Ontario Government Pumps $7 Million Into New ‘Incline Railway’ At Niagara Falls

(Niagara At Large is posting the following September 2 media release for our readers’ information.)

The Niagara Parks Commission receives support
to replace incline railway – Key piece of tourism infrastructure will be fully accessible, carry more people, and be open year-round

Niagara Falls, Ontario– The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) is pleased to announce it will receive additional support from the Government of Ontario to replace its aging incline railway with a more modern, year-round and accessible system to provide service between the Park and the Fallsview tourism district.

Niagara Park's incline railway will be replaced with better, more accessible model. Photo courtesy of Niagara Parks Commission

Considered Phase II of its Table Rock Redevelopment Project, this new incline service is intended to enhance the overall guest experience of Niagara. It will provide improved links between a number of tourism facilities and the Park, and a safe pedestrian crossing over the Niagara River Parkway into Queen Victoria Park. This redevelopment will also meet accessibility standards as outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), by allowing visitors with disabilities full and safe access to both levels of NPC’s Table Rock complex, the Park and the viewing area adjacent to the Falls directly from the Fallsview area.
“This upgrade is really needed. The incline railway is a key link between where our guests stay and want to play,” said Kim Craitor, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism and Culture and MPP for Niagara Falls. “With the tremendous growth experienced in the Fallsview district – the new Niagara Falls Scotiabank Convention Centre, the Fallsview Casino and all the major hotels and restaurants located in the area, this new incline railway is needed to properly service and showcase the destination. I’m proud our government was able to assist and make this possible.”

“This is very welcome news,” stated Janice Thomson, Interim Chair of the NPC. “Part of our mandate includes enhancing the overall experience for our visitors. This new incline railway will help us achieve that goal and assist us as we strive to make Niagara and Niagara Parks a year-round destination that is accessible to all.”

“To say I am pleased is an understatement,” stated Linda Crabtree, accessible tourism advocate and provider of AccessibleNiagara.com. “An accessible incline railway will give people with mobility impairment a safe, easy way down to the main tourism area from the hotels and attractions above the Falls. If you’ve ever tried going down Murray Hill in a wheelchair, you’ll know what I mean.”

The proposed new incline will be open year-round and have increased capacity. More importantly, it will also be wheelchair accessible and capable of servicing families with strollers. The current incline railway, which operates between March and November, opened in 1966 and offers riders an unobstructed view of Niagara Falls during its 60-second, 52 metre (170-foot) ride. In 2010, the incline railway carried 775,000 passengers.

The NPC is an agency of the Government of Ontario and is financially self-sufficient, depending on revenues generated by the incline railway and other attractions to fund its activities. Created in 1885, NPC’s mission is to protect and preserve the natural and cultural heritage along the Niagara River for the enjoyment of visitors.