McKay Lake (Ottawa)
Lake in Ontario, Canada / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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McKay Lake[2] (formerly Hemlock Lake,[3] McKay's Lake, or MacKay Lake) is a meromictic lake located in the former Village of Rockcliffe Park in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
McKay Lake | |
---|---|
Location | Eastern Ontario |
Coordinates | 45°27′06″N 75°40′10″W |
Primary inflows | Sand Pits Lake (The Pond) |
Primary outflows | Ottawa River |
Catchment area | 140 hectares (350 acres)[1] |
Basin countries | Canada |
Max. length | 451 m (1,480 ft) |
Max. width | 320 m (1,050 ft) |
Surface elevation | 46 m (151 ft) |
Settlements | Ottawa |
The lake is named for Thomas McKay, one of the founders of Ottawa, who once owned all of Rockcliffe Park in the 19th century, including the lake.[3] The lake was officially named McKay Lake in 1954 after Rockcliffe Park Village Council passed a by-law. Prior to that the lake often appeared on maps as "Hemlock Lake", but locals referred to it as McKay Lake.[4]
The lake was once a swimming hole. Today, the west side of the lake is lined with mansions, and a public path known as the "Dog Walk", a closed portion of Lansdowne Road, while the east side of the lake is home to the Caldwell-Carver Conservation Area.[3] The lake is drained by an intermittent stream that travels north into the Ottawa River. Its watershed includes the nearby Beechwood Cemetery and the next-door Sand Pits Lake, better known as "The Pond". The lake is fed by an intermittent stream that flows into the lake from the southeast.[1]