LIFE magazine published November 1966 for $0.35, had a great article and pictures about the first time the American Falls was “turned off” by man. The bulldozer in one of the pictures was supposedly used to clear a pontoon float which had become grounded in 1959.
View from Queen Victoria Park
Niagara Parks was pleased to officially welcome winter with the launch of the 28th Annual CAA Winter Festival of Lights this past weekend.
Visit us for the Niagara Falls CAA Winter Festival of Lights, Canada’s foremost illumination festival in spectacular Niagara Falls, Ontario – as we capture the magic of the holiday season November 6, 2010 – January 3, 2011.
The CAA Winter Festival of Lights turns Niagara Parks into a winter wonderland, with over 125 animated lighting displays and 3 million sparkling lights along a 5km route through Queen Victoria Park and Dufferin Islands Nature Area, as well as the new ice skating at the TD Rink at the Brink at Table Rock next to the Horseshoe Falls.
Noah’s Ark – Dufferin Islands
There is no admission fee to view the illuminations but donations are gratefully accepted (suggested contribution ($5 – $10 per car), with proceeds used to enhance the lights and displays.
A wintertime visit to Niagara Falls during the CAA Winter Festival of Lights has become a family tradition for over 1 million local residents and visitors from around the world. We invite you to experience the many events and attractions Niagara Falls and the Winter Festival of Lights have to offer including its newest attraction, the TD RINK at the Brink, opening for the season on December 1, 2010.
This article was originally published here
TasteCamp is coming to Niagara in 2011. The concept for TasteCamp is a simple one: getting enthusiastic journalists and bloggers together in a region that is new to them to taste as much wine as possible and speak to as many winemakers as possible over the course of a weekend. Most smaller, lesser-known wine regions in the world would love to get their wines in front new audiences, it can be a challenge. With TasteCamp, the new audience comes to them. This is not a junket — attendees pay their own travel expenses — including for their hotel rooms — and meals. Through generous sponsors, some meals may be deeply discounted.
For recent information on TasteCamp follow: http://tastecampnorth.tumblr.com/
We also recommend the post by: Wines in Niagara
The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) is having an Open House Meetings to share a general overview of its operations and its impact as an organization on the local communities and tourism industry. This meeting will address upcoming issues and challenges prior to the Commission undertaking strategic planning later this fall.
WHEN: 6:30 – 9 p.m. Wednesday, October 27, 2010
WHERE: Bridgewater Golf Course, 700 Gilmore Road, Fort Erie, Ontario
For more information call: (905) 371-0837
Join us for an eeerily good time at Old Fort Erie!
All Hallow’s Eve at Old Fort Erie
October 29 & 30 at 7:30 p.m.
All Hallow’s Eve Ghost Tour
The site of the bloodiest battlefield in the history of Canada conjures up many of its own hair-raising tales. See the old fort from the perspective of the spirits who still make their presence felt. The past comes to life through story telling and the ancient traditions of Hallowe’en. A fun and frightening evening at the old stone fort will end with refreshments and the annual burning of a Guy Fawkes effigy.
Tours start at 7:30 p.m., followed by the burning of the Guy Fawkes effigy at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 12 (prices include taxes); children ages 5 and under are free.
This event is suitable for all ages. Be prepared and dress for any kind of weather, rain, snow or sleet.
Reservations are required; please call (905) 871-7211
Inside the Fort
Located at 350 Lakeshore Road in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, Old Fort Erie is approximately 30 kilometres (19 miles) or a scenic 20-minute drive south of Niagara Falls and is close to the Peace Bridge from Buffalo, New York. The grounds and the main floor rooms of the buildings are wheelchair accessible.
Niagara Parks is preparing to celebrate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. Plans are being made for special events beginning in 2012, and construction has begun on a brand new Welcome Centre for Old Fort Erie. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting new chapter at the Fort!
Old Fort Erie is one of several heritage sites owned and operated by The Niagara Parks Commission, an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, which has preserved and protected the Niagara River corridor without taxpayers’ dollars since 1885.
This article was originally published here
(Originally Published by gobadgers.ca) DELHI – At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Brock wrestlers captured three medals in total for Team Canada. Brock alumni and two-time Olympic medalist Tonya Verbeek captured silver at 59kg. The husband-wife pair of Evan and Jessica MacDonald both captured bronze in their respective weight class.
Jessica MacDonald Bronze Medal Match
Verbeek posted a 2-1 overall record at 59kg. In her opening match, she defeated Kathryn Marsh from Scotland (W 6-0, 7-0). Verbeek then went on to defeat Nigeria’s Tega Tosin Richard (W 3-0) in the semi-finals. In the gold medal match she was caught and pinned in the first round by India’s Alka Tomar.
Jessica MacDonald also posted a 2-1 record at 51kg capturing the bronze medal. In her opening match, she lost to Babita Kumari of India in three rounds (L 6-0, 0-3, 0-5). She then dominated her next two opponents defeating England’s Jo Madyarchyk (W 9-2, 7-0) and South Africa’s Mpho Madi by pinfall in the bronze medal match.
