Niagara on The Lake Historical Cottage Rental Slideshow Slideshow

Niagara on The Lake Historical Cottage Rental Slideshow Slideshow: TripAdvisor™ TripWow ★ Niagara on The Lake Historical Cottage Rental Slideshow Slideshow ★ to Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Stunning free travel slideshows on TripAdvisor

Tree Planting at Niagara Parks

Join Niagara Parks to Celebrate Earth Day: Saturday, April 20, 2013 In celebration of Earth Day, The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) will host a number of events on Saturday, April 20, to encourage a greater appreciation of nature and our environmental surroundings. Join us and take part in the following programs: 4th Annual Friends of the Niagara Glen Earth Day Event Niagara Glen Nature Centre 3050 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Friends of the Niagara Glen invite everyone to gather at the Niagara Glen Nature Centre for free guided tours of the Glen, home to Ontario’s Tree Planting at Niagara Parks greatest concentration of Species at Risk. Tree plantings, geocaching demonstrations and a photo scavenger hunt will also be offered. The Friends Group and their partners will also be showcasing various displays and educational materials about their conservation efforts. Those planning to spend the day are encouraged to bring their own bagged lunch, refillable water bottles and appropriate footwear for rugged terrain. NPC will also be offering free mulch for pick-up in the Niagara Glen parking lot. Please bring your own shovel and bags. “Capture the Moment” Photography Workshop with Teresa Forte Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Butterfly Conservatory Classroom 2565 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visiting Niagara Falls? You must visit the Bird Kingdom

Rainbow Lorikeets feeding in our Lorikeet Landing. In this area customers can feed the birds and have the birds land all over them, but when there isn't a lot of customers around we give the birds their food in the dishes and they go crazy! The birds are eating a nectar that is specially made for the lorikeets it is a sugar protein mixture, made to resemble nectar found in flowers. Go and visit the Rainbow Lorikeets and all the other birds at the Bird Kingdom! http://www.birdkingdom.ca/ Bird Kingdom www.birdkingdom.ca OMG! This was the best attraction I’ve been to in Niagara! Especially loved the talking Parrot and getting to hold the snake!

Niagara Falls mayor wants sculpture honouring Wallenda’s wirewalk near Table Rock

PETER CONRADI from /Bullet News

An event as important as Nik Wallenda’s wirewalk across the Horseshoe Falls deserves a grand gesture of commemoration. So Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati wants to erect a bronze sculpture of the 32-year-old daredevil near Table Rock, marking the point where Wallenda stepped off the cable to the delight of about 100,000 observers who had packed the Parkway.

“It was historic – we should do something to remember it and keep the momentum going,” Diodati said following Tuesday’s council meeting. “I don’t know what it would cost or who would do it. We can’t let what happened here (June 15) just fade away. It was the most watched event in the world that night. We have to build on that.”

Diodati envisions some kind of interactive statue depicting Wallenda walking with his long balance poles, and the falls in the background. The interactive part would be where people could join Wallenda on the make-believe wire for photos.

“Can you imagine what that would be like? Everyone would get that photo and be posting it all over social media – the pictures would be on Twitter, Facebook, you name it. Niagara Falls would be out there constantly. It would be incredible.”

Niagara Parks Commission Chairwoman Janice Thomson, while not rejecting the mayor’s idea outright, said plans are already in the works to honour Wallenda.
She said the Parks plans two boards paying tribute to the history of daredevils in the falls and to Wallenda personally are to be installed on the White Water Walk. In addition, a plaque will be placed near Table Rock.

“That’s what we are going to do,” Thomson said.

There is precedent for statues on Parks Commission property. For example, Nikola Tesla, who designed the first hydroelectric power plant in Niagara Falls, N.Y. and invented alternating current, has a monument in Queen Victoria Park. There is also tribute to England’s King George.

