Daily Archive for May 17th, 2005

Update on River Road roadwork

Published
by
Graham
on May 17, 2005
in Niagara Falls News
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I posted previously about the work being done on River Road. They were replacing the sewers or water main or something. Well, within the last couple of weeks everything reopened. The road is nicely paved and everything is back to normal.

A few things to note:

  • Where Falls Avenue and River Road meet was modified. Falls Avenue used to merge onto River Road. Now it is much more like a regular street corner where you have to stop and turn onto the other street.
  • As a result of digging up the road, they also dug up the asphalt sidewalk. It has been replaced as well and has fresh sod down beside it.
  • Last year they started digging up some of the walkway along River Road (Queen Victoria Park) and they are continuing that this year. The walkways used to only be 3-4 feet wide, and are now about 8 feet wide.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman at the Capri Restaurant

Published
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Graham
on May 17, 2005
in Niagara Falls Dining
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The following is on the window of the Capri Restaurant. I don’t know how long ago it happened (their divorce was final in 2001), but I’m sure it was quite exciting for them:

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman at the Capri Restaurant

Shown above are husband & wife team, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman who recently had lunch at The Capri Restaurant on Ferry Street in Niagara Falls.

“This is no April’s Fool’s joke…
On Friday, April 1st, the Capri Restaurant on 5438 Ferry Street received a telephone call from Jack McLaren a local tour operator.

Two famous movies stars (a husband and wife team) were touring the Niagara Falls area and requested to have lunch at the Capri on Saturday. The couple specified they wanted complete privacy and no cameras or press!

Thinking the call was a typical April Fool’s joke, the staff did not take it seriously.

But this request was no April Fool’s joke. On Saturday, April 2nd at 2:00 p.m., Tom Cruise and his wife Nicole Kidman strolled in through the doors. The staff immediately recognized them and ushered them to a table in a private area of the dining lounge, as requested.

There was no fancy limousine or chauffeur. Tom himself had driven a rented white Sunbird from Toronto.

Not to be easily spotted, Tom wore sunglasses and a baseball hat. He was attired in jeans and a denim shirt complete with work boots. Nicole was modestly dressed in black tights and an oversized white top.

For lunch the couple ordered a minestrone soup, Italian salad, and Chef Carmen’s “Famous Eggplant Parmigiana”, at Hostess Marisa Alfieri-Hay’s suggestion. They drank Perrier water.

When asked how their meal was Tom and Nicole said “they would die for the Eggplant Parmigiana” and asked to personally meet with Chef Carmen. Complimenting the food, Tom said the taste was incredible.

Later Tom was amused when Same Alfieri, owner told them, “Tom Cruise is the best actor and Nicole Kidman is the best actress in the whole world”.

Same was curious to know why the couple had chosen The Capri for lunch and was pleasantly surprised when Tom and Nicole said they had heard about the restaurant in Hollywood, California. Both stars then promised they would return.

“Lunch was on the Alfieri family, because they were so courteous and we wanted to do something in return”, added Sam. “All they wanted was to be two average tourists in Niagara Falls.”

“Tourists yes — average no”

You can see pictures of the restaurant in the Capri Restaurant gallery.

Front of Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks

Published
by
Graham
on May 17, 2005
in Niagara Falls Attractions
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Front of Louis Tussaud's Waxworks

I don’t know when the exact opening date is, but the museum is certainly coming along. As was reported previously, Blondin has returned. That, combined with the other signs, makes for a shot that I’m sure many visitors will be taking.

Cafe Tu Tu Tango sign is up

Published
by
Graham
on May 17, 2005
in General and Niagara Falls Dining
. 2 Comments
Cafe Tu Tu Tango sign

As I’ve posted before, the same building that has the Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe Niagara will also have a Cafe Tu Tu Tango on the second floor. They still aren’t open yet (I don’t know when they will be), but the sign was recently put up.

Classic Iron Motorcycle Museum is now open!

Published
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Graham
on May 17, 2005
in General and Niagara Falls Attractions
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Classic Iron Motorcycle Museum is now open!

The Classic Iron Motorcycle Museum is now open. It opened last week (10 days ago). I was by on Saturday and saw that they were opened and stopped to ask a few questions:

  • There are over 40 bikes on display
  • Adult pricing including taxes is $10
  • Child pricing including taxes is $8

They are still working on the building on the outside, but as I mentioned, they are open for business.

