We were lucky enough to be able to view a freighter in the lock with a second waiting to enter from the other direction. Upon our arrival, we were told that at 2:30, the museum and viewing facility would close for cleaning until 3:00. (Covid 19) The staff at the door told us two ships were coming in at 2:18 and 2:19. First that’s not possible because one takes a good 30-45 minutes to get in and out. Secondly, they close at 2:30 to clean. It was close to the closing time and the ship wasn’t even ready to stop yet for the level drop, We opted to leave the elevated viewing dock and go to the park area to watch from ground level. At exactly 2:30 a staff member evacuated all guests off of the viewing deck. Everyone from there came to the park area as we had to see from the ground level. I understand the need to sanitize and be health conscious during this time. However, I feel this cleaning could have been done prior to the ships arriving so people can see the lock activities. If there are no ships expected, keep the sanitizing schedule as is. The staff have the times of ship arrivals so it could be a more pleasant visit if these practices changed.

The SC museum is located at lock 3 of the Welland Canal. It is also the site of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame as well as showcasing the history of St.Catharines.Admission is free but a donation is appreciated. It is a nicely laid out museum and will take about an hour to view, then you can go outside to the viewing area and hopefully see a ship go through the lock. The staff are very accommodating and will go out of their way to assist you. It is well worth the “side trip” as you travel to NOTL or Niagara Fall. Take the Niagara St. Exit off of the QEW.

The museum offers interesting insight into the history of St Catharines and the role that the Welland Canal played in its development. The attached Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame is quirky but engaging, at least to someone who as a teenager watched box lacrosse in Victoria. An unexpected bonus that we were able to watch from the viewing platform as the CSL Assiniboia passed through Lock 3. It fit in well with our timed visit, 1 1/2 hours to allow for cleaning between time slots.