Sierra Club Niagara Group Resolution
– March 28, 2000
Whereas: The lower Niagara River and the Niagara Gorge is a
natural wonder
of unequalled ecological, geological, and historical significance and
remains a bastion of wilderness within our thoroughly developed region,
and
Whereas: The people of our region as well as people from around
the world
should have the opportunity to explore this wonder in its natural state,
unscathed by destructive and unsightly development such as that which has
occurred at Niagara Falls, and
Whereas: The Robert Moses Parkway precludes the presence of
valuable
wildlife habitat at the Gorge top, prevents any hiking or other enjoyment
of the Gorge top, and exists as a visual monstrosity amidst one of the
most scenic landscapes in the world, and
Whereas: The 1992 Niagara Waterfront Master Plan created by the
City of
Niagara Falls and the NYS Office of Parks and Recreation calls for leaving
in the Parkway as well as further destructive and unsightly development of
this land, including installation of a "vertical tram" into the Gorge,
restaurant concessions, new parking lots totaling 750 spaces, a monorail
track, elevators into the gorge, and encouragement of private commercial
development surrounding the park land, and
Whereas: Removal of the Robert Moses Parkway and restoration of
the Gorge
top as a natural area, with native trees and wildlife, hiking trails, and
rustic paths leading into the gorge, would provide a unique and
unforgettable experience for visitors for generations to come, as well as
saving the State of New York millions of dollars in renovation and upkeep
costs incurred by the aging Parkway, and
Whereas: The Niagara Heritage Partnership, as a grass-roots,
community
based organization, has researched this possibility, proposed clear goals
and reasonable means of achieving them, and received strong community
support for its plan,
Therefore, Be It Resolved:
1. Sierra Club Niagara Group supports the removal of the Robert Moses
Parkway from Niagara Falls to Lewiston and the subsequent restoration of
this land as a natural area, as described in the literature of the Niagara
Heritage Partnership attached,
Be It Further Resolved:
2. Sierra Club Niagara Group opposes the developments described in the 1992
Niagara Waterfront Master Plan on the grounds that they would destroy the
very majestic character of the Niagara Gorge which residents and tourists
come to appreciate, obliterate the value of this land as habitat, and
preclude any future restoration of this land, as has similar development at
Niagara Falls. |