Once the heart of a booming area of nightlife, recreation, leisure, and commerce, Historic Downtown Niagara Falls has weathered a series of challenges which have changed the landscape of the area.

Historic Downtown is located within walking distance of the Whirlpool Bridge, providing easy access for American visitors prior to the bridge's change to a "Nexus-Only" border. Travellers from America, and other parts of Canada were able to visit Niagara, and be accommodated in the Queen Street and Bridge Street areas. This was reflected by the beautiful hotels, shops, and restaurants that once filled the Queen Street area.

Unfortunately, the area has experienced a decline in visitor traffic. Most visitors from America enter Niagara from either the Peace or Rainbow Bridge borders, and tourist accommodations and attractions now predominantly reside in the Fallsview area. The result of these changing visitor patterns create vacant buildings in Historic Downtown.

This decline of the urban core prompted Niagara Falls community members to advocate for several proposals to reinvigorate that area. Initiatives have included the introduction of new businesses, and significant physical restoration of the shopfronts and streetscapes.

Despite these well-intentioned and optimistic revitalization efforts, economic activity has again declined, and many hopeful new business upstarts have been forced to close. This is evident as you walk through the area. Portions of the district remain aesthetically pleasing, but the overall street traffic and economic vitality have declined due to the vacated businesses.

So how did a once beautiful, high-end portion of a major tourism centre like Historic Downtown Niagara steadily fade away? Follow along as we explore the area's promising beginnings, the faded glory, and future hopes for this once-thriving downtown business district.

Niagara Falls Public Library. 2017. Niagara Falls - Then & Now: A Photographic Journey Through The Years. [Decline of Downtown Niagara Falls Businesses (Walking Tour)].

Niagara Falls Then and Now
A collaborative project
Niagara Falls Museums - Niagara Falls Public Library - Dept. of Geography and Tourism Studies,Brock University.
Original newspaper series by Sherman Zavitz, Official Historian for the City of Niagara Falls from 1994 - 2019.

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