On a smaller, more immediate scale, Wallenda is expected back in Niagara Falls in about a month to attend a reception with some of the local business people who contributed money to help what was appearing to be a floundering mission. In the weeks leading up to the walk, Wallenda was critical of businesses for, he said, not living up to financial promises that could leave him in a financial hole. It is believed the cost for staging the walk was $1.3 million and that Wallenda was able to raise about $800,000 of that. Diodati helped broker monetary support from some of the local Business Improvement Area boards, totalling about $200,000. The Tourism Partnership of Niagara, the provincially funded stakeholder association, kicked in $25,000.
Diodati also said he would like to bring Wallenda back from time to time as a way of paying tribute to his accomplishment. The Niagara Parks Commission also might consider inviting Wallenda back, but right now there are no plans to do so.

Thomson told Bullet News that Wallenda’s obligations to the Commission ended the day following the June 15 walk when he attended some public functions. She said there is nothing in the NPC contract with the daredevil to have him back to Niagara for future promotional appearances.

“That could be something we would look at,” Thomson said. “I can’t really say when that might happen. It’s something the Commission would consider.”
Wallenda spoke at length prior to the walk about his desire to forge a close relationship with Niagara Falls. He floated the idea of starting a local theatre where he and his family could perform their circus act. Talk of that fell to the back burner as the walk grew near, but Diodati believes Wallenda was sincere.
“I didn’t press him right away because he had so much else on his mind. But I think he meant it. I think he still wants to do it.”
Wallenda could not be reached for comment, but said previously he wanted to make Niagara Falls his second home.
“Why wouldn’t I? Look at the crowds that come through Niagara Falls. I wouldn’t be a very good businessman if I didn’t consider something like that.”
Wallenda, 32, is part of the famed circus family the Flying Wallendas.
“It’s always been a big dream to have a Wallenda family show that runs at least all summer. Why not have a Nik Wallenda theatre with a show three-six months of the year? This has been the ultimate goal all along. This is definitely not a one-off thing.”

Wallenda said he and investors have scouted some locations for a facility.

“We haven’t got too far along with that part, but we have some big sponsors who want to be a part of all of this. I don’t know if you’ve seen some of the big European tents they have now, but those things are amazing. We own some of those already with a partner that I work with, so we could definitely do a temporary facility until we have something permanent.”

Part of the Niagara Park Commission’s agreement with Wallenda was that stunts like his could only take place once every 20 years. The Parks Commission, however, knows it will receive applications for more daredevil acts, even if not a tightrope walk across the gorge.

Thomson said she is happy the walk was staged and completed safely by Wallenda, with no damage to the Parks, and that no one watching suffered injury. The Parks Commission charged Wallenda $105,000 to cover costs such as staff overtime. In addition, Wallenda posted a $50,000 line of credit in the event a rescue was required, or to cover damage to the Park.

NPC Manager of Business Development, Events and Promotions Sarah Wood told a board of directors meeting last week that the deposit was returned to Wallenda after an inspection of the area determined no harm had come to the gorge or the surrounding area.

Wood complimented Wallenda and his assistants for the ‘professional’ approach they brought to the job, and said they were easy to deal with. She also said Parks staff had the area clean up and back to normal by 3 p.m. the day after the walk.

The Parks Commission may have made a profit by selling Wallenda memorabilia in its gift shops, but Thomson said those numbers have not been calculated

Icewine, Jazz, & Oysters!
January 21 & 22
It's Niagara-on-the-Lake's annual Icewine Festival, and while it might be cold outside, we're keeping things warm with some hot jazz! Step in from the cold and enjoy one of Niagara's finest jazz ensembles from 12 - 3 on Saturday and Sunday. And, if you haven't had enough ice yet, we'll have plenty of freshly shucked oysters served up on - you guessed it - ice, of course! (full lunch menu also available).

Jan 21st - The James Gay Trio
Jan 22nd - The Bobby Militello Quartet

No cover charge. Reservations recommended.