Evan MacDonald finished with a 3-1 overall record at 74kg. In the bronze medal match, he came from behind to defeat Pakistan’s Ali Mohammed (W 0-4, 4-1, 4-0). He also posted victories over Australia’s Kostyn Ermakovich (W 1-0, 3-0) and England’s Mike Grundy (W 5-2, 5-2). His lone loss was against India’s Narsingh P. Yadav (L 1-0, 2-1).
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West 49 Take the Cake presented by Schick Xtreme3 and the Axe Twist Amateur Open is Canada’s largest cash purse event in Canadian skateboarding history with $100,000.00 CDN in prize money being awarded. Thirteen of the worlds best international skaters will descend on Niagara Falls Oct 1-2, 2010 to showcase their tricks on a best trick stair set up.
Skaters Attending:
Paul Rodriguez, Chaz Ortiz, Torey Pudwill, Sierra Fellers, Corey Duffel, Darrell Stanton, Alex Olson, Chima Ferguson, Brandon Westgate, Shuriken Shannon, Nick Dompierre, Paul Trep, Grant Patterson and Tom Asta.
Tickets:
$10 per Day: $15 for Weekend
Event Highlights
October 1: Push.ca Public Skate Park, Pro Autograph Session and Axe Twist Amateur Open Qualifiers.
October 2: Push.ca Public Skate Park, Axe Twist Amateur Open Finals, Pro Autograph Session, Live Performance Featuring SHAD and the West 49 Take the Cake Competition.
Visit www.west49takethecake.com for more information
Are you a shower soprano? A bathroom bass or baritone? A timid tenor? Ever wondered if you could sing like the pros? The Shaw Festival invites all singers of all levels to take part in a free musical theatre workshop on Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Festival Theatre’s rehearsal hall as part of the inaugural national Culture Days.
Conducted by Music Director Paul Sportelli and Associate Conductor Ryan deSouza, members of the Shaw Festival’s ensemble will guide participants through the process of how to Sing Like the Pros! and provide a rare behind the scenes glimpse into the world of musical theatre. Enter through the stage door and become part of The Shaw’s renowned acting ensemble for the day. more…
The Niagara Falls International Marathon celebrated its inaugural running in 1974. The race was known as the Skylon Marathon. Beginning during the first wave of the North American running boom, it quickly became a favourite as it was, and still is, the only marathon in the world that starts in one country and finishes in another… a destination marathon that crosses an international border, providing the runners with an experience of a lifetime. Niagara Falls International Marathon is also a Boston Qualifier.
The decision is final. After a difficult deliberation, seven weeks of competitions, 22 independent music artists and 22 comedians, the judges have made their choice. The band Running Red Lights of Toronto has been crowned musical champion, while Calwyn Shurgold, of Toronto has been selected best comic performer in this year’s youDiscover Summer Competition.As a result of their winning performance, Running Red Lights will now receive a recording contract from Orange Lounge Recordings. More importantly, their victory has now earned them the opening spot on the nationally broadcast New Year’s Eve show in Queen Victoria Park, in Niagara Falls.
Comedian Calwyn Shurgold, who had the large Friday night crowd at Oakes Garden Theatre “laughing in the aisles”, also receives the right to appear at this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration. In total, the youDiscover competition offered series contestants a chance to compete for a prize package valued at over $35,000.
The Grand Finale, held on August 27, was hosted by The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) at its scenic Oakes Garden Theatre. Each of the final five artists and comics performed before a live audience and a panel of industry experts including one of last year’s finalists and one of Orange Lounge Recordings newest recording artists, Robyn Dell’Unto. Be sure to visit www.indiscover.net to watch videos from the Finale, which will be available online on Wednesday. more…
Niagara Falls Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a variety of mentoring programs for children and youth throughout our community. It’s their goal as an organization to work towards providing a mentor to every child in need of a mentor in Niagara Falls. To address the growing need for volunteer mentors, BBBS has increased their volunteer recruitment efforts, streamlined our intake process, and added a variety of new Mentoring programs to meet the changing needs of volunteers. These strategies have resulted in a significant increase in children participating in programs over the last few years. In 2007, over 190 children were involved in one of our programs. Last year, we offered services to over 100 additional children, which means that close to 300 children in our community were impacted by the presence of a caring, volunteer mentor.
However, Big Brothers Big Sisters still has a lot of work to do. They have close to 50 children on our waiting list, some of whom have been waiting for close to 18 months. There are several schools waiting for BBBS to be in a position where they can offer one of our popular School Based programs to their students. In short, there are many children still waiting for that special person to make a difference in their lives. As John Crosbie said, “A mentor is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” We want to make a difference in the lives of these children.
You can help! – The 2010 Golf For Kids Sake is one of our most crucial fundraising events every year. This golf tournament helps us raise close to $30,000 annually, which in turn helps us find more volunteers to support those children in our community in need of a mentor.
