New visitor information centre opens beside the iconic Peterborough Lift Lock

Coinciding with the beginning of summer break, the City of Peterborough has opened its new visitor information centre to the public on Friday (June 26).

The Peterborough Visitor Centre is located at 353 Hunter Street East, just west of the Peterborough Lift Lock, in the building that was formerly the Peterborough Lift Lock Visitor Centre operated by Parks Canada.

“Today marks a new beginning for one of Peterborough’s most iconic spaces,” Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal said during a media event at the visitor centre on Thursday.

“We are excited to open the doors of the Peterborough Visitor Centre at the Lift Lock and work to revitalize the space to incorporate diverse perspectives of the shared cultures and histories of the community.”

Parks Canada, the federal government agency that manages the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site including the Peterborough Lift Lock, shuttered the building during the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 and never reopened it.

In an agreement with Parks Canada, the new visitor centre is operated by Peterborough Tourism, the city’s tourism services and destination marketing program. Under the agreement, the city is responsible for any renovations or updates and their costs, as well as operating costs including rent, utilities, snow removal, washroom access, and taxes.

Before the city assumed responsibility for tourism services from the now-defunct Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) in 2025, the visitor centre was located at PKED’s office at the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough. When that office was closed, it was then moved to the box office inside the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The new visitor centre’s location beside the Peterborough Lift Lock means it’s easily accessible for travellers arriving by boat, car, bike, or on foot. According to Parks Canada, the Lift Lock draws more than 35,000 land-based visitors annually, with additional visitors arriving by water via the

Along with Mayor Leal, Thursday’s media event was attended by city councillors Lesley Parnell, Kevin Duguay, Matt Crowley, Keith Riel, Dave Haacke, and Alex Bierk, along with Peterborough MP Emma Harrison, Parks Canada’s manager of canal operations Chad Buchner, the city’s Indigenous relations advisor Shelley Knott, and 18-year-old Kelvin Boissoneau from Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie.

“I am delighted on behalf of the federal government to share responsibility for this gem in the heart of the riding of Peterborough,” MP Harrison said.

“The Lift Lock represents some of the best of our past, but also our goals for the future. I know that the City of Peterborough will be the best custodians of this historical landmark for our community and all that visit our beautiful home.”

Other attendees at Thursday’s media event included city staff, Parks Canada staff, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area executive director Nour Mazloum, and members of the community.

New signage on Hunter Street East and Peterborough Tourism branded banner flags promote the location of the visitor centre, while the inside features a large map of the Trent-Severn Waterway, historic displays about the Peterborough Lift Lock, interpretive areas, information resources including the city’s official destination guide and the regional Peterborough and The Kawarthas visitor map developed in collaboration with Peterborough County, and a gift shop.

While the centre is now open to the public, work is continuing on the interior of the building — which has been unused for six years — to improve the visitor experience.

Operating year round, the Peterborough Visitor Centre is currently open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, visit the Peterborough Tourism website at www.ptbotourism.ca.