Westport Harbour
In the beautiful Village of Westport, on the western shores of Upper Rideau Lake, Westport Harbour is fully equiped for the comfort of boaters with shore power, water, picnic tables and barbeques as well as nearby fuel (gas only at the docks), pumpout, oil, ATM and WiFi. Telephone, internet, washrooms with shower facilities are available at the Visitor’s Centre. Westport Harbour docks are located in the heart of the Village…within walking distance of all the amenities the village has to offer such as food stores, coffee & ice cream shops, licensed restaurants and accommodations, speciality stores, gift shops and pharmacy as well as liqour and beer stores.
2010 Harbour Rates – Overnight
2010 Harbour Rate Sheet 20 Foot and Up
GPS Coordinates
- LAT – 44 degrees 40 minutes 20 seconds North
- LONG – 76 degrees 23 minutes 40 seconds West
Contact the Harbour
Channel 68 or Call 613-273-8621 (May to October) 613-273-2191 from November to April
Draft Strategic Plan For Westport Harbour
Strategic Plan For Westport Harbour
Hard copies of the Draft are available at the Village office.
The History of the Westport Spring
Nestled at the head of the Rideau Lakes, Westport was originally surveyed by Reuben Sherwood in 1803 almost thirty years before the building of the Rideau Canal. With the watershed of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve dividing on the crest of Foley Mountain, water runs over and under this Precambrian shield in unique ways. On one side of the Mountain the watershed flows off towards Ottawa through the Rideau Lakes and River system while the opposite side feeds through the Cataraqui system into Lake Ontario.
In Westport, residents as far back as the very elderly and their families can remember, stories are told about the Westport Spring. Uncertain how much is fact or fiction, we are told the Westport Spring water originates north of Highway 42 and trails under ground through town surfacing at the Upper (or Little) Rideau into the lake system. It was at this junction that early settlers began to build their homes confident that the abundance of water, wood, hunting and a hope for industry, they would build their community in the early 1800’s.
Folklore relates the existence of an aboriginal campground at the foot of Spring Street and Fetch Murphy Lane. Through the years, residents of yesterday report finding arrowheads and artifacts in the area. Known originally as Cameron’s Spring, Westport Spring for many years was open for some 75 feet as it flowed to the lake. Children delighted in sliding the trough of the Spring as it rushed crystal clear and cold to empty into Upper Rideau Lake.
The original Westport Spring gazebo was built prior to 1958 and maintained by volunteers (as it is to-day) from the Women’s Institute. The bridge to Goat Island was installed in one piece in 1961 by a crane that slowly positioned the bridge following a slow and careful trip from Concession Street to its current location. Goat Island was aptly named as the local farmer who owned the property would float his goats over each spring where they spent t he summer clipping grass and enjoying the peaceful island. In Centennial year, the Seniors Group in Westport restructured Westport Spring to ensure a peaceful location to enjoy a beautiful waterfront, sunrises and sunsets.
