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 in the United States (on the east). There are diffe ...

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 Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the U.S. state, state ...

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 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 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 as ...

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 transporta ...

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 The Battle of Chippawa, also known as the Battle of Chippewa, was a victory for the United States Army in the War of 1812, during its invasion on July 5, 1814, of the British Empire's colony of Upper Canada along the Niagara River. This battle a ...

: site of the

Battle of Chippawa The Battle of Chippawa, also known as the Battle of Chippewa, was a victory for the United States Army in the War of 1812, during its invasion on July 5, 1814, of the British Empire's colony of Upper Canada along the Niagara River. This battle ...

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 be ...

and a National Historic Site * Dufferin Islands * Falls Incline Railway:

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 ...

railway connecting Table Rock Welcome Centre to the hotels in the Fallsview Tourist Area * 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 * Laura Secord Homestead: historic home of Laura Secord, a heroine of the

, and a National Historic Site on the Laura Secord Legacy Trail * Mackenzie Printery: printing museum located in the home of historic politician and journalist William Lyon Mackenzie, 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 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 * Oak Hall: historic home of mining tycoon Harry Oakes, now used for NPC offices * Old Fort Erie: 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 * Table Rock Welcome Centre: 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 Ni ...

: 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 ...

Niagara Parks Power Station The Rankine Generating Station is a former hydro-electric generating station along the Canadian side of the Niagara River in Niagara Falls, Ontario, slightly downstream from the older Toronto Power Generating Station. It was built in for the ...

: 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 White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

: 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 Niagara-on-the-Lake is a town in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Niagara Peninsula at the point where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, across the river from New York, United States. Niagara-on-the-Lake is in the Niagara Region of O ...

. 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 A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). '' ...

, 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. Butterf ...

, and the Floral clock.

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