These locks were abandoned in the 1970s when a new combined lock was built to replace these locks. The problem was that Smiths Falls was growing and the swing bridge across the locks was a hindrance to traffic. A fixed high level bridge over these locks was proposed, but it would have entailed the removal of buildings at the south end of the bridge, something that the Town of Smiths Falls didn't want to do. The initial proposal, which was to rip out the old locks, was one of the reasons that administration of the Rideau Canal was transferred from the Department of Transport to Parks Canada. The first thing Parks Canada did was to put a stop to the idea of ripping out the old locks and look for an alternate solution. That solution was to build a new lock to the north, allowing a high level bridge to be constructed without taking down any buildings Smiths Falls.
For a full history of the Smiths Falls Locks see: History of the Smiths Falls Locks
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