From the Niagara Falls Review:
Another New Year’s Eve concert in Queen Victoria Park has come and gone. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Niagara Falls to usher in 2008 and no doubt thousands more watched it on a nationally televised broadcast.
And although there are assurances the New Year’s Eve concert won’t fade into obilivion, the reality is that as of today there is no commitment that will ensure a concert will be held to herald the arrival of 2009.
The Niagara Parks Commission, which has made a significant contribution, along with the city, to see the concert takes place, says it will begin meeting with the city and other tourism operators to firm up plans for the end of this year.
This year marked the end of the commitment the NPC made three years ago, when it stepped forward and led the effort to keep the concert going after it was dropped from Winter Festival of Lights events.
Three years ago some of the major sponsors also pulled back because the city was already ‘booked solid’ on New Year’s Eve.
Thankfully, some groups had the foresight to keep the concert going. That needs to be maintained.