From the beginning, Niagara Parks has operated modes of transportation to facilitate access to the stunning viewpoints along the scenic Niagara Parkway overlooking Niagara Falls. The principle is included in the historic Niagara Parks Act (1885) that states that the Commission construct and operate incline railways, aerial cars, lifts, and works to assist the public in reaching and viewing points of interest in the Parks.

From early steam trains and trollies to incline railways and bus systems, there is the opportunity now to establish a new and modern transportation system that meets the growing demands of guests, while addressing challenges related to traffic and flow throughout the popular tourism area.

Welcoming millions of guests each year, Queen Victoria Park encompasses the lands that hug the Niagara Gorge overlooking Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, including some of the destination’s top attractions like Journey Behind the Falls, the Niagara City Cruises Boat Tour, WildPlay’s Zipline to the Falls and the Niagara Parks Power Station, locally sourced dining, shopping, manicured gardens and pathways, and more. Over the past several years, Niagara Parks has made significant investments in the area, from opening a brand-new attraction, the Niagara Parks Power Station and Tunnel, to the $22 million redevelopment of Table Rock Centre. There are also plans underway to redevelop the historic Toronto Power and Ontario Power Generating Stations, potentially adding two additional guest experiences and visitor demand generators for the area.

In 2018, Niagara Parks established the Queen Victoria Park Master Plan to guide the future redevelopment of the area. Additionally, the City of Niagara Falls, with the participation of a range of tourism stakeholders including Niagara Parks, recently completed a “Connectivity Study” that examined future needs for visitor movement in the destination. Both documents, in addition to Niagara Parks’ 10-year Strategic Plan and the Niagara Parks Act will guide the call for proposals process for a new visitor transportation system.

The new visitor transportation system will:

• Enhance the overall guest experience by allowing seamless travel and connection between key Niagara Parks sites, while also acting as a new visitor attraction and visitor demand generator for the area.
• Present an environmentally sustainable and fully accessible solution that decreases carbon emissions and improves traffic congestion and visitor flow by reducing the number of vehicles within Queen Victoria Park.
• Provide a new revenue-generating opportunity for Niagara Parks, while reducing operating expenses, similar to other successful tenant partner agreements the organization currently manages.

For more information on the opportunity, including the link to the RFP document, please visit niagaraparks.com/visitortransportation.

About Niagara Parks

Since its establishment in 1885, Niagara Parks has remained a self-financed agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, entrusted to preserve and protect the land surrounding Niagara Falls and the Niagara River. Today, Niagara Parks boasts gardens, a horticulture school, recreation, golf courses, restaurants, heritage and historic sites, gift shops and, of course, Niagara Falls. In short, natural landscapes, history, family fun, hiking, culinary delights, attractions and adventure.