Please consider joining us this year, as we strive to fill our tournament, and increase our sponsorship levels.
Want to operate a tour boat from the Canadian shores of the lower Niagara River?
Then, the Niagara Parks Commission wants to hear from you and your company.
The parks commission, Friday afternoon, set a Nov. 24 deadline for any company to bid on tour boat operations. The Maid of the Mist Steamboat Co. has been running tour boats from both the U.S. and Canadian shores of the lower Niagara River for generations and while its U.S. pact runs for more than three decades, it’s Canadian lease has been under fire for the past year.
Last year, a 25-year extension between the Maid of the Mist Steamboat Co. and Niagara Parks Commission became a political issue in Southern Ontario as some potential competitors cried foul. The uproar resulted in several commission members resigning and a new regime installed to oversee its operations. more…
The first public hanging on record in the Niagara peninsula took place outside the jail in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Monday morning, August 17, 1801.
Enjoy Free Concerts and Fireworks Over the Civic Holiday Long Weekend
Looking for fun this long weekend? Head to Niagara Falls for free Coca Cola Concerts on the Illumination Tower Stage, the youDiscover music and comedy series and Canada’s longest running fireworks series over Niagara Falls, sponsored by Pizza Pizza.Coca Cola Concert Series
The free Coca Cola Concert Series takes place at 8 p.m. on the Illumination Tower Stage next to Queen Victoria Place, directly across from the Falls.
Concert goers will have the best view of the fireworks displays, making for the perfect family outing.
Coca Cola Concert Series lineup for long weekend:
Saturday, July 31 – Last Exit * NOTE: NO FIREWORKS ON SATURDAY *
Sunday, August 1 – Borderline
Monday, August 2 – Athertones more…
Fans of war games such as Warhammer, Magic the Gathering, and Hordes probably know about the MWG Club in Welland. For those of you who do not know, these war games allow players to assemble and paint individual 28 mm scale miniature figures that represent futuristic soldiers, creatures and vehicles of war. These figurines are collected to comprise squads in armies that can be pitted against those of other players. Each player brings a roughly equal complement of units to a tabletop battlefield with handmade or purchased terrain. The players then decide upon a scenario, ranging from simple skirmishes to complex battles involving defended objectives and reinforcements. The models are physically moved across the table and the actual distance between models plays a role in the outcome of combat.
Not sure if this is something for you? Here is a video of a previous battle:
Upcoming Tournament
Where: MWG Club
When: Saturday July 31st, 2010
For this tournament you will need a codex-legal 1750 point army list. Army do not need to be fully painted, but extra points will be awards for fully painted armies (including bases).All models must be fully assembled.
Time: 10am to 6pm
Cost: $10 / person (includes prizes)
Lunch: $5 for 4 slices of pizza (optional)
Requirements: One codex-legal 1,750 point 40k army
Enjoy Free Concerts and Falls Fireworks for Canada Day and Independence Day Long Weekend
Looking for fun this Canada Day? Head to Niagara Falls for free Coca Cola Concerts on the Illumination Tower Stage and Canada’s longest running fireworks series, sponsored by Pizza Pizza.
Pizza Pizza Falls Fireworks
Special Canada Day Fireworks will take place on Thursday, July 1, Friday, July 2 and Sunday, July 4. Plan to return to see the fireworks again as part of the annual series that runs every Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and holiday at 10 p.m. through July and August, and every Friday from September 10 to October 8.
Run through Ontario’s stunning vineyards, over big green hills and take in the sun bright in the early summer sky. First of its kind in Canada, this unique run winds through Twenty Valley wine country showcasing Ontario’s stunning vineyards and premier wineries. The run finishes in downtown Jordan where all runners and supporters are invited to celebrate at the Finish Area Street Party. more…
Niagara Falls’ Rashad Evans defeats Rampage Jackson in UFC 114.
123-YEAR-OLD SERVICE: Niagara Regional Police Services board agrees to five-year extensionNiagara Parks Police have been granted a new lease on life for at least five years. Officers with the 123-year-old service will be able to continue carrying firearms, under terms of an agreement approved Thursday by the Niagara Regional Police Services board.
“We’re pleased with it, based on what we know,” said Fay Booker, chairwoman of the Niagara Parks Commission, which funds and oversees the police service. “We’re very proud of what the Niagara Parks Police do today. They’ve been doing it extremely well.” more…
Niagara Falls USA – Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28) announced that she has secured an additional $9.5 million authorization in the National Defense Authorization Act for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.
“The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station is on its way to being a crown jewel for the U.S. Air Force,” said Slaughter. “This new investment will improve coordination and continue the upward rise of NFARS since we successfully removed it from the 2005 BRAC list. I will continue to do all I can to support the great work being done by the 914th and 107th.”
At Slaughter’s request, the National Defense Authorization Act includes $9.5 million to begin design and planning for a joint operations center at NFARS. The C-130 flight line facility will help the 914th and 107th Airlift Wings better coordinate their activities at NFARS. The NDAA is expected to be passed by the House tomorrow. more…
