Falls Parks: Canada Thrives, U.S. Struggles
From WNED-AM 970 NEWS:
On one side of Niagara Falls, state parks need $85 million in repairs while on the Ontario side millions of dollars are going into renovation of Old Fort Erie and the Laura Secord House.
WNED’s Mike Desmond talked with the Chairwoman of the Niagara Parks Commission, Fay Booker, about the difference.
This year, the commission will spend around $100 million (Canadian) on its capital and operating budgets, serving millions of visitors from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The Ontario agency is set up to pay for itself by raising money and keeping it.
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Niagara Falls keeping the honeymoon alive
From the Welland Tribune:
The king-size, blue-velvet vibrating bed was just the start of Dave and Sandy Carson’s classic Niagara Falls honeymoon. But when the vibrating bed wouldn’t shut off after they put in a few quarters, the novelty wore off quickly. They had to unplug it.
Now retired and living in Fort Erie, they still have fond memories of the honeymoon they took 30 years ago in August.
They met in a bar in 1980 in Petawawa, northwest of Ottawa. Dave was a 22-year-old bombardier in an artillery regiment. Sandy, 24, ran a variety store.
They were married Aug. 22, 1981, and drove to Niagara Falls the day after their military ceremony.
Sandy had never been to Niagara Falls, and a visit there was affordable on a soldier’s salary.
Back then, the city was still considered an exotic location, and their visit earned them “bragging rights,” Sandy said.
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City sends Kerrio back to NPC
From the Niagara Falls Review:
Coun. Vince Kerrio is going back to the Niagara Parks Commission, but he wants the right to talk. And his city council colleagues want the provincial government to free him from an oath of confidentiality that limits how much parks business he can fill them in on.
Kerrio has been the city’s representative on the 12-member Niagara Parks Commission since 2007.
Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Regional Municipality of Niagara each appoint one person to the board.
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Confidentiality oath should stay: Minister’s office
From the Niagara Falls Review:
Ontario’s Tourism Minister appears ready to accept decisions by Niagara Falls and Fort Erie to reappoint their same representatives to the Niagara Parks Commission, despite his request for fresh faces.
“Ultimately, the nomination of representatives is a decision that rests with the individual municipality,” Liberal Tourism Minister Michael Chan said through a spokesman Tuesday.
His office was reacting to news Niagara Falls had re-appointed Coun. Vince Kerrio as the city’s representative on the government agency and Fort Erie had named Mayor Doug Martin.
His fellow councillors want Kerrio — and other municipal politicians who serve as parks commissioners — to have the freedom to talk more openly about what goes on at the government agency. All commissioners must take an oath of confidentiality that prevents municipal councillors from updating their council on some issues.
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Chan seeks clean sweep of board
From the Niagara Falls Review:
The Ontario government doesn’t want the same municipal politicians — including Fort Erie Mayor Doug Martin and Niagara Falls Coun. Vince Kerrio — reappointed to the Niagara Parks Commission board.
The Niagara Falls Review learned through sources the Ministry of Tourism is looking to follow up its purge of four provincially appointed commissioners by asking Niagara Region, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake to appoint different members to the board than during the last term of council.
A spokesman for Ontario Tourism Minister Michael Chan confirmed the province doesn’t want familiar faces returning after the four municipalities swear in their councillors this month.
“We are encouraging the municipalities to put forward new names for these appointments,” Mukunthan Paramalingham, the tourism minister’s senior communications adviser, said in an email response to questions posed by The Review. “Our goal is to establish a strong board with members who will bring forth new ideas and qualifications to move the commission forward.”
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News on Canadian Motor Speedway
There has been some news over the last day or two about the proposed Canadian Motor Speedway near Fort Erie:
Niagara Falls Review – Road opening up for track
One of the largest private-sector projects ever proposed in Fort Erie is one step closer to being built.
The multi-million dollar Canadian Motor Speedway project will move ahead to the next stage after town council approved a zoning bylaw amendment Tuesday.
It’s still nowhere near the finish line, but project partner Jay Mason said council’s decision represents real progress.
Niagara This Week – Speedway on track for Fort Erie
The proposed Canadian Motor Speedway completed another lap Tuesday when a staff report called on town politicians to approve rezoning necessary for the project to continue to move forward.
Councillors unanimously approved the report at the regular council-in-committee meeting.
“We have more than scratched the surface but we still have a long road ahead,” community and development services director Rino Mostacci told councillors before they considered the report.
Niagara Falls Review – Speedway opponents worried town moving too fast
Officials with the Canadian Motor Speedway and those opposed to the project are willing to sit down to try to work out their differences.
“We will continue to apply an open-book policy as we proceed through the various stages of the development,” project manager Ken DePodesta said.
“We invite the opposition to the Canadian Motor Speedway to meet with us to share perspectives on our technical work so that a clear appreciation of what has always been our fundamental commitment towards complying with regulations and standards can be understood and acknowledged.”
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Bring GO to Niagara Falls, says Region
From the Niagara Falls Review:
Regional council has asked GO Transit to find a way to extend daily train service to Niagara Falls.
Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of GO Transit, is studying a possible expansion of the popular commuter service into Niagara.
GO is looking at four different expansion routes, including one that follows the northern peninsula CN rail line all the way to Niagara Falls.
But GO officials have said that route may require a costly bridge over — or tunnel under — the Welland Canal to avoid ship traffic. GO is also considering an option that would see the train stop in St. Catharines, with travelers boarding buses to continue to the Honeymoon Capital.
But at Thursday’s meeting, regional council approved a staff recommendation to push for train service all the way to Niagara Falls — and beyond, possibly to Fort Erie.
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Final bridge approval nears
From the Niagara Falls Review:
After nearly 20 years of often acrimonious debate, final approval for a new bridge across the upper Niagara River is just around the corner.
But there are a few more steps that need to be completed.
Ron Rienas, general manager of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, says he believes the agency will be in a position to submit a final environmental impact statement on the expansion project to U.S. regulatory authorities for approval by year’s end.
Before that happens, the same document will be submitted to the project’s partners, the Town of Fort Erie and the City of Buffalo, for their consideration.
“We’re hoping to have the (final environmental impact statement) in to the (municipalities) in September and a record of decision by the end of the year,” said Rienas.
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Falls important for Ontario tourism: Minister
From the Niagara Falls Review:
As Michael Chan met with several of Niagara’s tourism officials this week, he said one thing became abundantly clear.
“I think the Niagara region is in a really good position moving forward. I’m very hopeful for the future of tourism in the area,” Ontario’s tourism minister told The Niagara Falls Review during his day-long tour of the peninsula Wednesday.
While mayors, economic development officers and others with a stake in the local industry continue to raise concerns about the economy, currency exchange fluctuations and border-related challenges, bright lights can be seen on the horizon, Chan said.
Construction of the Niagara Convention and Civic Centre in Niagara Falls, a motor speedway proposal in Fort Erie and the formation of a regional tourism organization will put the area in good stead come the future, he said.
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Fort Erie mayor researching speedway impact in Virginia
From the Niagara Falls Review:
Mayor Doug Martin is heading to Virginia next weekend to see what impact, if any, the Richmond International Raceway has had on the community.
While thousands of motor heads will be cheering their favourite driver during the May 1 Crown Royal Heath Calhoun 400, part of NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, Martin and a handful of town and regional officials will meet with municipal staff and Richmond’s mayor on how to mitigate resident concerns about noise, pollution and traffic congestion.
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