The Niagara Parks Commission, commonly shortened to Niagara Parks, is an agency of the

Government of Ontario The government of Ontario (french: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor� ...

which maintains the

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

shoreline of the

Niagara River The Niagara River () is a river that flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada (on the west) and the state of New York (state), New York in the United States (on the east) ...

History

The Commission was founded in 1885 and charged with preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...

and the Niagara River corridor as a public greenspace and environmental heritage. The first commissioner was

Casimir Gzowski Sir Kazimierz Stanisław Gzowski, (March 5, 1813 – August 24, 1898), was an engineer known for his work on a wide variety of Canadian railways as well as work on the Welland Canal. He also served as acting Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 189 ...

. Other notable Commissioners have included

Thomas McQuesten Thomas Baker McQuesten (June 30, 1882 – January 13, 1948) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1934 to 1943 who represented the riding of Hamilton—Wentworth. He served as a ...

and James Allan. Current Commission Chair is vice chair April Jeff’s. Former chair Sandie Bellows, died October 2021.

Activity

In total, the Commission is in charge of about of parkland along the river, in addition to the

Niagara Parkway The Niagara Parkway, formerly known as Niagara Boulevard and historically as the Niagara Road, is a scenic road in the province of Ontario that travels on the Canadian side of the Niagara River from the town of Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. ...

which spans . In this corridor, the NPC manages numerous trails, historic sites, picnic areas, and attractions. The Commission formerly managed Navy Island National Historic Site under a lease agreement with the

Parks Canada Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...

. Niagara Parks also operated the

People Mover A people mover or automated people mover (APM) is a type of small scale automated guideway transit system. The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks. ...

, a shuttle bus system intended to aid transportation along the Niagara River and help reduce automobile crowding near the Falls. The buses were powered by

propane Propane () is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula . It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used a ...

and included a trailer unit during most popular hours. In the long term, the Commission is planning for a fixed track transit system along the Niagara Parkway, although no decision has been taken on the exact technology to be used. In the meantime, the Commission joined forces with

Niagara Falls Transit Niagara Falls Transit operates the public transport bus services in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1960, Niagara Transit originally operated ten routes. In 2007 the operation of Niagara Transit was taken over by the transportat ...

to launch the fully accessible WEGO bus system in 2012, and in the process discontinued the People Mover service.

Sites and attractions managed by the Commission

* Chippawa Battlefield Park: site of the Battle of Chippawa in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

and a National Historic Site * Dufferin Islands *

Falls Incline Railway The Falls Incline Railway, originally known as the Horseshoe Falls Incline is a type of funicular railway (an inclined elevator) in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It is located beside Niagara Falls at the Horseshoe Falls. The line was ...

funicular A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...

railway connecting

Table Rock Welcome Centre The Table Rock Welcome Centre (also known as Table Rock Centre and formerly as Table Rock House) is a retail and observation complex located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada at the brink of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, several hundred feet south ...

to the hotels in the

Fallsview Tourist Area The Fallsview Tourist Area in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is the main tourist attraction surrounding the Falls. In recent years, it has become the home many of the hotels in the city, such as: the Niagara Falls Hilton, Niagara Falls Marriott G ...

* Hornblower Niagara Cruises: boat trips along the Niagara River to the Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls (formerly operated by

Maid of the Mist The Maid of the Mist is a sightseeing boat tour of Niagara Falls, starting and ending on the American side, crossing briefly into Canada during a portion of the trip. The fleet currently consists of two vessels, both of which launched in 2020. ...

), operated under contract by

Hornblower Cruises Hornblower Cruises & Events NOW City Experiences is a San Francisco-based charter yacht, dining cruise and ferry service company. History The company began in 1974 in Berkeley, California with two ships. In 1980 the original owner, Ward Proe ...

* Laura Secord Homestead: historic home of

Laura Secord Laura Secord ( Ingersoll; 13 September 1775 – 17 October 1868) was a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812. She is known for having walked out of American-occupied territory in 1813 to warn British forces of an impending American atta ...

, a heroine of the

, and a National Historic Site on the

Laura Secord Legacy Trail Laura Secord Legacy Trail is a 32-kilometer (20 mile) trail as a monument to Laura Secord's journey and legacy. It includes the Laura Secord Commemorative Walk that was established in 2013. Secord embarked on a journey in June 1813 during the War o ...