I’ve taken a few pictures of the bikes in the lobby that you can see in the Classic Iron Motorcycle Museum gallery.

Update on city meetings

Published
by
Chris
on May 17, 2005
in Niagara Falls Attractions, Niagara Falls Developments and Niagara Falls Hotels
. 5 Comments

As we mentioned in a previous post, there was a town meeting held last night to discuss amendments to the zoning bylaw that would allow a 59 storey hotel and observation tower along with a 74,000 sqft water park on Falls Avenue.

The amendment to allow the hotel tower passed with a 5-1 vote while the amendment to allow the water park passed in council unanimously.

UPDATE:
The local cable company airs City Council meetings live on Monday nights. I was able to capture a few images from the television of the hotel and water park. As these are only screen captures recorded from a low quality source, the images are not superb, but they convey the look of the new developments.

Hotel from front looking up
Hotel from front looking up

Hotel and waterpark visible from back
Hotel and waterpark visible from back

Hotel view from the Unites States near the Rainbow Bridge
Hotel view from the United States near the Rainbow Bridge

The is the write up from the Niagara Falls Review about the hotel:

New hotel to tower above city

By COREY LAROCQUE
Local News - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 @ 02:00

NIAGARA FALLS - The 59-storey Rainbow Tower Hotel proposed for Falls Avenue would have a view of both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and be visible from Buffalo and Toronto, says architect Michael Kirkland.

“We glory in the size of it,” said Kirkland who designed the building for Canadian Niagara Hotels, saying it will take on “iconic” status.

“This is a building that will affect the skyline of Niagara Falls for a very long time,” Kirkland said during a planning meeting at city hall Monday night.

Council voted 5-1 in favour of the application from Canadian Niagara Hotels to build the $130-million hotel tower between the Sheraton-on-the-Falls and Brock Plaza hotels.

The proposed tower was designed as two buildings in one - a 48-storey, 550-room hotel attached to an observation tower that stands 751 feet tall, Kirkland said. It would have one storey more than the Hilton Niagara hotel expansion the city approved last year, but would be 57 metres taller than that hotel planned for Fallsview Boulevard.

It’s designed so the higher up it goes, its orientation rotates toward the Horseshoe Falls, said Kirkland.

“This building goes up and expresses the sheer gravitational pull of Niagara Falls,” he said.

Because of its design, it will also take different appearances - what Kirkland described as a lantern, torch or silhouette - depending on weather conditions, time of day and the light it reflects.

At 229 metres tall, the Rainbow Tower Hotel will be the city’s tallest building. But because of its placement, it will only cast shadows on property owned by Canadian Niagara Hotels, Kirkland said.

In a recorded vote, aldermen Wayne Campbell, Jim Diodati, Joyce Morocco, Victor Pietrangelo and Selina Volpatti approved the project.

Ald. Carolynn Ioannoni was the sole vote against. She said she wanted to support it, but needed more details on a provision that would have the company contribute to city projects in exchange for exceeding the height limit.

“I think this application is premature. I wanted to support it. There are too many questions,” Ioannoni said.

Acting mayor Vince Kerrio and Ald. Janice Wing did not vote because they declared conflicts of interest.

Canadian Niagara Hotels will pay between $1.3 million and $1.5 million to the city under a provision of the Planning Act that permits developers to exceed the city’s 30-storey height limit in exchange for cash contributions. That payment will be used to pay for public projects to be determined later.

Council also approved a request from Canadian Niagara Hotels to build an estimated $70-million waterpark on its property.

Ald. Victor Pietrangelo said Canadian Niagara’s investment in the hotel, tower and waterpark should send a “strong message” to the provincial government about the long-term vaule of Casino Niagara as a catalyst for development.

“We’re sending a message that we want to retain Casino Niagara. The developer is stepping up to the plate, saying, ‘I am willing to invest in this area if the province is willing to invest in the area,’” Pietrangelo said.

Michael DiCienzo whose company owns Canadian Niagara Hotels said he wants to see Casino Niagara in the area, but both projects make sense for his company on their own merits.

“We are doing what we feel is necessary from a business standpoint to redevelop our site regardless of the casino,” said DiCienzo said.