NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A new welcome center will now welcome visitors to one of the greatest wonders of the world.
The plaza at Niagara Falls State Park is the culmination of a $70 million landscape restoration project that started in 2011. It creates a more seamless connection between the state park and the city's business district.
The work will help reduce traffic congestion, making it safer for vehicles and pedestrians. The plaza also boasts enhanced signage and lighting as well as uniform park furnishings.
"Niagara Falls State Park is a gem in our State Park system. Those visiting from around the world deserve a first -class experience and with the completion of this project, they will get just that", said State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid. "The project competes a vital tie to the City of Niagara Falls which plays host to the park. With the new Cataract Commons and Old Falls Street, downtown Niagara Falls is becoming an exciting piece of the robust tourism industry the city is cultivating".
Already competed as part of the multi-year project were upgrades and enhancements to Luna Island, Prospect Point, Lower Grove, Three Sisters Islands, North Shoreline Trail, Luna Bridge and Terrapin Point. The interactive Cave of the Winds pavilion, which highlights the natural and cultural history of Niagara Falls, opened in 2017.
The nation's oldest state park, created in 1885, Niagara Falls State Park attracts over nine million visitors every year.