My very first post was on March 25, 2005. I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for almost 3 years. The site has grown from an audience of 0 to 8,000 unique visitors (that’s visitors, not hits) each month. I think most of the regular visitors know who I am now, and know what I do, but I figured I’d do a bit of a summary for anyone new.
My name is Graham Wing. I write virtually all of the posts myself. A friend, Chris Empey, has written a few posts. Some of my posts have been direct copies of emails people have sent me. But overall, the site is mine. I work in Niagara Falls for HOCO Limited (or HOCO Entertainment & Resorts). I am a full-time employee and work in the IT department. This may come as a surprise to some of the regular visitors. When I first started the site, I mentioned very clearly who I worked for, but for some reason as I’ve changed the site and fixed it up, that information wasn’t left up.
This site is a hobby. I make a bit of money from the Google ads (enough to cover various expenses), but generally I do this for the fun of it. It is growing, and some day I may be able to make a bit more from it, but for now, I’m still having fun.
Since this is just a hobby, don’t expect me to post any “inside” information about HOCO. I’m not about to risk my job because I posted something. When it comes to HOCO, I always wait until something is in the news, or one of my regular visitors has found out for themselves.
I’ve been interested in the Niagara Falls main tourist area since I was a teenager. When I was 14 years old my family moved back to the area in the summer. Since school wasn’t in yet, I hadn’t made any new friends, and my older sister and I spent quite a bit of time at Maple Leaf Village. There was just something about the excitement in the air that I loved. Maple Leaf Village may be gone, but that excitement is still in the air, especially in the summer. If there is anything that I’ve learned from this blog, it’s that you all feel that excitement, too.
The content of the site comes from two main sources: online sites (including local news sources) and my general observations. I guess anyone can collect a bunch of links to sites that mention Niagara Falls. I just try to post links and news stories that I find interesting. I figure if I find them interesting, other people may as well. As for the observations, those come from my daily walks (as mentioned in that initial posting). Every day I work (and I mean every day), I go for a walk. It doesn’t really matter how cold, how hot, or how wet it is, I try to get out and walk (I have a pedometer
that I can connect to my computer and I have taken a million steps in the last 6 months). As I’m out for a walk, I just look around. I see what is being built. I see changes to the landscape. I take pictures and make mental notes, and then post what I can. As the site has grown in popularity, I’ve also been able to contact some of the local establishments and get some complimentary passes, and even a room. I’m not trying to scam anybody just to get things for free. I honestly want to visit the places and write about my experiences. I think you are all interested as well. I think the places I visit are happy to get the exposure, and the traffic that I send their way.
From a web site point of view, in almost 3 years I have posted over 1,800 items, and there have been almost 2,900 comments left (including pingbacks). I have linked to over 1,200 other sites and posted over 2,400 pictures. The 3 most popular posts so far (based on comments left, although often they are off-topic) have been:
Thank you all for your support. The most rewarding thing about doing the site is reading all of your comments. You have a passion for Niagara Falls, and I love to hear about it. I think we all have a common goal in promoting one of the most beautiful and fun places in the world. Hopefully there are many good years ahead.
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