A member of the famous Wallenda family is one step closer to crossing the Niagara Gorge in front of the Horseshoe Falls — on a high wire.
New York state lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would allow high-wire walker Nik Wallenda to cross the gorge on a tightrope, beginning at Goat Island.
It’s a one-time only bill that gives Wallenda a window to complete the act sometime before August 30th.
But Wallenda still needs approval from the Canadian side… and the Niagara Parks Commission has a history of denying such requests.
Wallenda is a descendant of The Flying Wallendas circus family and has participated in many other high-wire acts, setting world records along the way.
He pedaled a bicycle more than one-hundred feet across a line strung between two buildings in the Bahamas, and walked two thousand feet on a wire more than 200 feet off the ground.
There’s a lot of pressure on the Niagara Parks Commission to make this high-wire act happen.
The New York state senator that sponsored the bill, George Maziarz, says the event will pump money into hotels and restaurants on both sides of the falls.
Niagara Falls, Ontario mayor Jim Diodati agrees, insisting it’s unfair to deny the high-wire walk, because Wallenda isn’t a stunt act… calling him a skilled performer who has mastered his craft.
Video: Taz Boga reports:
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Related: The Buffalo News: Tightrope walker gets OK to cross Niagara Falls
