iagara Parks Commission chairwoman Janice Thomson and general manager Fay Booker vote in favour of Cochrane request for funding

JOHN ROBBINS and PETER CONRADI/Bullet News

The Tourism Partnership of Niagara is giving serious consideration to a request to spend $180,000 to help cover the cost of bringing famed aerialist Jay Cochrane back to Niagara Falls this year for a summer of performances, walking a thin cable stretched between the Hilton hotel and the Skylon Tower.

On Monday, members of the agency’s board of directors voted unanimously to give further study and consideration to the request for funding, which also enjoys support from Niagara Falls Tourism and the Fallsview Business Improvement Area association.

Among those who supported Monday’s decision were Niagara Parks Chairwoman Janice Thomson, who sits on TPN’s board as a representative of tourism interests in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Fay Booker, NPC’s general manager. Both Thomson and Booker have been cold to the idea of a separate proposal by wirewalker Nik Wallenda, who is hoping to cross the Niagara Gorge between Canada and the United States near the Horseshoe Falls on a three-inch cable sometime this year.

Wallenda asked for and was refused permission for such a walk from the NPC board late last year. He’s supposed to get another crack at convincing the NPC to approve his plan, following a meeting last Friday with Ontario Tourism Minister Michael Chan.

During an interview with Bullet News Monday evening, Thomson said what she supported Monday was sending the Cochrane proposal to TPN’s “strategy committee” for further study and possible inclusion as one of several “blockbuster” events in 2012 to receive sponsorship funding from the provincial tourism marketing agency.

“I’m not against looking at (the Cochrane proposal) as an event for the whole region,” said Thomson, who said her role as Parks chairwoman is different than her role on TPN’s board. Thomson is executive director of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce and Visitor and Convention Bureau.

Thomson has consistently spoke against allowing Wallenda to attempt a walk across the Niagara  Gorge near the Horseshoe Falls.

The regional tourism organizations are relatively new initiatives set up in 2009 by the Dalton McGuinty government to help foster and enhance tourism in the province. They are non-profit organizations comprised of stakeholders in the tourism sector. The government allotted $65 million over the first two years for the 13 organizations across the province. The Niagara group received $3 million in 2010 and $3.2 million for 2011.

One of the biggest boosters of a return visit by Cochrane is Niagara Falls city Coun. Wayne Thomson, who also sits on the TPN board. Coun. Thomson said a formal proposal from Cochrane was received by TPN several months ago. He said he was encouraged by Monday’s decision, which moves the proposal one step closer to reality.

“Is it a done deal? Absolutely not,” said Coun. Thomson. “But as you saw there were not adverse comments during the meeting.”

Coun. Thomson, who has been something of go-between Cocharne and the tourism industry stakeholders during past performance seasons, said the plan for this year would see Cochrane walk seven days a week between July and Labour Day. The $180,000 that has been requested of the TPN would help underwrite Cochrane’s fees, as well as equipment and transportation costs and other incidental expenses.

Coun. Thomson said such an investment of public funding should be considered a bargain, given the relatively low cost of supporting the event and all of the pre-walk publicity Cochrane’s return to Niagara Falls would garner for the city.
“It works out to something like $3,500 a day,” he said. “That’s an extremely reasonable price for such a spectacular event – one that can draw a lot of people to the area.”

Coun. Thomson, who has also been supportive of Wallenda’s bid for a one-time river crossing, said a decision about funding the Cochrane proposal needs to be made soon.

“This isn’t something that can wait a couple of months,” he said. “It either happens within the next few weeks or it’s off (the table) until next year.”
By comparison, TPN was asked to endorse Wallenda’s bid last fall but declined to do so, even though he made no request for financial assistance and has said he plans to cover all of his own costs.

Reached for comment at his home in Sarasota, Fla. Monday evening, Wallenda said he’s “extremely excited” that TPN is considering funding the Cochrane proposal.
“I’m happy for Jay Cochrane. Power to him. The guy has done some great things,” said Wallenda, who said support for Cochrane may mean his own fortunes are about to change.