12th Annual Jazz & Oysters Series!
February 5, 12, 19, 26 12 - 3 PM
Join us for our 12th annual Jazz & Oysters Series! We'll showcase Niagara's finest talent, with a different trio entertaining each Sunday in February from 12 - 3 PM, while you enjoy our fabulous oyster menu (full lunch menu also available). There's no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon! No cover charge. Reservations are recommended.

Feb 5th - The Mark Ucci Trio
Feb 12th - Vintage Jazz Trio w/ Laura Thomas
Feb 19th - The Randy Stirtzinger Trio
Feb 26th - The MGM Trio w/ Doug Mundy, James Gay, & Penner McKay

NEW YEAR'S LEVEE AT FORT GEORGE CELEBRATING - 1812 RELATED EVENTS

NOTL's New Year’s Day levee to kick start 1812-related events

Starting off 2012 with a bang. The New Year’s Day Levee in Niagara-on-the-Lake has been moved from Navy Hall to the grounds of Fort George. This year the levee also marks the start to War of 1812 Bicentennial commemorations. Lieutenant Governor David C. Onley will be receiving visitors in the Fort’s officer quarters. Above, organizers Lyle Williams (left) from the NOTL 1812 Bicentennial Committee, Dan Laroche from Parks Canada, Jim Alexander also from the committee and Erika Alexander from the Friends of Fort George gather in front of the quarters.

Niagara-on-the-Lake knows how to start a new year off right. Each year, on Jan. 1, residents and local dignitaries gather at Navy Hall for a New Year’s Day Levee. It’s a time to reflect on the year that has past and toast the year ahead of them. It’s a chance for politicians to send greetings to the people they are charged with representiing and above all, it gives one lucky cannoneer the chance to make a big “bang” during the artillery demonstration. 

The annual event, organized by the Friends of Fort George along with Parks Canada and some help from the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, has become a tradition for many families in town. This year, however, the event is about to get much bigger. It has been named a War of 1812 Bicentennial Signature Event and will mark the official start to bicentennial-related events. 


“This really kicks off the Bicentennial of 1812 commemorations that are set to take place around the region, and the country, in the coming years,” said Dan Laroche from Parks Canada. “This is it. This is the first event.” 
In addition to the change in location, there will be a few other things different at the event. For starters, it’s called the Lieutenant Governor’s New Year’s Day Levee and David C. Onley will be on hand, receiving visitors in the officers quarters as well as acting as commandor during a battery guns demonstration. 


Jim Alexander, a volunteer with the Niagara-on-the-Lake War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee, said things will be a lot more formal this year. “This really kicks off the Bicentennial of 1812 commemorations that are set to take place around the region, and the country, in the coming years,” 

Fort George will be open to the public, for free, during the event and people are invited to check out some of the displays in addition to the events related to the levee. 

Fort George is located at 51 Queens Parade in Niagara-on-the-Lake. There will be free parking on site. 
For more information related to 1812 Bicentennial events, visit www.visit1812.com or www.1812niagaraonthelake.ca.  For  more information call 905-980-0346.


PARTS OF ARTICLE TAKEN FROM NIAGARA THIS WEEK.

MARIA REKRUT - PERSONAL INVITATION

I am personally inviting anyone who wants to enjoy a relaxing time during this busy Christmas and New Year's season to spend a day in Niagara on the Lake.

It's wonderful to walk through Niagara on the Lake and be enveloped and surrounded with Christmas music. Christmas music is piped daily, in downtown Niagara on the Lake during this Xmas season.

For the cyclists and walkers, you can cycle and walk safely throughout Niagara in December!!  What a delight and surprise.

I look forward to meeting you at one of our charming cafes sipping on a hot chocolate or cappuccino watching the world going by.  If you have any questions regarding Niagara on the Lake, please don't hesitate to call me at 905-980-0346 or 1-866-226-4730.

May I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

May you and your families have a safe and peaceful season.

Warmest Regards,

Maria Rekrut