I’ve heard quite a bit of news stories lately about Starbucks, and how in China they are setting up shop in areas that many people don’t like. They even have a location inside the Forbidden City. It made me think about Niagara Falls and leads me to this week’s question:
What is the biggest eyesore next to the Falls?
There are lots of fun things to do in Niagara Falls. In fact, I think we often take for granted that there is this incredible natural wonder right beside all of the fun attractions. When you go and view the Falls, what do you like seeing the least? Does that ugly colour-changing casino in NY bother you? Did the Superman promo bother you? I personally can’t stand looking at the Horseshoe Falls and seeing the Marineland Sky Screamer in the background.
Visit previous questions of the week…
Related posts
- Niagara Falls Question: When did you first come to Niagara Falls?...
- Niagara Falls Question: What is your favourite thing to do in Niagara Falls?...
- Niagara Falls Question: What does Niagara Falls need?...
- Niagara Falls Question: What used to be in Niagara Falls that you now miss?...
- Superman Returns … to the falls...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Niagara has its share of eyesores. From the top of my head I’d say the Marriott - too wall-like, Skyscreamer that takes away the natural state of the falls, the buildings at the corner of Stanley and 420 - the first thing many tourists see should be more welcoming. Lastly, all the run-down and closed shops along Ferry
The smokestacks and factories along the upper river in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and, since I’m picking on our U.S. pals, the observation tower/MOTM elevator that looks like an unfinished bridge.
Overall the falls isn’t too bad on the Canadian side, because pretty much every other tourist area has some eyesores, especially in this day and age of exploit the tourist for all they are worth.
The biggest eyesores are if you accidently stray from the immediate area of Niagara Falls state park and venture into the city of Niagara falls right near the tourist area. This is on the American side of course. Many run down factories, unused buildings, and well a general run down feeling is the feeling of this area. These things are unavoidable if you are like most and take the thruway to the falls, so keep in mind that most tourists see them. The area really should be a lot more well kept and prettier than it is now, instead of giving the run-down ghetto feeling that it does.
The WWE tower behind the Foxhead (ok, “Sheraton On The Falls”) drives me nuts. Not only does it lord over the entire hill (twice, since it reflects off the windows on the Foxhead) but it’s high enough to be seen from the parkway. I understand that the Hill is going to have themed attractions, but to have one of the dominant features of the street be a pro wrestling themed ride just seems random and out of place.
Id say all of Niagara Falls, New York is a giant eyesore. I cant imagine what first time visitors are thinking as they approach the beautiful Canadian side. They are surely in great relief once they cross the bridge, and get out of that ghetto. However, the Seneca Casino takes the prize as the #1 offender. Its a poor attempt at something, however I am not sure what. The Canadian side, I agree the ride at Marineland is tacky.
I agree on the Seneca as seen from Canada….Light it up - fine. But the motion lights are tacky and draw the eye away from the real attraction - the illuminated Falls!
As if the Oxidental wasn’t bad enough…you long-timers know what I’m talking about!!!!
As for Clifton Hill…all the cartoonish stuff does drive me nuts, but at least it doesn’t detract from viewing the Falls.
That hot air balloon on the American side……need I say more!!!!
oooooo…..forgot the balloon. Good call mom.
I would have the say the WWE Ride, Niagara Skywheel , the Marineland Drop Ride, The Close Shops along Ferry and the street that leads to the Old Stone Inn. The US big Balloon.
wow you guys!!!!…yur being so tough..if it wasn’t for all the stuff you all mentioned..it just wouldn’t BE the falls!!!…hey..everything has to change sometime..all the tacky stuff is kewl..we love to laff at that stupid balloon…and the unfinished bridge lookalike thingy on the american side..wouldn’t be the same without them…lol..the wheel and area is awesome…mind you..heading up lundy’s lane is kinda pathetic..but the hill is great WWE rides or not…we’ve watched it change over the last 25 years..but all in all..it’s still our favorite place to go..you too karen..AND mom…..you like it too…lol
Remember, I’m trying to focus on what you see when you are looking at the Falls…
I hadn’t even thought of the balloon. It’s pretty bad.
For me, the bridge/viewing thingy on the US side doesn’t affect my view and I can take pictures without it being in it.
For me, #1 and #2 are the Seneca Casino and the Sky Screamer
For me, it is the balloon, too….just so damn ugly and it detracts from the Falls.
I agree about the balloon, but they must make tons of money since its like, the only actual attraction on this side of the border other than the falls. I would say the Balloon and the Seneca Casino are the worst. Like I said pretty much the whole area other than the State Park of Niagara Falls on this side of the border needs some serious work, it will never get done though. The area directly near the falls is fine because that is part of the State park so it is well maintained. When you go over into Canada, its like going into another world and you feel very safe in Canada unlike over here even in the big crowds on Clifton hill, also the surrounding area’s in Canada look normal and good.
I feel sorry for those who take a vacation here and get stuck on this side of the border and do not have passports to go over to the Canadian side after they put the passport law into effect at the border, a lot of people are going to end up having a really horrible vacation!
I’m a little late chiming in on this…
But there are a number of eye-sores…
> The USA side is the biggest eye-sore, and that includes:
— The Oxychem building. It’s a cubed glass building that offers no eye-appeal and is basically useless.
— The Schwartkauph Geological/Power Plant. It caved in many decades ago, and the stone siding sits idle & useless!
— Except for the Seneca Niagara Casino Hotel (which I like), ALL the buildings on the USA side should be demolished that are taller than 6 stories. They’re all rust or brick colored (kinda like the city of Barf-alo’s buildings).
