Harry Oakes, who was a Commissioner for the Niagara Parks, donated valuable land that had formerly been occupied by the Clifton and Lafayette Hotels to the Niagara Parks Commission. Work began on the beautiful open air amphitheatre in 1935, and took two years to complete. The 1937 opening ceremony for the Oakes Garden Theatre took place on September 18th. Dignitaries were present, and a continuous concert band performance ran from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. that day.
Niagara Parks held a re-dedication ceremony in the Garden Theatre on the 80th anniversary, September 18th, 2017. The Gardens remain open to the public to this day.
Niagara Falls Public Library. 2017. Niagara Falls - Then & Now: A Photographic Journey Through The Years. Oakes Garden Theatre
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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