NIAGARA'S STORY OF POWER
Get a glimpse into the all-new Niagara Parks Power Station and discover why the Globe and Mail named it one of the Best New Things to See and Do in Canada.
NIAGARA’S STORY OF POWER
For over 100 years, the “Canadian Niagara Power Company Generating Station” harnessed the powerful energy of the Horseshoe Falls and turned it into a great source of electricity for communities in Western New York and Southern Ontario.
In 2021, after lying dormant for over 15 years, the doors to reimagined Niagara Parks Power Station reopened to offer visitors an in-depth look inside the century-old building. It is the only fully intact, decommissioned hydroelectric power station of its era in the world.
FEEL THE POWER
In 2018, Niagara Parks began construction for the adaptive reuse of the historic power station with more than 400 people working on the project, including electricians, plumbers, masons and labourers. Phase one of the Niagara Parks Power Station opened in July 2021. Phase two, the Tunnel at the Niagara Parks Power Station, is expected to open in the summer of 2022.
Repurposed artifacts, interpretive exhibits and interactive installations offer a first-hand look at how this hydropower pioneer was constructed without electricity, and how it harnessed the power of water to generate electricity for over a century.
The original equipment in the main generator hall was meticulously shined and restored to showcase the incredible power generating technology built in the early 1900s. The revolutionary works of inventors like Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse are also highlighted in captivating stories from the archives.
Enriching Workshops
Hosted twice-daily on Saturdays and Sundays, Little Inventors Workshops offer STEM-related activities designed to inspire young minds to explore their curiosity and creativity through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. They can make a battery, design a simple circuit, recreate a famous invention and more!
Access to these empowering workshops is included with regular child admission to the Niagara Parks Power Station. All materials are provided.
More to come in 2022
Beginning July 2022, travel 180 feet beneath the power station to explore the 2,200-foot-long tunnel leading to the edge of the Niagara River. Incredibly, the tunnel was excavated with only lanterns, rudimentary dynamite, pickaxes and shovels in 1901. It expelled the spent waters used in the power station back into the Niagara River.
Discover fascinating stories about this incredible feat of engineering as you make your way to an observation deck where you’ll get a never-before-seen view of the magnificent falls.