The idea to put a giant observation wheel in the middle of stunning Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls, Ont., might be dead, but plans for another big park draw remains alive.
The Niagara Parks Commission said Monday it has cancelled the request for private-sector proposals to build an observation wheel spelled out in the province’s Destination Niagara plan, which was announced in December. The move comes after public opposition to having an observation wheel in the park overlooking the Horseshoe and American falls.
Now, Niagara Parks has confirmed with CBC News that a raised, 3.8-kilometre electric tram cited in the Destination Niagara plan is still on the table.
Destination Niagara’s goal is to double the estimated 13 million visitors a year to Niagara Falls, with hopes they’ll stay longer to spend locally.
Niagara Parks said the proposed tram system, which would be known as the Niagara River Line, would be a fully accessible, all-season attraction running one way through the park, encompassing lands hugging the Niagara Gorge on the Canadian side.
The park has manicured gardens and pathways, and covers an area including top regional attractions such as the Journey Behind the Falls, the Niagara City Cruises boat tour, WildPlay’s Zipline to the Falls, restaurants and the Niagara Parks Power Station.
The Ontario government says the proposed tram is projected to generate an estimated $490 million in gross domestic product (GDP) and create 3,800 jobs within its first eight years
“Its suspended capsules would give visitors unmatched views of Niagara Falls while connecting them to major attractions across the park,” Niagara Parks said in a statement on Tuesday.
Niagara Falls riding MPP Wayne Gates launched a petition against the observation wheel idea, also posting videos to social media. Gates posted a new video alerting people to the plan for a “gondola” in the park.
Twenty-two years ago, Niagara Parks announced plans to build a gondola ride at the brink of the falls, igniting a controversy. The commission said its focus groups showed people loved the idea, but Niagara residents expressed outrage over the idea of a ride at what many consider a natural world wonder. Niagara Parks later scrapped the plan.
People are already taking sides, for or against, the plan for a raised tram system.
Judy Doerr of Niagara Falls told CBC News that with so little nature left, it’s critical to protect natural assets from being over-commercialized.
“The falls and [Queen Victoria] Park are a priceless gift,” Doerr wrote on Facebook.
But Deryk Wilton of Niagara Falls posted that a gondola would help with congestion along the Niagara Parkway, and provide “breathtaking” views of the falls and river while being more environmentally friendly than buses.
“It’s the future of transportation in other parts of the world [and] can move a high volume of people in a short time.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Wilton told CBC News. “I can [envision] additional stops being added along the route, opening up more of Niagara Falls.”
Niagara Parks originally issued a request for proposals for the new tram in August 2023, at the time referring to it as a “new visitor transportation system.”
Another resident posted on Facebook this week that the tram would make it easier for the elderly and people with disabilities to get to different attractions in the park.
Niagara Parks noted in its 2023 document that the Niagara Parks Act, which dates back to 1885, states the commission shall “operate incline railways, aerial cars [and] lifts” to get the public to viewing points of interest.
The Crown agency, which answers to the province’s Tourism Ministry, said the new tram system would provide revenue, decrease carbon emissions and improve traffic congestion by reducing the number of vehicles in the park.
Gates, who in July drew 1,200 people to a public town hall meeting on the proposed observation wheel, said Wednesday that a lack of consultation with local residents is a big reason people were so upset.
He said that in the case of the tram idea, public consultation must take place before any decisions, including whether to give a private company a long-term lease, are made.
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“Residents have a lot of questions,” Gates told CBC News. “How much green space in Queen Victoria Park will be handed over to a private company?
“We believe it is a suspended mega-attraction running through the park. I don’t believe the residents want anything to go in Queen Victoria Park.”
The Destination Niagara plan pegs the region’s tourism industry at $3 billion, supporting 40,000 jobs, but says it isn’t meeting its full potential.
