September 30, 2008
Printed by the Review
Tourism numbers not good … but not as bad as feared
Posted By RAY SPITERI REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Overnight visitation to Niagara Falls this summer was not as nightmarish as many had forecasted, say tourism officials.
But same-day traffic to the Honeymoon Capital was a whole different story.
“Our occupancy for overnight travel was not bad, nowhere near as bad as we had braced for,” said Anna Pierce, executive director at Niagara Falls Tourism.
“But the daytrippers, those numbers were not good. There was a big decrease in the daytrip market -I’m talking double digits, about 10 per cent.”
Pierce’s comments came off the heels of a tourism performance report recently released by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism.
The document, which compared tourism statistics in July 2008 to July 2007, as well as year-to-date figures, paints a gloomy, but expected, picture of the tourism industry provincewide, and to a lesser extent, nationwide. (more…)
September 29, 2008
Printed by the Review
Coming home … with a camera crew
April Mullen films indie comedy downtown
Posted By JOHN LAW
With everyone around her buzzing, April Mullen gives about ten orders – including one to her dad – before changing into a skintight orange jumpsuit straight out of “Charlie’s Angels.”
Two doors down her ‘girls’ are waiting – assorted friends and family members squeezed into fishnets and miniskirts.
It would appear the former Miss Teen Niagara is running a whorehouse on Erie Avenue. Passing cars slow down to take a peek.
But once inside the former Olde Country Antiques building, she’s all business. She’s directing her first movie, a comedy called “GravyTrain,” and the large crew has gathered to shoot a complex scene in tight quarters.
Stars Colin Mochrie, Jennifer Dale, Kyle Schmid and several extras are crammed into a hot, musty room transformed into a bordello. The carpets are discoloured from mold. The ceiling tiles bulge from a leaking roof. Appropriate for a movie taking place in the ‘70s, because that was probably the last time this place was liveable.
Mullen, who also stars in the movie (hence the jumpsuit), tells one of the sexed-up girls how to enter the room: “Michelle, you’re going to saunter in and be really … buttsy.” A demonstration follows. (more…)
September 26, 2008
Printed by the Review
Niagara attractions among finalists for tourism awards
Posted By ALISON LANGLEY
Several local tourism operations are in the running for top awards by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.
Thirty six companies and individuals have been selected as finalists in 12 categories for the 2008 National Awards for Tourism Excellence.
Great Wolf Lodge is up for the Delta Hotels New Business of the Year Award and the Niagara Parks Commission is one of three entrants in the Parks Canada Sustainable Tourism Award.
The awards recognize and foster Canadian tourism excellence.
The awards will be handed out Nov. 5 in Quebec as part of Canada’s Tourism Leadership Summit.
Source:wgrz.com
A Rainbow Over Niagara Falls?
For over ten years now, New York City billionaire Howard Milstein has owned 140 acres of land in Niagara Falls, and virtually all of it remains as vacant today as they day he obtained it.
All over the Falls, you see signs for his company-Niagara Falls Redevelopment. Milstein’s holdings include the Native American museum The Turtle which has been closed for years, and sits just steps from the state park, as well as the closed Nabisco plant. (more…)
September 25, 2008
QUALITY INN CLIFTON HILL CLOSURE
The End of an Era
On October 13th, the Quality Inn Clifton Hill will be closing its doors forever. The hotel will be removed in order to make way for new developments on Clifton Hill.
Since opening its doors in the 1950′s as the Fallsway Motor Hotel, the Quality Inn Clifton Hill hotel has experienced many changes over the years. For a time, it was considered one of the largest hotels in the area, and featured the Fallsway Restaurant and Thunderbird Room Night Club. The Thunderbird Room hosted regular live entertainment and was a popular destination for locals as well as tourists.
In the 1980’s the Fallsway Motor Hotel became part of the Choice Hotels franchise and officially changed its name to the Quality Inn Fallsway. In the 1990′s the attached Fallsway restaurant turned into the Golden Griddle, becoming one of the busiest breakfast buffets in the city.
Then, perhaps the biggest change happened three years ago when the Golden Griddle and the lobby of the Quality Inn were removed completely to make way for the massive Niagara SkyWheel development.
The hotel would like to thank its many loyal customers that have made the Quality Inn their choice over the years, and welcomes customers to their adjacent Comfort Inn Clifton Hill property, offering the same great location and attentive staff you have come to know and trust.
Printed by the Review
Big event planned for church’s ‘little flower’
Posted By ALISON LANGLEY REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Hundreds of people are expected to converge on the picturesque grounds of the Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre on Saturday to celebrate the Feast of St. Therese.
St. Therese of Lisieux, affectionately known as “the little flower,” is one of the most popular Catholic saints.
“She is one of our saints who has captured the imagination of our Catholic hearts,” Rev. Stan Makacinas, director of the Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre.
“You cannot go in to a Catholic church without finding a statue of her.”
Today, more than 1,800 churches worldwide bear her name.
Born in 1873, Therese Martin received special permission to join the Carmelite order when she was only 15. (more…)
Printed by the Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS: $7.9M Old Falls Street redesign plan passes hurdles
By Rick Forgione
The return of downtown’s Old Falls Street corridor passed two more road blocks on Wednesday.
USA Niagara’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the $7.9 million project targeting the west pedestrian mall area and reaffirmed the state’s desire to purchase the old Wintergarden building and demolish it.
Later, USA Niagara President Christopher Schoepflin and Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster confirmed a deal has been reached to take over leasing rights at the west mall, which will allow the reconstruction plans to continue unencumbered. (more…)
Printed by the Review
International kite festival coming to Niagara
Posted By ALISON LANGLEY
Kites from around the world will be flying high over the mighty Niagara gorge next week during the fifth annual Niagara International Kite Festival.
The event will be held Oct. 2 through 5 at several locations on both sides of the border.
For further information, visit www.niagarakite.com.
September 22, 2008
Printed by the Review
Tourism competitiveness study makes a stop in Niagara
Posted By ALISON LANGLEY
Tossing a second scoop of vanilla ice cream onto a cone on a chilly Monday afternoon, Jessica had her own ideas on how to bring more tourists to the city.
“Prices can be a bit lower around here,” said the young clerk at a small cafe near Clifton Hill.
Jessica, who did not want her last name used, enjoys working with tourists but fears she may have to look for another job soon as the number of visitors begin to decline as the temperature gets cooler.
“I know my hours will be cut back soon so I’m making the most of it now,” the 22-year-old said.
Attracting more visitors to Niagara and ensuring there’s a dedicated work force to serve them were among the issues discussed Monday as Greg Sorbara brought his travelling tourism recovery mission to town. (more…)
Printed by the Review
Museum offers cemetery tours
Drummond Hill burial ground ‘most haunted’ in Canada
Posted By JOHN ROBBINS / Review Staff Writer
The City of Niagara Falls Museums is offering residents and visitors a chance to step back in time.
For the seventh year, the museum has arranged walking tours of the historic Drummond Hill Cemetery on weekends during the month of October.
The nighttime tours of what organizers claim is the “most haunted cemetery in Canada” include costumed performers acting out the lives of some famous, and some less well-known, characters from this city’s past. (more…)
