Rideau-Info.com
Bringing the Rideau Canal to the World since 1996
Despite the ".com" name, Rideau-info.com is a non-commercial website, created and supported solely by Ken Watson. It's an individual hobby website, there is no affiliation or direct support from any government agency or any other organization. I emphasise this point since I get a number of emails written in the mistaken belief that I represent a government or tourism organization or that my website is supported by government or a Rideau organization. To be clear - I don't receive any direct support. The website represents my own personal interests and is maintained solely by me.
I'd like to thank several individuals in the Rideau Canal Office of Parks Canada who have been very supportive over the years, keeping me up to date with information regarding the canal. I'd also like to thank the general public who send me emails thanking me for posting this information to the web - I receive these on a daily basis and it is this type of feedback and encouragement that keeps me going.
Rideau-Info.com is by far the largest and most comprehensive website about the Rideau Canal and surrounding region. As of January 1, 2012, the site contained over 365 pages of text information (well over 100,000 words), a photo gallery with 578 photos, dozens of maps, many smaller photos, plus several tables and other data pertaining to the Rideau. During 2010 the monthly visitor count ranged from a low of 56,000 to a high of 78,000 (peak was 103,257 during the 175th anniversary in 2007), producing from 1,106,450 to 1,756,280 page hits per month (peak was just over 2 million hits in July, 2007).
How it Started
I moved to the Rideau area in 1995. The concept for the Rideau website was hatched later that year after I did a fruitless search for information about the Rideau on the Internet. I decided to combine learning more about the Rideau with learning how to build a website. So work on this started in late 1995 and in mid-1996, the Rideau Canal Waterway website was born. The site continues to evolve and expand as I find new and interesting things about this 202 kilometre long waterway and surrounding region.
It's Information
Unlike many tourist or regional information sites, the foundation of rideau-info.com is solid information. The evolution of the website often involves deepening that information. The Internet provides a wonderful opportunity to present a great deal of information in a manner that is easy to access. If you're not interested in history for instance, you don't have to look at the history pages. But if you are, there are dozens of pages of text dedicated to describing the history of the Rideau region and the building of the Rideau Canal.
It's a celebration
It is a website that celebrates all things Rideau. The Rideau Corridor, which stretches from Kingston in the south to Ottawa in the north is a host to many wonderful and interesting things. There are the man made historic aspects, the locks and heritage communities; there is the rural charm of people and communities living outside of urban chaos; there is the diverse wildlife populating the lakes, rivers, woods and fields of the Rideau area; and there is the countryside itself, the lakes hosted by the rocky exposures of the Canadian Shield and the rivers flowing through sedimentary plains.
The Author
The author, Ken Watson, is not affiliated with any government or tourist agency. The website is done on his own time, using his own nickel (actually many nickels). This has the advantage of allowing a great deal of flexibility in developing the site, having fun trying out new ideas on the site, and keeping the site free of annoying banner ads and such.
Have you found this website useful? Would you like to help with its continued development?
in Canadian Dollars
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Have you found this website useful? It is a non-commercial site run (and paid for) on a hobby basis by Ken Watson. You can help with its continued development by making a donation using PayPal (credit card) - just click on the button |
in US Dollars |
You can make a donation to Ken's website fund using PayPal - just click on the button
Why Do It?
Although it is a very time consuming and money draining hobby - one of the joys is the email feedback that I get. These come on almost a daily basis. A few examples from December 2005 include:
Wow - I had no idea of the enormity of your website. I had only
previously seen one page when I googled into it - I didn't realize how
it extensive it is! Brilliantly done! I hope you have earned awards for
it, they are deserved. It's one of the best written and illustrated
private sites I have been to. Thank you! My coming trip to Ottawa will
be richer for it! - CJW, Toronto
I want to thank you for your very impressive web site. It has and will
continue to be extremely helpful as I plan a trip of the canal for next
summer.
- BJ, Calgary
What a great site on the Rideau Canal you have posted.
- A, Ottawa
We
are US citizens who have recently acquired a modest cottage not too
far from Kingston. There are many attractions in the area with which
we are unfamiliar. Next summer we will certainly explore the Rideau
Canal. Thanks so much for all your work.
- GG, U.S.A.
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