5. Canada Water & Surrey Water Information & History
The Grand Surrey Canal was a canal constructed in the early 19th century. It opened to the Old Kent Road in 1807, Camberwell in 1810, and to Peckham in 1826. In 1855-1860 a new entrance lock and basin was built with Albion Dock to the west. The system closed in 1971 and Surrey Water was created from the Surrey Basin. The Albion Channel Canal, built later, follows the path of the former Albion Dock joining Surrey Water to Canada Water. Canada Water is the surviving northern third of Canada Dock, and was mainly used by ships from Canada. It is also the only body of fresh water in London Docklands. As with Surrey water, the rest of Surrey Commercial Docks closed in the 1970s. During the 1980s, the LDDC took over, and invested heavily in the redevelopment of the area. About half of Canada Dock was infilled and the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre built on top of it; the remainder was converted into the present lake and wildlife refuge. More at wikipedia | Also read london-footprints.co.uk >
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