Niagara Region Chairman Gary Burroughs and Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati donned period costumes for the City of Niagara Falls New Year's Levee, held Saturday at the Gale Centre, in Niagara Falls. Bullet News photo by John Robbins.
JOHN ROBBINS/Bullet News
NIAGARA FALLS – Niagara Falls politicians used a New Year’s levee to kick off the city’s War of 1812 Bicentennial celebrations in grand style.
The levee, held Saturday at the Gale Centre, saw Niagara Falls MP Rob Nicholson, MPP Kim Craitor, Niagara Region Chairman Gary Burroughs and Mayor Jim Diodati decked out in period costumes to welcome hundreds of residents to the family-oriented event.
Each say they have high hopes the slew of bicentennial events to take place across the region throughout 2012 will be a major tourist draw.
“It’s amazing how popular historical tourism is,” said Diodati.
Click HERE to view more photos from Saturday’s event.
“There’s no question it’s popular. People enjoy dressing up and living the part and doing a little bit of history while having fun at the same time.”
Craitor, who serves as parliamentary assistant to Ontario Tourism Minister Michael Chan, said there’s a buzz outside Niagara about the bicentennial events this year.
“When I travel the province I hear it everywhere about how the whole province is excited about the 200th anniversary,” said Craitor. “Here in Niagara in particular, there are so many areas where 1812 had a major effect on the destiny of Canada.
Craitor said he takes every opportunity he can to talk about the bicentennial plans and promote them to his colleagues at Queen’s Park.
“I expect there will be a number of (cabinet) ministers make the trip down. In fact, I have two ministers coming down next week,” Craitor said.
During the last several years, both the federal and provincial governments have poured millions of dollars into renovations and improvements at numerous War of 1812 sites in Niagara, including Brock’s Monument, Niagara Falls History Museum, Laura Secord Homestead, McFarlane House and Old Fort Erie. Municipal governments have pitched in too, and local bicentennial committees across Niagara have been busy planning and promoting events.
Nicholson said the War of 1812 had “tremendous significance” for Canada, and because of this he expects many people outside Niagara will take an interest in the celebrations happening here.
“After the War of 1812, the separate existence of Canada was never called into question,” said Nicholson.
“I’ve been telling people for years that so many of the great events of that war took place right here in Niagara, so I’m hoping there will be tens of thousands of people who will come and visit all of these sites.”