“I think that if anything this shines a light on the fact that Janice (Thomson) and Fay (Booker) are changing their minds on everything they thought about tightrope walking,” said Wallenda. “It seems like they have had a change of heart, which is very positive for me. That’s a great thing. If they are willing to support tightrope walking in Niagara Falls, it can’t be anything but great for me.”

Wallenda said he and Janice Thomson spoke by telephone on Saturday – the day following his meeting with the tourism minister – and the two could meet again as early as next week to discuss his desire to have the NPC reconsider his request.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati is also choosing to interpret the discussions at TPN in a positive light.

“I see this as perhaps indicating a change of heart from the people at the Niagara Parks Commission,” Diodati said in an interview Monday evening. “Maybe they are now realizing what the Wallenda walk will mean to Niagara Falls and they will greet him with this newfound enthusiasm when they have their second meeting with him. How can the Parks be opposed to Nik and support Jay?

“I have been supportive (of Jay Cochrane and Nik Wallenda) from the beginning because it’s part of our cultural and historic heritage, and I think (Cochrane) would be a tremendous lead up to the big walk … the big international walk.”

Wallenda has provided an economic impact prediction of 120,000 people watching the attempted crossing live and spending an estimated $20.5 million. That number, Wallenda said, would balloon to $122 million of ‘legacy spending’ after five years. This includes money generated by repeat visitors or first-time visitors to Niagara Falls, who would come after viewing the show live, or on news reports or through special programs.

There’s already a confirmed deal with the Discovery Network that would allow the spectacle to be viewed live by more than 400 million people around the world, and at least another 60 million would see it through news broadcasts or entertainment shows.

Janice Thomson has said she does not feel any pressure to allow Wallenda to make the walk, despite the fact that so many seem to want this to happen.

“We’re committed to doing the right thing for this area and we feel that sustainable tourism is the future in Niagara – not one day activities,” she said.

Thomson has said she fears others will seek permission to perform stunts on the Parks Commission. Cochrane has also applied to perform a feat similar to Wallenda’s and has also been rejected.

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.”

January 22, 2012

By Don Glynn Niagara Gazette

Column by Don Glynn — High-wire artist Nik Wallenda has been bounced around more during the past week than a rubber ball over the falls.

Wallenda, 32, a member of the famous Flying Wallenda circus family, met for 1 1/2 hours Friday with Ontario Minister of Tourism Michael Chan to seek permission for that planned tightrope walk across the Niagara Gorge.

The Niagara Parks Commission, which controls all the parklands surrounding the falls on the Canadian side, had already rejected Wallenda’s request, ruling that it would blatantly violate its long-standing policy of prohibiting such stunts.

Wallenda has taken sharp issue with the commission stand.

“Our family has been doing this for 200 years. This is my passion. This is what we do. I started walking on the wire when I was 2-years old. I’m in control when I’m on that wire,” he said.

A skilled aerialist, Wallenda was under the firm impression that Chan, a cabinet member serving under Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, was empowered to decide whether the wire-walk would be allowed. In fact, Wallenda had been urged to provide Chan with more information on security plans and the economic impact of an event destined to draw countless visitors to both sides of the border.

Instead, Chan sent Wallenda packing with a flip-flop reminder that Niagara Parks Commission — its thumbs-down already on record — would have the final say. Its chairman apparently is agreed to another meeting.

That same day, New York State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey released a statement that the Albany-based parks agency would only approve Wallenda’s request if it were a binational stroll.

Harvey cited the costs to the state — estimated at $1 million in direct expenses — and the measures to protect the public.

Wallenda was understandably upset by the way the whole matter was handled. “I think it’s somewhat disrespectable that the statement goes to the media before it goes to me and my team,” he said.

Center stage in the whole issue is politics, in Ontario as well as in the Empire State.

