Category: Niagara Falls News

State taking look at properties in downtown Niagara Falls

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From the Niagara Gazette:

Underused or vacant properties are not exactly new in downtown Niagara Falls.

In fact, some of the parcels now being eyed by the state as part of an acquisition plan referenced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January have been out of public circulation for quite some time now.

Under Cuomo’s Strategic Land Acquisition Program the state has targeted several dozen properties near Niagara Falls State Park for redevelopment.

The idea is to reactive what officials have described as key parcels on the outskirts of Niagara Falls State Park.

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Courtyard Marriott Opens in Niagara Falls

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From Buffalo Rising:

BF Patel and family have opened Niagara Falls’ newest and most unique hotel in recent years. Originally built as a Chocolate Factory for the Niagara Chocolate Company in 1912, the building later became home to the northeast headquarters for Moore Business Forms employing thousands of Niagara Falls residents for decades. After Moore closed its operations in Niagara Falls in the late 2000s, the building sat vacant for a few years before being purchased by the Patel’s in 2010.

After partnering with Marriott, Waterbourne Construction Advisors, Carmina Wood Morris, and Mussachio Architects and investing approximately $12.8 million into the project, the iconic and beloved building has been reinvigorated with new life as a Courtyard by Marriott hotel.

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Ontario’s Niagara Parks Introduces New Literary Speaker Series

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From a Niagara Parks Commission press release seen on Niagara at Large:

The Niagara Parks Commission is pleased to announce a new four-part literary speaker series, Coast to Coast: Canada’s Literary Women, in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary and the multitude of unique and extraordinarily talented, female literary voices found within this country.

The new series will take place on the first Thursday of each month from September to December, beginning on Thursday, September 7 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Laura Secord Homestead. Each event will comprise a wine and cheese with a lecture and open discussion, highlighting a different Canadian female author and a feature novel they have written.

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A sportscaster who specialized in fantasy

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This is kind of a random article that came across my news feed about Bill Stern, a sports broadcaster from the 1940s. I have no idea if this particular story is true, but a Philadelphia Enquirer story shares the following…

In 1946, Stern told the story of millionaire Harry Oakes. Decades earlier Oakes had been a hobo. De-training in Baltimore, he found a $1 bill. About to use it for food, he remembered hearing about a local orphan who pined for a baseball bat.

Oakes bought the bat for the youngster and soon left town on a journey that led to his discovery of an untapped Canadian gold mine.

“And that young orphan’s name was … Babe Ruth!”

Of course, Harry Oakes’ name is all over the city of Niagara Falls as well!

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Niagara Falls travelblog: Viewing the Falls from different spots

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From NewsOK.com:

My radio colleague, Jim Traber, made a great point with me the other day on The Sports Animal. Traber said Niagara Falls is a lot like the Grand Canyon. He is awed by Niagara Falls. He thinks it’s glorious. But when he gets there, he sees it, he’s impressed and he’s ready to go. Either to the casino or to the highway.

And it’s a valid question. After you’ve seen Niagara Falls, what then? Do you keep looking at it? How do you experience Niagara Falls for more than just 15 minutes?

Well, the Dish and I tried to answer that question Tuesday. And I think we did.

* We viewed Niagara Falls from various points at the top of the falls.

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100 Plus Things: Embrace the thrills of Clifton Hill

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From the Buffalo News:

The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is famous for its view. And rightly so. The roar, the colored lights, the wide-eyed tourists from all over the world — where do you find words for it?

How do you describe Clifton Hill?

On this famed tourist promenade, people from all over the world gather to goof off. Arcade games abound. Carnival barkers bawl from the funhouses. “There is no turning back! It will make your blood curdle!”

Passing the 70,000-square-foot Dinosaur Adventure Golf, the largest miniature golf course in Canada, you can’t help but be enthralled by the elaborate, lifelike figures — a ferocious T-Rex, a big, dumb brontosaurus.

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‘Really lovely weather’ this fall

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From the Niagara Falls Review:

Mother Nature should provide plenty of opportunities for those who enjoy taking in the fall colours this upcoming season, says a meteorologist with the Weather Network.

“We’ll be able to take advantage of some really nice weather for doing those sort of activities,” said Nadine Powell.

“I think that everyone will be happy, for the most part, with what fall has in store for us.”

The Weather Network released its fall forecast on Wednesday, forecasting for the months of September, October and November.

Powell said Niagara should experience close to seasonal temperatures this fall, while models are showing precipitation levels should be on par with the norm.

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Reshaping Niagara’s scenic parkway

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From the Niagara Gazette:

For many years it served as a battleground of sorts in an at-times bitter community conversation about the value of the roadway.

Today, the parkway formerly known as Robert Moses has been renamed the Niagara Scenic Parkway and substantial portions on both the north and south ends have either been slated for large-scale changes or are already in the process of being reconfigured.

Financial support from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion economic development initiative paved the way for new, multi-million-dollar parkway plans.

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The history of Chippawa

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From the Niagara Falls Review:

History came alive Sunday as Sherman Zavitz, the city’s official historian, hosted a walking tour of Chippawa.

Before a crowd of 80 people, Zavitz said the area was first mentioned 339 years ago, even before there was a town.

On Dec. 7, 1678, Louis Hennepin, a missionary and explorer, became the first European to view the mighty Niagara Falls.

“He was awed by the spectacle,” Zavitz said. “He later wrote in his diary the falls were a vast and prodigious cadence of water falling down in an astonishing manner.”

That night, Hennepin and his company set up camp alongside the Welland River, in an area now known as Kingsbridge Park.

The walking tour focused on the history of the area on both sides of the river, commonly referred to as Chippawa Creek.

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Oakes Garden Theatre celebrates 80th annivesrary

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From the Niagara Falls Review:

A ceremony to mark the official re-dedication of Oakes Garden Theatre in Niagara Falls will be held Monday.

The 4 p.m. event will showcase the recently completed restoration work at the Niagara Parks landmark and includes a Canadian Citizenship ceremony.

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