the public and parking is located on Portage Avenue.
For more information about the Soo Lock's Engineer's Day, or the International Bridge Walk on June 26, call 800-647-2858.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Linda Hoath, Sault Convention and Visitors Bureau
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