Kim Craitor of Niagara Falls, Ont., said Saturday he was surprised by the state parks decision but not concerned. “It’s always been a walk from the U.S. to Canada so that statement (by Harvey) is irrelevant. It doesn’t change the focus. (It will if Wallenda can’t climb onto the wire on the U.S. side).

Craitor notes the event would be covered by media outlets from around the world.

State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane, a prime sponsor the for highwire performance, still thinks that it may be possible for Wallenda to walk between Prospect Point and Goat Island. (Trying to keep the reporters, photographers and TV crews off Luna Island would be a nightmare).

A parks spokesman in Albany said that the bill Gov. Cuomo signed last year required the parks agency to participate in the event if the tightrope walk is from the U.S. to Canada.

Harvey pointed out that because of the physical topography of Niagara Falls and crowd-safety concerns, the number of people who would watch such a walk would be extremely limited.

What the parks commissioner didn’t mention was why would anyone bother trying to find a place to stand or park on Goat Island or anywhere else around the Niagara Falls State Park?

In keeping with a centuries-old tradition, most of the visitors would simply head to the Ontario side for that unmatched view.

Ontario’s Tourism Minister Michael Chan met with tightrope walker Nik Wallenda today.

Their discussion lasted almost two hours in which Wallenda made the same pitch to Chan that he had to the Niagara Parks Commission which had been rejected.

Chan says it was a good meeting and it was clear that Wallenda is not a person who gives up easily.  Chan twice stressed to Wallenda that under the Parks Commission Act, he does not have the power to overturn the NPC’s decision.

He did suggest, though, that Wallenda make the pitch to the NPC again and Chan even contacted NPC chair Janice Thompson to suggesting to her the two sides meet again to discuss the tightrope performance.

Last month, the NPC rejected Wallenda’s proposal to walk across Niagara Falls despite U.S. officials giving him the ok.

Wallenda told Chan he felt he didn’t have enough time to explain to the NPC board exactly what it is he was planning and the benefits of allowing such a performance.

01/20/2012

There are more hurdles in place for the man proposing to tightrope walk over Niagara Falls. Nik Wallenda said he had an encouraging meeting Friday with Ontario’s Tourism Minister in an attempt to get the okay from the Niagara Parks Commission. But Wallenda received some bad news just hours later from the New York State Parks Commission.

TORONTO, ON – After an hour-long meeting with the Ontario Tourism Minister Friday, Nik Wallenda said he’ll keep pushing toward his goal of walking across Niagara Falls on a tight rope.

Wallenda said, “It was a great meeting. He seems like he understands where we’re coming from and again we’re just excited to keep moving this process forward.”

Last month the Niagara Parks Commission denied Wallenda’s request. Tourism Minister Michael Chan said he can’t overturn that decision but has asked the commission to hear Wallenda out again.

Chan said, “I have advised him or encouraged Mr. Wallenda to engage the park one more time.”

The New York State Parks Commissioner has given Wallenda the go ahead to tightrope walk over the Horseshoe Falls, from the United States to Canada.

However, Friday she said a walk over the American Falls, which Wallenda has said he planned to do if talks with Ontario fell through, wouldn’t fly.

In a statement Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said, “A walk limited to the American Falls is not what New York approved or envisioned in legislation authorizing Nik Wallenda to traverse the Niagara River Gorge from the United States to Canada.”

It goes on to say it would be too expensive to host that event.

State Senator George Maziarz said he disagrees with the decision.

Maziarz said, “I quite frankly do not understand it. I think it would draw millions of tourists to Niagara Falls. It would be a great attraction.”

But Maziarz said there’s still a very good chance the New York to Ontario walk will happen. Wallenda said that’s been the end goal all along.

He said, “As long as I keep getting these glimmerings of hope I’ll continue to pursue this because the big picture is to walk from the U.S. to Canada. That’s what makes the most sense. That is the dream.”

It’s good news for locals who said it’s something they want to see.