* Mackenzie Printery: printing museum located in the home of historic politician and journalist

William Lyon Mackenzie William Lyon Mackenzie (March12, 1795 August28, 1861) was a Scottish Canadian-American journalist and politician. He founded newspapers critical of the Family Compact, a term used to identify elite members of Upper Canada. He represented Yor ...

, leader of the

Upper Canada Rebellion The Upper Canada Rebellion was an insurrection against the oligarchic government of the British colony of Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) in December 1837. While public grievances had existed for years, it was the rebellion in Lower Canada (p ...

* McFarland House *

Niagara Glen Nature Reserve Niagara Glen Nature Reserve is a nature reserve located near the Niagara Whirlpool along the Canadian side of the Niagara Gorge. It is one of the best preserved remaining example of Southern Ontario's original Carolinian forest. The park is oper ...

Niagara Parks School of Horticulture Niagara Parks School of Horticulture is both an educational institution and a public botanical garden that is maintained by staff and students. The school bills itself as an alternative to post-secondary training for horticulture by providing st ...

: a world-renowned training centre for horticulturalists and gardeners ** Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens **

Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is a butterfly house operated by the Niagara Parks Commission in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It is located approximately north of Niagara Falls on the grounds of the Niagara Parks School of Horticultu ...

* Oak Hall: historic home of mining tycoon

Harry Oakes Sir Harry Oakes, 1st Baronet (23 December 1874 – 7 July 1943) was a British gold mine owner, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. He earned his fortune in Canada and moved to the Bahamas in the 1930s for tax purposes. Though American by b ...

, now used for NPC offices *

Old Fort Erie Old Fort Erie, also known as Fort Erie, or the Fort Erie National Historic Site of Canada, was the first Great Britain, British fort to be constructed as part of a network developed after the Seven Years' War (known as "the French and Indian War" ...

: historic British fort and a National Historic Site *

Queen Victoria Park Queen Victoria Park is the main parkland located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada opposite the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Established by the Niagara Falls Park Act in 1885 and opened in 1888, the park is operated by the Niagara Par ...

* Queenston Floral Clock *

: visitor's centre in

with observation decks, restaurants, and shopping areas **

Journey Behind the Falls Journey Behind the Falls (known until the early 1990s as the ''Scenic Tunnels'') is an attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada located in the Table Rock Centre beside the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. It is open year round and run by the Niag ...

: tourist attraction consisting of tunnels and observation platforms adjacent to and behind the Horseshoe Falls * Whirlpool Aero Car: a scenic cable car ride which crosses over the

Niagara Whirlpool The Niagara Whirlpool is a natural whirlpool within the Niagara River located along the Canada–U.S. border between New York and Ontario. The whirlpool is in the Niagara Gorge, downstream from Niagara Falls. The whirlpool's greatest depth i ...

* Niagara Parks Power Station: a decommissioned power station on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. The restored facility includes immersive exhibits, restored artifacts and interactive storytelling * Floral Showhouse: a greenhouse featuring several floral shows each year, celebrating major holidays, community events and the beauty of nature * White Water Walk: a quarter-mile boardwalk located along the shoreline of the Lower Niagara River providing a close view of the class six rapids

Niagara Heritage Trail

The Niagara Heritage Trail is a historic and scenic route running the entire 56 kilometre Canadian coastline of the

from

Fort Erie Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is directly across the river from Buffalo, New York, and is the site of Old Fort Erie which played a prominent role in the War of 1812. Fort Erie is one of Ni ...

northward to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Construction began in stages during the early 1980s, and was completed in 1995. The trail makes its central heart in

near the main tourist area, and also passes by attractions such as the Whirlpool Golf Course, Niagara Botanical Gardens, the

Butterfly Conservatory A butterfly house, conservatory, or lepidopterarium is a facility which is specifically intended for the breeding and display of butterflies with an emphasis on education. Some butterfly houses also feature other insects and arthropods. Butter ...

, and the

Floral clock A floral clock, or flower clock, is a large decorative clock with the clock face formed by carpet bedding, usually found in a park or other public recreation area. Most have the mechanism set in the ground under the flowerbed, which is then pl ...

References

External links

Niagara ParksThe Niagara Parks Commission Collection of Images in the Historic Niagara Digital CollectionThe Niagara Parks School of Horticulture
{{Authority control Ontario government departments and agencies Protected areas of the Regional Municipality of Niagara Government agencies established in 1885 Environmental organizations established in 1885 1885 establishments in Ontario