This study generated a massive response from hundreds of local residents who shared their photos and stories of the Locks, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the British Waterways’. We consulted through participatory displays in Bingley market and at a number of local community venues, and interviewed relatives of people who had worked on the canal more than 100 years ago. This generated a wealth of fascinating historic photos and stories of the people who lived nearby, worked on and maintained the locks and canal. These resources were developed into creative proposals for innovative interpretation to explain the significance of the locks and canal, which has been used as a case study in the EU funded Interreg Project Waterways for Growth.