Niagara Parks Commission
Encyclopedia
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
which maintains the Ontario shoreline of the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
.
History
The Commission was founded in 1885 and charged with preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Niagara FallsNiagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
and the Niagara River corridor as a public greenspace and environmental heritage. The first commissioner was Casimir Gzowski
Casimir Gzowski
Sir Kazimierz Stanislaus Gzowski, KCMG , was an engineer who served as acting Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1896 to 1897....
. Other notable Commissioners have included Thomas McQuesten
Thomas McQuesten
Thomas Baker McQuesten was a Canadian athlete, militiaman, lawyer, politician and government appointee who lived in Hamilton, Ontario....
and James Allan
James Allan
James Noble Allan was a Canadian politician.After serving as mayor of Dunnville and warden of Haldimand County along with various other municipal posts, Allan was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1951 provincial election as the Progressive Conservative Member of...
.
Activity
In total, the Commission is in charge of about 16.19 sqkm of parkland along the river, in addition to the Niagara River Parkway which spans 56 kilometres (34.8 mi). In this corridor, the NPC manages numerous trails, historic sites, picnic areas, and attractions. These include Journey Behind the FallsJourney Behind the Falls
Journey Behind the Falls is an attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario located in the Table Rock Center beside the Canadian Horseshoe Falls...
, the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is a butterfly zoo operated by the Niagara Parks Commission in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It is located about 10 minutes north of Niagara Falls on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens & School of Horticulture, which is in size.The...
, and the Queenston
Queenston, Ontario
Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River; its location on the Niagara Escarpment led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area...
Floral Clock. The Commission manages Navy Island National Historic Site
Navy Island
Navy Island is a small island in the Niagara River in the province of Ontario, managed by Parks Canada as a National Historic Site of Canada. It is located about upstream from Horseshoe Falls, and has an area of roughly...
under a lease agreement with the Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
. It also owns the Chippawa Battlefield Park, and has developed a historical interpretive walk at this War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
site. The NPC also runs the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture and the adjoining Botanical Gardens. In 1997, the Butterfly Conservatory was added to the gardens.
Other significant properties include the Mackenzie Printery & Newspaper Museum, which holds the nation's oldest press; McFarland House, an 18th Century Georgian home offering tours, tea, wine, and light fare; and the Laura Secord
Laura Secord
Laura Ingersoll Secord was a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812. She is known for warning British forces of an impending American attack that led to the British victory at the Battle of Beaver Dams.-Early life:...
Homestead, home to the heroine of the War of 1812, and a National Historic Site. In addition, the NPC has placed dozens of green plaques marking significant sites and events along the Niagara River.
Niagara Parks also operates the People Mover
Niagara Parks Commission People Mover
The Niagara Parks Commission People Mover is a bus service in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The service links the various tourist sights and attractions along the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls and the gorge downstream of it....
, a shuttle bus system intended to aid transportation along the Niagara River and help reduce automobile crowding near the Falls. The buses are powered by propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
and include a trailer unit during most popular hours. In the long term, the Commission is planning for a fixed track transit system along the Niagara River Parkway, although no decision has been taken on the exact technology to be used.
NPC now attempts to protect the natural beauty and attract tourism along the Niagara River, Niagara Gorge
Niagara Gorge
Niagara Gorge is a gorge carved by the Niagara River along the US-Canadian border in New York and Ontario. As Niagara Falls recedes upstream toward Lake Erie, the river has gouged the hard dolomitic limestone of the Niagara escarpment to form the gorge...
and Niagara Falls. The NPC is a self-financed agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Recreation.
Aims and objectives
The aims and objectives of The Niagara Parks Commission as set out in The R. Strong & Associates Report, 1969, are as follows:- To maintain, preserve and enhance the beauty and surroundings of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara River, from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake, while maintaining financial self-sufficiency;
- To develop, operate and maintain a system of parks and recreation areas, historic sites and educational facilities which complement the natural wonders of Niagara Falls and the Niagara River, and which will facilitate and add to the visitor’s enjoyment;
- To provide those wishing to view and enjoy the splendor of Niagara Falls an opportunity to do so with ease;
- To provide a broad range of educational opportunities in the fields of horticulture, geology, natural history and the history of the Niagara Frontier;
- To continually seek new methods and means for improving the visitor’s experience when visiting the Falls area;
- To encourage complementary uses of land adjacent to the Parks system and to work with other groups and agencies who have compatible interests in the Park area.
- To ensure a suitable first and last impression for the many millions of foreign visitors to Ontario and to Canada crossing the borders along the Niagara Frontier;
- To encourage and promote the development of the tourism industry in Ontario and Canada; and
- To pursue the self-sustaining nature of the Parks System while recognizing the limitations of compatible and suitable revenue-producing facilities and the long-range need for capital improvements.