Port Dalhousie

Port Dalhousie /dəˈluːzi/ is a community in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Known for its waterfront appeal, it is home to the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and is historically significant as the terminus for the first three (19th century) routes of the Welland Canal, built in 1820, 1845 and 1889.^[1]

The historic lighthouse and pier

Port Dalhousie, in relation to other nearby lakeports.

Activities

Beach at Lakeside Park

The city's most popular beach, on the shore of Lake Ontario, is located in Port Dalhousie at historic Lakeside Park. Popular activities that take place at the beach are stand up paddle boarding, swimming, kayaking and beach volleyball. The park is home to the Lakeside Park Carousel which was carved by Charles I. D. Looff in 1905 and brought to St. Catharines in 1921. It continues to provide amusement for young and old alike, at just 5 cents a ride.

Port Dalhousie is home to The Royal Canadian Henley Regatta on Martindale Pond. The Regatta, which annually occurs has been happening for "almost 100 years".^[2]

Etymology

Port Dalhousie is named after George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, Governor General of British North America. Dalhousie also gave his name to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and to the town of Dalhousie, New Brunswick.

Dalhousie pronounced his own name 'dal-HOW-zee', but this community's name is pronounced locally as 'dal-OO-zee'. It is said that this is a result of the accent of the Scottish sailors and shipbuilders who frequented the Port's establishments (Dalhousie, himself a Scot, used the more upper class English-sounding pronunciation).

Notable people

Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist of the Canadian rock band Rush, reminisces about growing up in Port Dalhousie in his book Traveling Music: Playing Back the Soundtrack to My Life and Times, as well as in his lyrics for Rush's song "Lakeside Park."

Climate

Climate data for Port Dalhousie (1981–2010, extremes 1957–1996)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	18.5 (65.3)	15.0 (59.0)	24.5 (76.1)	30.0 (86.0)	33.3 (91.9)	35.0 (95.0)	37.0 (98.6)	36.0 (96.8)	35.6 (96.1)	29.4 (84.9)	26.7 (80.1)	22.0 (71.6)	37.0 (98.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−0.2 (31.6)	0.5 (32.9)	5.1 (41.2)	12.0 (53.6)	18.9 (66.0)	24.0 (75.2)	27.1 (80.8)	26.0 (78.8)	21.1 (70.0)	14.7 (58.5)	8.5 (47.3)	2.4 (36.3)	13.3 (55.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−3.4 (25.9)	−2.9 (26.8)	1.2 (34.2)	7.4 (45.3)	13.5 (56.3)	19.0 (66.2)	22.4 (72.3)	21.4 (70.5)	17.0 (62.6)	10.8 (51.4)	5.2 (41.4)	−0.6 (30.9)	9.3 (48.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−6.6 (20.1)	−6.3 (20.7)	−2.8 (27.0)	2.9 (37.2)	8.2 (46.8)	14.0 (57.2)	17.6 (63.7)	16.8 (62.2)	12.8 (55.0)	6.9 (44.4)	1.9 (35.4)	−3.5 (25.7)	5.1 (41.2)
Record low °C (°F)	−24.5 (−12.1)	−24.5 (−12.1)	−17.0 (1.4)	−8.5 (16.7)	−2.8 (27.0)	2.2 (36.0)	6.7 (44.1)	3.9 (39.0)	0.0 (32.0)	−6.1 (21.0)	−13.3 (8.1)	−23.5 (−10.3)	−24.5 (−12.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	60.5 (2.38)	64.2 (2.53)	63.8 (2.51)	84.1 (3.31)	84.5 (3.33)	83.9 (3.30)	84.7 (3.33)	74.0 (2.91)	95.4 (3.76)	76.6 (3.02)	95.0 (3.74)	78.4 (3.09)	945.1 (37.21)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	26.7 (1.05)	30.6 (1.20)	46.1 (1.81)	79.3 (3.12)	84.0 (3.31)	83.9 (3.30)	84.7 (3.33)	74.0 (2.91)	95.4 (3.76)	76.6 (3.02)	89.8 (3.54)	50.6 (1.99)	821.6 (32.35)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	33.8 (13.3)	33.6 (13.2)	17.7 (7.0)	4.8 (1.9)	0.5 (0.2)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	5.2 (2.0)	27.9 (11.0)	123.4 (48.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	14.8	12.8	13.5	14.2	12.0	11.1	10.4	10.5	12.1	12.1	15.1	14.1	152.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)	6.3	6.3	9.9	13.5	11.9	11.1	10.4	10.5	12.1	12.1	14.1	9.1	127.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)	9.5	7.9	4.6	1.3	0.13	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	6.8	31.5
Source: Environment Canada[3]

Gallery

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  Aerial view, 1920
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  Aerial view, 1920
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  Aerial view, 1920
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  Port Dalhousie, 2018
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  A memorial in the town to the local soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars, and in the Korean War.