Downbound now on the Kirkfield Cut. Every time through here I think of the poor s0ns of guns who chipped this canal out of thin layer limestone and carried the pieces up the bank.
Eight miles of limestone chipped away to a depth of 6 feet. The ruble removed and piled on the shore. The cut runs from Balsam Lake to Kirkfield Lift Lock and crosses from the Lake Ontario watershed to the Lake Huron watershed. I posted this to a Facebook Group and a few people shared information about family members who worked on the Kirkfield Cut.
Joy Cranfield Gurney said her grandfather, George Campbell, was one. Land is poor locally so her grandfather was thrilled to have a ready paycheque. As a local farmer, he went home at night. But other workers were housed in wooden house around the quarry. That was how Kirkfield flourished.
An early example of the benefit of infrastructure spending by governments. This engineering feat was a labour intensive endeavour. Horses, pick and shovel, and wooden cranes were apparently visible around the old quarry in the late 60’s. Many people were employed for years during construction with a steady income.
Moon Dance IV 