Welland Canal an average of about eleven hours to traverse the entire length of the Welland Canal. Before the digging of the Welland Canal, shipping traffic between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie used a portage road between Chippawa, Ontario, and Queenston, Ontario, both of which are located on the Niagara River—above and below Niagara Falls, respectively. The Welland Canal Company was incorporated by the Province of Upper Canada, in 1824, after a petition by nine "freeholders of the District of Niagara". One of the petitioners was William Hamilton Merritt, who was in part looking to provide a regular flow of water for
Welland Canal, bridge 13 With the closure of many Welland industries and the resultant increase in numbers of persons in need, the downtown area has become home to organizations such as Goodwill and similar service groups, as opposed to significant private enterprise. Recently, a community volunteer initiative has reclaimed a neglected parkette along the west bank of the Welland Recreational Canal, just south of Bridge 13. Named "Guerrilla Park" by the volunteers, it has become a destination for one of the best views of this bridge, especially when lit up at night. It has also hosted a few art events. Recommendations for development of