The Review
Aerialist hopes to convince them to let him walk over Niagara Gorge
By DAN DAKIN Niagara Falls Review
There are people on both sides of the Nik Wallenda fence, but everyone now seems to agree that it’s an international walk or no walk at all.
Wallenda, the American aerialist who has proposed walking across the Niagara Gorge on a tightrope, is now waiting for a second meeting with the Niagara Parks Commission in hopes of getting the commission to reverse its earlier decision not to allow the walk.
After meeting with Ontario Tourism Minister Michael Chan Friday, Wallenda said he was encouraged to hear the minister’s interest in the proposal, which would see Wallenda walk across the Horseshoe falls this spring or summer.
Wallenda was denied permission by the NPC last month, and was hoping Chan would overrule that decision. While the minister didn’t reverse the NPC’s call, he did suggest a second meeting between the aerialist and the commission.
Chairwoman Janice Thomson said Monday she would sit down with Wallenda for a longer meeting than the formal 10-minute forum he was given on Nov. 16.
“I spoke to him on Saturday and we’re going to try to set something up in the next few weeks,” she said.
However, asked if she expected anything to be said in the meeting that might change her opinion on the proposal, Thomson seemed skeptical.
“I can’t speak for the other commissioners, but if we’re sticking to our philosophy of no stunting and that’s our mandate, then no,” she said. “But I told the minister we would meet with Wallenda again and we’ll hear what he has to say.”
Watching the results of that meeting closely will be politicians in New York State. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill granting Wallenda special permission to complete a walk from the U.S. to Canada.
Throughout the process, Wallenda has said his backup plan would be a U.S.-only walk over the American Falls.
However, New York State parks officials said Friday the bill signed by Cuomo only permitted an international walk, and that it wouldn’t allow the U.S.-only walk.
“I’m just hoping the Canadians take another look at it,” said George Maziarz, who has been a state senator for 17 years. “I’ve never had more press calls for any bill that I’ve sponsored or co-sponsored than this one. This has captivated people’s attention.”
Asked if the proposal would be dead should the NPC deny Wallenda permission again, N.Y. assemblyman John Ceretto said he wasn’t ready to think about that.
“I’m not ready to go there. I’m focused on the Canadians now. I’m hoping they pass this and that this will happen,” he said.
Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak, another one of the bill’s sponsors, said he’s also waiting to see what the Canadian officials decide.
“We’ll have to go back and take a look at the bill and see what it allows, but the intent of the bill was to allow a walk to Canada,” he said. “I’m still in pretty confident the walk would take place as planned.”
