Niagara Falls Updates
The Niagara Falls tourism industry is one of the largest in all of Canada and continues to expand at an incredible pace. There are many new developments in attractions, accommodations, restaurants, urban districts, power generation, bridge crossings, parks, etc. that have come to the city, year after year.
This Niagara Falls Blog, was created to bring visitors up to speed with this ever evolving tourism industry and hopefully help them plan a visit.
Check below for the latest Niagara Falls news. There are many interesting posts and articles!
May 30, 2008
Printed by the Review
Fort Niagara: The oldest fort along the Niagara River
Posted By Powell, Kathleen
Fort Niagara today stands at the mouth of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario on a windswept plain - a stark reminder of the past need to protect the waterways from enemy attack along vital shipping lanes on the Great Lakes.
The fort was built between 1678 and 1759, originally by the French - when that part of North American was under French dominion. The oldest surviving structure in the fort is the building known as the French Castle, a large stone building that dominates the landscape and was built in 1726. During the French and Indian War, the British gained control of the fort in 1759 and retained control until the end of the American Revolution when it was ceded to the U.S. in Jay’s Treaty.
The British forces, having retaken Fort George in early December, planned an attack to take Fort Niagara and gain control of the shipping on the Upper Great Lakes. The attack was planned for Dec. 19, 1813, when the British launched an attack from the ravine at the McFarland House and landed 500 soldiers who marched from Youngstown. The soldiers surprised the American pickets in the village and obtained the password for the Fort. This British force succeeded in taking the fort unawares and capturing it without a shot. The British and native forces then proceeded to burn or destroy most of the farms and villages along the Niagara River as far as Buffalo. (more…)
May 29, 2008
Printed by the Review
Niagara’s Fury already a hit online - at least in Azerbaijan
Posted By JENNIFER PELLEGRINI
Ruslan Nuryiev has never been to Niagara Falls. So how did a 24-year-old economist living in Baku, Azerbaijan come to create the Facebook fansite for Niagara’s Fury?
Why would someone who lives 9,100 kilometres away from the thundering waterfall be interested in creating a fansite dedicated to it on a social networking webpage?
The first step in finding out: Sending a message to Nuryiev.
It’s a Hail Mary of sorts. As per usual on Facebook, you can’t see Nuryiev’s profile unless you’re his friend.
Then this troubling thought: Does this guy speak English? There’s the distinct possibility questions sent to him in English might appear as gobbledegook to someone halfway around the globe. (more…)
Printed by the Review
High-tech artist brings falls ride to life
Posted By RAY SPITERI
He started with a simulation film made almost entirely from “stuff” found at a hardware store.
He’s now part of an accomplished animation company giving life to large-format attractions using top-of-the-line computer technology and 360-degree digital cameras.
Yas Takata and his California-based computer graphics imaging employer Blur Studio have been in town as part of a creative team putting the finishing touches on Niagara’s Fury, which could open as early as Friday pending final inspections.
The Niagara Parks Commission’s $7-million, six-minute thrill ride and eight-minute pre-show movie at Table Rock is all part of a $38-million expansion of the more than 80-year-old facility. (more…)
May 28, 2008
Printed by the Review
Niagara needs a tourism ambassador too
Posted By Larocque, Corey
How’s Niagara Falls supposed to compete with Hello Kitty?
Earlier this month, Japan’s tourism ministry named Hello Kitty, a cartoon character, its “tourism ambassador” to China and Hong Kong, a market Niagara has also been eager to tap.
For anyone without nine-year-old daughters, Hello Kitty is a wildly popular white kitten who lives in London and says “you can never have too many friends.” Her simple round white face and black whiskers and the bow in her hair make her the epitome of “aww-shucks” cute. Her image adorns T-shirts, backpacks and pencil cases around the world.
Hello Kitty will appear on Japanese promotional materials and do advertising to promote the Land of the Rising Sun, sort of like what Ronald McDonald does for the Golden Arches.
Tourism ambassadors seem to be a popular trend lately. The same week Japan appointed Hello Kitty, Toronto named comedian Russell Peters its new “global ambassador” for tourism. At the press conference to announce the appointment, he unloaded a sample of the edgy humour that is supposed to make people think Toronto is cutting edge. (more…)
Printed by the Review
A Springlicious lineup featuring food, music and wine
Posted By KRISTY WALLACE
Downtown merchants hope that for three days this weekend, Queen Street will recapture some of its old magic.
No long
