Niagara Falls US vs Canada

[Vikas]

Just came back from visiting Niagara Falls. I could not help but notice the striking difference between the two sides. When one drives from US to Canada and crosses the Rainbow Bridge, it is like going from a 3rd world country to 1st world country!

The area just before the Rainbow Bridge in USA looks rundown and decrepit but once you cross the bridge, the Canadian side is immaculately maintained. Niagara Park services do a fantastic job. Yes, tourists pay for all of it but so do they on our side of the border. Funny thing is that US charges for the bridge crossing, Canada does not.

On our way back, we stopped on the US side. We really wanted to test all those Indian and Punjabi food shacks, so we experienced that area of the town first hand. This did nothing but reinforced the earlier observation.

I agree that mother nature has short changed USA in terms of Niagara Falls beauty but certainly the town and the parks department should take some lessons from across the bridge.

- Vikas

 

[PandaBear]

Good quality cost money, and when everyone is screaming small government and cost cutting you have to get savings from somewhere.

There are lots of illegal pots grown in closed national park because no one is patrolling it or visiting it.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

As someone who grew up in Buffalo and follows the local economy/stories religiously, I can tell you that the USA side's parks haven't been taken care of due to local and state government. It needs like $57 million in updates that clearly aren't going to happen anytime soon. Just look at the local roadwork there in town....someone who lives there daily can back me up on that nonsense. Bad contractors stealing state money, no businesses want to be on the US side, etc.

 

[Bluestream]

I am guessing the revenue from the Bridge crossing is shared between the two countries. I notice that some crossings its collected by the US and some by Canada. There has always been more money spend on municipal services in Canada than in the US (infrastructure is maintained) . I often seeing streets being re-paved that are in great condition. Sometimes it makes sense (Niagara Falls) and sometimes it doesn't. Local governments here have no debt, so then spend all they can.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Good quality cost money, and when everyone is screaming small government and cost cutting you have to get savings from somewhere.

There are lots of illegal pots grown in closed national park because no one is patrolling it or visiting it.


As for taxes, New Yorkers already pay some of the highest state taxes in the country.

 

[JTK]

LOL! Yeah, fortunately there's lots of jobs there.

I work in the city of NF NY. Right in the middle of a bunch of chemical, manufacturing and power plants. That area's looked like downtown Baghdad for the past 100yrs.

Everyone setup shop there decades ago because of easy access to power and water. It's my livelyhood for sure.

Joel

 

[sciphi]

Downtown NF is a wasteland. At least the year-round snow tubing place was cool. It was a riot to go snowboarding in June on real snow.

Agreed the Canadian side is a LOT nicer than the American side. The Americans always manage to do something else with the money besides what it's meant for...

 

[doitmyself]

Is a passport, with it's costs and delays, required to go to the Canadian Niagra?

 

[Nick R]

I'll actually be heading out there later this month with my family for a weekend, we have our EDLs so we can go to canada, and our hotel is in canada actually. The great wolf lodge on Victoria Ave.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

You need a passport no matter what to cross the border these days.

 

[Vikas]

The great wolf lodge looked nice from outside. Tip:- buy the adventure pass which also gives you access to People Mover for 2 days and covers four attractions including Maid of the Mist and Journey Behind the Falls for something like $44US if purchased from AAA. We parked the van and just used the People Mover. The parking near the falls is extremely bad and pricey. People Mover has a stop inside that lodge.

- Vikas

 

[Vikas]

Who gets the tourist dollars on the US side?

 

[Torino]

Buying votes is expensive. John--Las Vegas.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Who gets the tourist dollars on the US side?


The immediate stores right next to the falls, and the hotels. That's pretty much it.

 

[hattaresguy]

No one stays on the US side the Canadian side has everything so why invest in it? Besides the Canadian side is OK its not that nice of a city, reminded me of Atlantic City.

 

[Papa Bear]

The Canadian side can be DANGEROUS

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
The Canadian side can be DANGEROUS


The crazy things people do just to try and get a better picture!

I'm going to Niagara Falls on Wednesday with my son, I'll be sure to warn him not to climb onto those railings!

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
The Canadian side can be DANGEROUS

Darwin Lives.

 

[Papa Bear]

A Japanese student, like they have enough problems at home... they don't have to come here and fall over Niagara Falls.

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
No one stays on the US side the Canadian side has everything so why invest in it? Besides the Canadian side is OK its not that nice of a city, reminded me of Atlantic City.


But there are LOTS of people in US who are not citizens but only visitors. They do not have Canadian visa, so they end up staying on US side. I will guarantee you that every foreigner in this country has visited Niagara Falls at least once and they all stay on US side. I know that first visit to NF was from US side.

I agree with you that the Canadian side of NF city reminds one of Atlantic City especially with the Clifton Hill area but I was specifically talking about the Niagara Parkway i.e. area immediately next to the Falls.