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Open Niagara Falls to eco-tourism
15 June 1999
This is in response to the Readers' View article of May 30:
"Parkway showcases the beauty of Niagara," by Judi Kozminske.
I wonder how a person who has lived in this area for a mere
five years can pass judgment on local residents who have lived here their whole lives.
Kozminske obviously has no idea of the number of locals who enjoy, on a regular basis, the
falls, gorge, Devils' Hole, Whirlpool State Park and the numerous other places of beauty
on the Niagara Frontier.
I can also tell you that the supporters of the removal of the
parkway are doing much more than "marveling at the view" while going 55 mph
in their
cars. These people are wonderful local residents who are trying desperately to restore
another piece of our disappearing American landscape. With ecotourism at an all-time high,
the idea of a bicycle and walking path from Niagara Falls to Artpark through a beautifully
wooded park is something many American and foreign tourists alike are starving for.
In the current days of massive urban sprawl and
constant development, along with our state parks being sold out to golf courses
and the like, this is the most
refreshing idea I've heard in years. It is precisely because of these
individuals and others like them who have had the courage to stand up and fight
for what they believe that there are still some natural places of beauty left
for us to enjoy.
The Ongiara trail is one of the most beautiful places in the
area, the only problem being the sound of speeding cars going down the parkway. This is
more than a bit of a distraction during what should be a peaceful nature walk.
Also, the notion that "memories of the past" are
"clouding the vision of what this city could be now" is probably one of the
saddest statements I have heard in quite some time. The residents who have lived in this
area during the prosperous times know what a great city Niagara Falls was and can be
again.
The beginning of the end of the downtown area was, in this
writer's opinion, the construction of the Robert Moses Parkway. People no longer had a
reason to travel down Main Street, for they were now afforded a faster way to reach their
destination. This development came, not only at the expense of the downtown
area, but also
caused the destruction of habitat that was vital to the area wildlife.
This parkway removal may fly in the face of our fast-paced
lifestyles, but sometimes in life you have to go against the grain and think of something
other than your own convenience. Would you like your children to have the opportunity to
enjoy nature up close, or from the window of a speeding car? It is my belief that if they could
understand the impact of a highway versus a woodland, they would surely choose the latter.
I fail to understand how people can constantly be so critical
toward a group of caring individuals who dare to dream and are so willing to put themselves
and their time into giving something back to the Earth. These people deserve nothing but
respect for their courage and conviction in a
Lori Stumpf, Lewiston
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