Pres Release
Winter Festival of Light and Niagara Parks Commission reach agreement on iconic skating rink at Falls
Niagara Falls, ON – Thousands of visitors to Niagara Falls will once again be able to experience the thrill of skating just steps from the Horseshoe Falls, thanks to the decision taken today by The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) Board.
During its regularly scheduled Commission meeting, the NPC Board voted to rescind their August decision to terminate the agreement between Niagara Parks and Winter Festival of Lights (WFOL) organizers concerning the operation of the Festival’s iconic Rink at the Brink ice skating attraction near Table Rock Complex.
Ongoing meetings among staff members at both organizations have allayed concerns expressed by NPC and have resulted in plans and commitments to alleviate operational concerns and expedite future on-site rehabilitation once the skating season is complete.
“Obviously, we are extremely happy that we were able to come to an understanding that met with the support of the Commissioners,” said Dino Fazio, Winter Festival of Lights General Manager. “As the guardians of the Niagara Parks, they are necessarily very protective of the area around the Falls. The members of our Board and our staff are proud to be able to meet their stringent standards and honored to have earned back their trust.”
The Rink at the Brink is a portable, artificially refrigerated skating facility with an ice surface measuring 37 metres (120 feet) long and 18 metres (60 feet) wide erected on Niagara Parks land along the Niagara Parkway adjacent to Table Rock Centre. Created in 2009 by WFOL at a cost of $700,000, the facility also includes professional ice resurfacing equipment, skate and helmet rentals, skate sharpening equipment and lockers for guests. The Rink is designed to be erected each autumn, operated during the coldest months of winter and removed each spring.
The Rink was created to augment the Festival and to drive visitation to the Falls during the winter months – particularly the slower months of January and February – all while creating a truly one-of-a-kind skating experience on par with the famed outdoor skating rinks at Rockefeller Centre in New York and Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.
About the Winter Festival of Lights
The Winter Festival of Lights attracts more than one million people annually to Niagara Falls, Ontario, and has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Internationally Known Events in North America by the American Bus Association. Festivals and Events Ontario has also ranked the Winter Festival of Lights among Ontario’s Festivals and Events of Distinction and one of the Top 100 festivals in the Province. The Festival includes over three million sparkling lights and more than 120 spectacular lighting displays, including the world-famous Enchantment of Disney® displays.  The Festival also hosts many other attractions and events, including the iconic Rink at the Brink, the breathtaking Fireworks over the Falls, the CYTEC Candy Cane Lane 5k Race & Fun Run, a Christmas concert series, and so much more. The 28^th Annual Winter Festival of Lights takes place from November 6, 2010 to January 31, 2011. For more information on the Festival, visit www.WFOL.com.
For more information contact:
Dino Fazio, General Manager
905-374-1616, extension 46 or dino@WFOL.com