From 610 CKTB:
A tightrope walker who wants to walk a highwire across the Niagara Gorge now has considerible political backing in the U.S.
Nike Wallenda was told he wouldn’t get a permit to perform the stunt because the Parks Commission on both sides of the border say stunting along the gorge or the river violates the Niagara Parks Act.
But now, a political effort to make it happen has reached the state assembly.
If this ever ends up getting the approval of the Niagara Parks Commission, I will feel very sorry for Canada’s Jay Cochrane, who tried to get permission for years, but was never allowed.
The coverage alone on this has a circus feel ( Wallenda was on the Today show this morning ). Much criticism that we do read about N.F. ON. mentions the tackiness of Clifton Hill and other “Las Vegas” inspired attractions. I believe this wire walk falls into that catagoury.
While I personally understand the natural wonder of the Falls alone doesn’t make us a family holiday destination I don’t think we need to add professional stuntment to our attraction resume.
It looks like the idea is to make this such a big deal ahead of time (before permits have even been applied for), that when it comes time for the Parks on both sides of the border to act on it, it will be this juggernaut that will be hard to stop without drawing the ire of the press and people who have been pushing it.