Amy Manzella said, “If they had to, I think it would be okay U.S. to U.S. but it would probably be more exciting U.S. to Canada.”

Frank Manzella said, “I would probably go see it. It’d be something to watch this man walk across a wire going over the falls. My God yes, for sure!”

Wallenda plans to reach out to the Niagara Parks Commission again Monday.

But Michael Chan brokers second meeting with Niagara Parks Commission

JOHN ROBBINS and PETER CONRADI/Bullet News

NIAGARA FALLS – Ontario Tourism Minister Michael Chan has told wirewalker Nik Wallenda he doesn’t have the legal authority to overturn a Niagara Parks Commission decision denying his request for permission to wirewalk the Niagara Gorge.

The minister has instead spoken to NPC chairwoman Janice Thomson to encourage the provincial agency to give Wallenda another chance to make his pitch in greater detail.

“I think he’s a passionate person and a person who doesn’t easily give up,” Chan, who called Wallenda’s proposal “very interesting,” told Bullet News Friday afternoon.

“I made it very clear to him I don’t have the power under the (Niagara Parks) Act to overturn the NPC decision.”

Far from being dismayed, Wallenda said he emerged from the 1 1/2 hour, face-to-face meeting with Chan at Queen’s Park with a renewed feeling of optimism.

“I feel like we’re going to get our fair shot again,” said Wallenda, who was preparing to catch a flight back to his home in Sarasota, Fla.

“It (the meeting) went very well. It was extremely positive. He clearly understood our position…. I feel like the doors are wide open again.”

In another development Friday, though, the New York State Parks has come out against Wallenda’s so-called Plan B of walking across the American falls if he cannot secure permission from the Canadians.

In a statement, Commissioner Rose Harvey said the department won’t support the high-wire act limited only to the American side of the falls or other alternatives to his planned international tightrope walk.

In September, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved legislation authorizing the state parks department to allow Wallenda special permission to make the 1,800-foot walk beginning on the New York side of the falls. Canadian approval was needed for the walk’s end near the Table Rock visitor centre.

“A walk limited to the American Falls is not what New York approved or envisioned in legislation authorizing Nik Wallenda to traverse the Niagara River Gorge from the United States to Canada,” Harvey’s statement said.

“The costs to New York State of managing a walk only across the American Falls would exceed $1 million in direct state expenses, while, because of the physical topography of Niagara Falls and crowd safety concerns, the number of people who could watch such a walk would be extremely limited. As a result, despite the costs to New York State, the vast majority of people on the U.S. side would be turned away from the park and never see the walk.”

New York State Sen. George Maziarz told Bullet News Friday evening he was surprised about the timing of the Parks announcement. He said his interpretation is that New York Parks would want to go back and take a closer look at plans for a walk over the American falls, not that it is issuing an outright condemnation of the proposal. But Maziarz is still hopeful that Ontario will give Wallenda the OK.

“I’m hearing that the meeting (with Chan) went very well,” he said. “I think it’s a positive that (the Niagara Parks Commission) is going to listen to (Wallenda) again. I can tell you that on this side of the border there is universal support for what he wants to do. We’re all hoping this can happen between the two countries.”

Niagara Parks turned down Wallenda’s request in early December – three weeks after he was allowed to minutes to make a short presentation to commission members at a public meeting.

“Safety and our responsibility to preserve and protect the Falls, and all those who wish to view its beauty, are our paramount concern in reaching the decision we have,”  Thomson said at the time, explaining why she and her fellow commissioners couldn’t support Wallenda’s proposal.

“What we’re doing is re-affirming our policy against stunting.”

Stunting – a word Wallenda doesn’t like applied to what he does for a living – was never used during the meeting with Chan, said Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor.

“The meeting was more about the economic impact (of the proposed walk) and the safety aspects,” said Craitor, who help arrange the meeting with Chan and was there to show his support for Wallenda’s bid.

A Toronto consultant retained by Wallenda has concluded such a performance would bring $20 million into the local economy on the two sides of the border and millions of viewers worldwide.

