Niagara Falls mayor backs plan to replace Clifton Hill SkyWheel

The City of Niagara Falls could have a new bigger ferris wheel in as little as three years.

Hoco Ltd., the current owners of the wheel on Clifton Hills, wants to build a bigger one which would replace the current SkyWheel, and the mayor of Niagara Falls is supporting it.

The SkyWheel on Clifton Hill in Niagara falls is over 20 years old and its current owners say it’s time for a new one at the current location.

This comes at a time when the province has put out a request for proposals for a new observation wheel at Queen Victoria Park.

“As far as I’m concerned, the idea of building a ferris wheel in Queen Victoria Park is dead,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati.

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The Harry Oakes Company is the current owner of the SkyWheel and they wrote to Niagara Parks on Friday saying, as an alternative to a new government lead competing structure, they are actively evaluating a major expansion of their wheel.

The message said in part, “By substantially increasing its height to become the tallest observation wheel in Canada,” and “one of the highest and most spectacular observation experiences in the world.”

“It’s probably a good idea for a refresh, and I think having someone — an operator like Harry Oakes was a real statesman, he’s a true pioneer in tourism,” said Diodati. “I believe the idea of him building Canada’s biggest ferris wheel in Niagara Falls on his own private property is a brilliant idea.”

Investing and expanding Niagara tourism is part of the province’s Destination Niagara strategy — a multi-billion-dollar plan to transform Niagara into a world-class tourism hub, with the aim of attracting 25 million visitors annually and hopefully doubling the region’s tourism impact.

Niagara Parks says more things are brewing.

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“Since announcing the strategy, we’ve seen many entrepreneurs step forward — I think they’re seeing Niagara, all of Niagara Region as well as Niagara Falls, in a bit of a different light,” said David Adames, the CEO of the Niagara Parks Commission. “They see this as the key tourism destination that it is, so we’ve had more conversations with investors, entrepreneurs, innovators who are looking at Niagara in a new way.”

That plan could include a new visitor transportation system to replace the current buses.

What that could look like has yet to be revealed.

As for a new observation wheel, the mayor says a new one could be ready in as little as three years.

CHCH News reached out to Hoco Ltd. for a statement, but did not hear back.

Meanwhile, MPP for Niagara Falls Wayne Gates will be holding a town hall meeting to discuss the ferris wheel at the Club Italia Event Centre in Niagara Falls.

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