The parks went through a period of unprecedented growth in the 1930s under the chairmanship of T.B. McQuestion. Despite the Depression, the commission undertook extensive acquisition, restoration, and development projects such as Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake; the William Lyon Mackenzie homestead in Queenston; Queenston Heights; Old Fort Erie; the Niagara Gorge stone wall; and the School of Horticulture. All was done with a keen eye on preserving and enhancing the historic and natural.

We face a similar challenge today in working to balance preservation of the wonder and beauty of the Falls and its surrounding parkland with the demands of the growing tourism market. It is a balance we can achieve. Likewise, we have a rare opportunity to build our dreams upon the legacy of the past. We can do that, too, and still maintain our stance as financially self-sufficient. We are all committed to move into the future while remaining true to our past.

Today, the Niagara Parks Commission is North America’s most completely maintained parks system. We have preserved 4,250 acres of parkland and gardens along the river, encompassing a rich collection of heritage sites from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Fifty-six kilometers of recreational trails traverse this shoreline. We are, in a sense, a city within the cities. We have our own police force, maintenance services, transit system, garbage collection fleet, snow removal and road salting trucks. These services, and a vast assortment of free attractions for visitors and residents, are made possible by our revenue producing operations.

The economic impact of the Niagara Parks — present and especially future — is extraordinary. The Bank of Montreal’s study “Outlook for Niagara” (January 2000) indicated the total number of visitors to Niagara may increase to 20 million by 2002. Visits to the region have increased by 23 percent over the past three years. This makes Niagara the second most visited location in Canada, behind Toronto and ahead of Vancouver and Montreal. At this rate, the total number of visitors may double by 2010. These numbers translate into jobs for Niagara — lots of them. The Bank of Montreal study projected that up to 25,000 new jobs could be created in the period 1999-2003, many of them driven by growth in tourism. The Province-wide strategy of using tourism as a catalyst for economic growth seems to be paying off.

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