Wallenda’s 15-page economic study done by Toronto’s Enigma Research predicted 120,000 people would watch the attempted crossing live and spend an estimated $20.5 million.

That number would balloon to $122 million of ‘legacy spending’ after five years, the report says. This includes money generated by repeat visitors or first-time visitors to Niagara Falls, who would come after viewing the show live, or on news reports or through special programs.

Enigma said a confirmed deal with the Discovery Network would allow the spectacle to be viewed live by more than 400 million people around the world, and at least another 60 million would see it through news broadcasts or entertainment shows.

In addition to going through the potential financial benefits of the proposed walk, Wallenda and his manager explained in detail the many safety measures he’s prepared to put in place should he receive the go-ahead.

Chan said Wallenda told him he did not feel he had enough time to explain his proposal when he appeared before the commission last fall. Compared to the 1 1/2 spent with Chan on Friday, Wallenda’s presentation before the commission was just 12 minutes long and none of the commissioners asked him any questions.

“I myself think the proposal is quite interesting,” said Chan of his meeting with Wallenda. It was “a good, thorough conversation.”

Thomson said she is open to meeting again with Wallenda.

“The minister called me around 11:30 this morning and told me he had heard Mr. Wallenda’s presentation. He said he wouldn’t override the Parks Commission’s decision but he felt that perhaps we hadn’t heard all of Mr. Wallenda’s presentation.”

Thomson said she wasn’t sure what form the meeting would take. It could be inviting him back before the full Commission, it could involve a one-on-one meeting with her, or it could involve Wallenda getting together with general manager Fay Booker and the appropriate technical staff.

Thomson said Wallenda is supposed to get in touch with her, but she might write him a note if she doesn’t hear from him in the next few days.

Wallenda told Bullet News Friday night he wasn’t bothered by the latest statement from the New York Parks.

“My dream has always been to walk between the U.S. and Canada. This quite honestly doesn’t concern me. Things are moving along in a positive direction with the Canadian officials and I am still very optimistic that we will get the proper permission granted very soon.”

CTVNews.ca

Date: Friday Jan. 20, 2012 1:36 PM ET

Ilan Mester

1/20/12

The Maid of the Mist boats have been a staple of Niagara Falls since the 1800s. But the popular ferry service could soon come to an end, if the boat’s operator fails to win an upcoming tender.

The Buffalo News reports that Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission will decide in approximately six weeks if the company that operates the ferry service will be able to continue doing so, or whether another company will win a 25-year lease to operate tour boats at the falls.

Commission members had hoped a decision would be made last year, but decided they need more time, the News reports.

The commission renewed the contract for the Maid of the Mist Steamboat Co. in 2008, without considering other bids. That angered a number of local businesspeople, including commission member Bob Gale, who resigned and complained about the bidding process.

In 2009, Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism ordered the commission to revisit the contract. That resulted in the current bidding process.

The Buffalo News says 13 companies registered to submit proposals in August, 2010. But the commission has yet to reveal the companies’ names.

Proposals were reviewed last year by the commission’s evaluation team, according to The Toronto Sun. The newspaper adds that bidders are not permitted to comment about the process publicly.

“It’s a complex process and it’s something that needs to be done right,” parks commission chairperson Janice Thomson told The National Post. “We have to be 100 per cent accurate, as this decision is one that will be made for a very long time.”

Bidders are required to have a minimum of 10 years of experience with tour boats. They also have to pay at least $5.5 million to the commission every year, reports The Globe & Mail.

According to Niagara Parks’ website, a ferry service crossing the Niagara River has been in place since 1818, but it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that the first Maid of the Mist steamboat began operating. The original wooden boat was coal-fired and was later replaced with steel, diesel-powered ships.

Maid of the Mist boats, which carry between 300 and 600 passengers, have carried numerous prominent visitors to Niagara Falls over the years, including Marilyn Monroe and members of the Royal Family.