Daily Archive for September 26th, 2006

Fade of the mist: U.S. border initiative

From Canadian Business:

On a bright, warm April day in Niagara Falls, Ont.–one of the first truly fine days this spring–Bob Masterson, president of Ripley Entertainment Inc., confidently told guests at the grand opening of his company’s Great Wolf Lodge that completion of the resort was just the beginning. For decades, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum had been a stalwart attraction in the town’s Clifton Hill tourist area, but it had become a faded icon of kitsch until B.C. billionaire Jimmy Pattison purchased the entertainment company in 1985 and gave it a much-needed shot in the arm…

But even as Masterson was enthusing about the plans, Pattison, the man with the money, was in the Great Wolf lobby giving a more cautious view of how things might unfold. He candidly told other journalists that a decision on building the aquarium had been put on hold indefinitely, thanks to concerns raised about the potential impact of a new U.S. border security law. Designed as a response to the concerns surrounding the 9/11 attacks and ensuing “war on terrorism,” the new regulations would force anyone wanting to enter the United States–including American citizens–to show a valid passport or some other secure travel document instead of just a birth certificate.

Pattison later elaborated on his misgivings to Canadian Business.

Biggest kite in the world to fly at Niagara Falls fest

From the Beacon Journal:

The world’s largest kite will be flown at the Niagara International Kite Festival Oct. 6-9 in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

The kite measures 83 by 131 feet and will be flown by a team led by Masaaki Modegi, president of the Japan Kite Association, in Reservoir State Park in Lewiston, on Saturday and Sunday of Columbus Day weekend.

Street acrobat flips out; Self-taught performer thrills Clifton Hill crowds

From the Niagara Falls Review:

Joshua Green is head over heals - literally.

The 21-year-old Niagara Falls resident has a unique talent that he loves showing off to astonished tourists along Clifton Hill. “I know it may seem like I’m a crazy kid who is going to break his neck someday, but there is a lot of training and practice that goes into each trick,” the self-taught street acrobat said in between backflips along the limestone wall at Oakes Garden Theatre. “I know the consequences and I know how to avoid them.”