TOURISM
Study backs Lewiston to Falls trolley
LEWISTON — Explore Niagara, a feasibility study done this past semester by Niagara University students that looked at a trolley system between Niagara Falls and Lewiston, was presented to the public Thursday night in the Barton Hill Hotel.
The project was found to be feasible and will move forward to the next step, where a new group of students will create a business model and look for funding.
Niagara County Legislator John Ceretto, R-Lewiston, who spearheaded the project, said the idea for a trolley between the two cities was proposed at a public forum in September.
Business Professor William Angus’ 38 students divided into six teams for the semester and Ceretto said the best bits and pieces of those were combined to present to the public.
Ceretto said that his overall goal is to get people to spend more money and stay in this area longer.
“Some people say I’m overly optimistic, but I’d like to create a pilot program for next summer,” Ceretto said.
The seven students who presented projects were: Scott Weber, Jason Fischer, Marlena Wrozos, Joe Tonnos, Carolyn Demjanenko, Ashley Ringer and David Steen.
Students wanted to use the attractiveness of Lewiston, the festivals, Artpark, the Jet Boat and link it to the hotels, the casino and the falls.
Marketing and funding were shown as key issues, and the Robert Moses Parkway, which has been a sore spot with environmentalists, was one route each group highlighted, but not the only route noted.
“We want to see Lewiston as an extension of the falls tourist area,” student Tonnos said.
But Niagara Falls business owner Michelle Vanstrome disagreed with the students considering any use of the Robert Moses Parkway in their study and said it was a noncommercial road and they had not considered total parkway removal, which has been proposed by Niagara Heritage Partnership.
Tonnos said they did meet with Bob Baxter from Niagara Heritage Partnership in their classroom and they had questions for him that he could not answer, including why spend $50,000 per quarter mile to remove the parkway.
“He wanted to pour money out and we are trying to bring money in,” Tonnos said. State Sen. George D. Maziarz, RNewfane, called the trolley a “positive development.”
“I don’t know why it took so long. Other tourist areas have trolleys, and I don’t know why it has to stop at Lewiston,” he said, referring to Old Fort Niagara. He said the money was out there for funding. He also bashed the City of Niagara Falls for using millions of dollars of casino revenues on public housing and the Town of Lewiston for using their Power Authority Relicensing money for legal fees.
Niagara Falls Mayor Paul A. Dyster told the students not to let their project become a political football.
“There is some sensitivity about regional tourism. [The City of] Niagara Falls is sensitive about the bypass effect and there is some controversy when you move people around and then you ask the city to pay for this,” Dyster said. But he added, “Avoid getting caught up in where the route goes.”
And he added, “If you want the support of Niagara Falls, don’t send Senator Maziarz.”
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