— The whole Rainbow Centre & “wintergarden” (Smokin’ Joe’s Fun Center). It’s ugly, idle, & should be demolished.
— The USA’s side of ‘fun’ (that tries to resemble a Clifton Hill-like experience with tacky shops & 9-hole mini-golf) is just horrid to look at.
— The balloon WOULD have been nice when it was first announced. I thought it was going to be colorful rainbow-like or a full design (the kind you see in the Adirondacks in the fall). Instead it’s this white monstrosity ball of blech!
For the Canadian Side…
— The downtown still needs revitilization, as it’s just run-down.
— Near the Great Wolf Lodge, that area is an eye-sore near the RR tracks.
— Near Marineland, it’s too plain & ugly. I like the Sky Screamer… it’s kind of like a marker… but the factories that surround Marineland as well as the useless fields & woods are a buzz-killer. No landscaping, the roads aren’t the best, and it’s just BORING! (I’ve biked the entire radius of Marineland’s surrounding streets… it’s boring!).
Oh I forgot another one, the building that is called the Turtle on the American side. To my knowledge this building is not used for anything and has not been in years so why not just knock it down, I don’t think the doors to this thing have been opened in at least 10 years or possibly more, so it is truly an eyesore as it is just sitting there and not being used for anything, and hasn’t been in years. The building used to house a native American museum and they used to have theater events and country dances there. This is also where a lot of trash builds up (in front of the Turtle and around it) that I was referring to in previous posts and no one seems to care about ever cleaning it up. The building is adjacent to the Wintergarden/Smokin Joes fun center for those that do not know its location.
Maybe the Seneca Casino would look better if it was surrounded by similar type buildings, instead of the brown ugly buildings that you describe, right now it just sticks out so much as is so out of place in the whole scheme of Niagara Falls which is why it looks tacky and bad.
Of course… it’s a diamond in the rough…
That’s what the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel are… they were supposed to SPUR development, but apparently nobody is doing anything! The hotel that was the Holiday Inn which has since been rennovated is a nice start (despite only being 4 floors), and them finally opening up “Old Falls Street” between Rainbow Blvd & 3rd street is a nice touch, along with making traffic 2-way on Rainbow Blvd along with that round-about… they’re making the streets more asthetically pleasing…
…but without the businesses or buildings to go with them, it’s more smaller diamonds in the rough… the Turtle COULD have been something, but is useless… they should just just knock down all the dorment buildings & sell the land to the top projects presented to them (offering incentives such as tax-breaks), and start putting them up. The city would have to fork over demolition costs… but better than letting old useless/ugly buildings just sit there like a ghost-town!
Graham,
I see that the blog format has changed…it looks nice! However, the notice along the side that lists “recent comments” is gone…I don’t know about anyone else, but I used that to see who was talking about what when I stopped by. Is there a way to get that back?
Sorry Karen. That was a mistake. I’ve changed it back to the way it is supposed to be.
It would look better if they just knocked down all the buildings and even planted grass where they are, grass looks much better than the abandoned buildings that litter the falls area today, giving the city a has-been look. But if the city cannot even afford to clean up the trash around the area, then I seriously doubt they care about cleaning up the area a bit.
The Rainbow Centre mall is another one, other than the parking lot which I believe they are charging to park there, the building is left unused and there are no plans for it from what I hear. I don’t understand why they don’t make it a mall again or do something with it, if they aren’t going to do anything with it then… TAER IT DOWN!!
On our last trip up a few years ago, I couldn’t help but be distracted by that ride at Marineland. I kept asking hubby what it was, it wasn’t there the time before that we’d been there, and that had been within the year the same. It bothered me so much, I ended up coming home and zooming in on it on Google Earth to find out what it was. I don’t like it, not one bit. That balloon is distracting too, but it at least goes down once in a while. Other than that, on that same trip, they had I think, just opened the new casino, and they had taken a large chunk of trees out between the park and the casino. I liked how the trees always were between the actual falls area and the Hill/attractions. Anything past the trees, never crossed my mind as an eyesore. Have the trees been growing back?
Thanks Graham! You’re the best! : )
To be honest: Clifton Hill.
Wow a niagara jr eh?
Any relation?
I really hope not, or something happened I know nothing of
What happens in Niagara, stays in Niagara.
lol true.
lol. Karen you are a riot!!! (Tin and aluminum in the other post too!) HA!!
i bet karen lays awake at night thinking this stuff up…lol..i laffed at the tin thing too…OUCH..graham!!..don’t do it…lol..
too funny you guys
She’s her father’s daughter…..quick wit and a joy to be around!!!
The biggest eye sore on the Canadian side is the unfinished hotel on Stanley & Dunn. http://tinyurl.com/2weuj3
Also, offsite parking lots for major hotels - talk about pave paradise…and put up a parking lot.
Eg. 1 - The new Hilton Hotel…. any major new development in Toronto (condo or office would be required to have enough parking built underground)… I am no geologist…so I dont know if there are limitations to how far they can dig down near the falls)…Hence the reason why the Hilton only went down 2 stories? But all parkades should be built underground….they are the TRUE EYE SORES of Niagara.
Seriously, you think the above ground parking in Niagara Falls is worse than Toronto as a whole, have you ever used the underground parking there? Do we want to be another Toronto? I think not. We have our own unique character. And listing a new build as an eyesore, a little obvious don’t you think? Every uncompleted build is an eyesore. Niagara Falls may be having some growing pains but with time it has the potential to be something pretty amazing.