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This project is closed.

Do you have ideas for ways to improve Niagara-on-the-Lake? Well, we'd love to hear them! We encourage you to submit your ideas in the "Share your Story" box below and be sure to explain your thoughts as to how your idea can be implemented. We, like you, would love to see it happen!

When submitting ideas, please keep them positive and forward thinking, focusing more on the solution, and less on the problem. Let's all work together to make our great Town, even greater.

This project is closed.

Do you have ideas for ways to improve Niagara-on-the-Lake? Well, we'd love to hear them! We encourage you to submit your ideas in the "Share your Story" box below and be sure to explain your thoughts as to how your idea can be implemented. We, like you, would love to see it happen!

When submitting ideas, please keep them positive and forward thinking, focusing more on the solution, and less on the problem. Let's all work together to make our great Town, even greater.

Tell your story

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Share Carriage Ride Protesters - They Love Attention!! on Facebook Share Carriage Ride Protesters - They Love Attention!! on Twitter Share Carriage Ride Protesters - They Love Attention!! on Linkedin Email Carriage Ride Protesters - They Love Attention!! link

    Carriage Ride Protesters - They Love Attention!!

    by djo070561, almost 8 years ago

    I'm from out of town, just outside of Buffalo ... the only reason I go to NOTL is because my wife drags me there.  I'm not a shopper, I have no room in my life for things that look nice and smell nice. I don't like anything "quaint", and I prefer the tacky, obnoxious tourist traps of Clifton Hill to the friendly people of your town and its tree-lined streets and relaxed atmosphere when I spend my Canadian tourism dollar.  I'm a typical boorish Western New Yorker - gimme a beer in a plastic cup and greasy cheeseburger, please.  Wanna... Continue reading

    I'm from out of town, just outside of Buffalo ... the only reason I go to NOTL is because my wife drags me there.  I'm not a shopper, I have no room in my life for things that look nice and smell nice. I don't like anything "quaint", and I prefer the tacky, obnoxious tourist traps of Clifton Hill to the friendly people of your town and its tree-lined streets and relaxed atmosphere when I spend my Canadian tourism dollar.  I'm a typical boorish Western New Yorker - gimme a beer in a plastic cup and greasy cheeseburger, please.  Wanna see my Mack Truck tattoo?

    That being said, I know that thousands of people love your community, and what it offers.  Last weekend I was really disappointed to see placard-carrying malcontents doing their best to intimidate your tourists/guests and annoy a group of hard-working business people - the folks who offer horse carriage rides through town. NOTL has many great attractions, this service/attraction is really is one of the best. The carriage drivers obviously care for your community, their customers and the animals that they love.  

    I don't know anything about your village politics, and my guess is that this is not the first letter in this space about this subject, but I do know this - those protesting should cease.  The carriages rides are a legal business, they should be able to operate that business without impediment from a few miserable people that enjoy imposing their will on others. They love the attention they get as they carry their signs and video cameras/phones down the streets doing their best to block the sidewalks and ruin somebody's vacation.  Their goal seems to be to make NOTL a less desirable place to visit.

    These intolerant protesters will not be easily shooed away - but your government leaders need to do it, for the sake of your community.  If you let them succeed here, they'll move on to another business sector - perhaps any restaurant that serves meat dishes, or ice cream shops that serve dairy products.  

    Protesters like this only care about one thing - controlling the lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs of others. 

    Good Luck, Niagara-on-the-Lake, I hope you are able to rid yourselves of this protester scourge (and open up a tavern that sells greasy cheeseburgers and beer in cheap plastic cups!). 

  • Share Dog Park in NOTL on Facebook Share Dog Park in NOTL on Twitter Share Dog Park in NOTL on Linkedin Email Dog Park in NOTL link

    Dog Park in NOTL

    by Betty and Jamie Knight, almost 8 years ago

    Could you please start a tab for people to Join the Conversation about a dog park in the community.  Thank you.

    Could you please start a tab for people to Join the Conversation about a dog park in the community.  Thank you.

  • Share Better bike path along Lakeshore on Facebook Share Better bike path along Lakeshore on Twitter Share Better bike path along Lakeshore on Linkedin Email Better bike path along Lakeshore link

    Better bike path along Lakeshore

    by Christine, about 8 years ago

    Any plan improving the bike path between Firelane 11 and the old town along Lakeshore?  Not the expensive bike path like Stone Road, but may be few feet wider than it is right now will be very tourist friendly.  From Firelane 11 to the bridge, the road is pretty well paved and the area for cyclist is wide enough to keep a distance between car and cyclist.  But from Firelane 11 to the old town, the road is pretty bumpy and the bike path is pretty narrow.  Konzelmann and Strewn are popular, wineries and there are number of smaller wineries... Continue reading

    Any plan improving the bike path between Firelane 11 and the old town along Lakeshore?  Not the expensive bike path like Stone Road, but may be few feet wider than it is right now will be very tourist friendly.  From Firelane 11 to the bridge, the road is pretty well paved and the area for cyclist is wide enough to keep a distance between car and cyclist.  But from Firelane 11 to the old town, the road is pretty bumpy and the bike path is pretty narrow.  Konzelmann and Strewn are popular, wineries and there are number of smaller wineries along Lakeshore as well.  And from what I heard, a brewery is coming too.  Cycling around is one of our customers' fav activities, having safer bike paths are not waste of tax payer money...definitely it would help the winery businesses, even fruit stands along Lakeshore.  

  • Share Walking in park will give you a heart attack on Facebook Share Walking in park will give you a heart attack on Twitter Share Walking in park will give you a heart attack on Linkedin Email Walking in park will give you a heart attack link

    Walking in park will give you a heart attack

    by VM, about 8 years ago

    Tourist season is upon us, and with it come the hordes of rental and winery tour bikers with no manners or regard for those citizens out for a quiet enjoyment. This includes silent and fast e-bikes.

    Said bikers tend sneak up behind with no warning, drive you, your dog, or toddler off the pathway, come in large wine fueled groups, and speed regardless the posted speed limit signs. 

    Current trend is a super bright flickering light. We get it, it's to warn of a biker, but we do not want to be blined either.

    It is impossible to walk/jog/enjoy the... Continue reading

    Tourist season is upon us, and with it come the hordes of rental and winery tour bikers with no manners or regard for those citizens out for a quiet enjoyment. This includes silent and fast e-bikes.

    Said bikers tend sneak up behind with no warning, drive you, your dog, or toddler off the pathway, come in large wine fueled groups, and speed regardless the posted speed limit signs. 

    Current trend is a super bright flickering light. We get it, it's to warn of a biker, but we do not want to be blined either.

    It is impossible to walk/jog/enjoy the commons between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm in the summer without tension.

    Possible solution:

    Install the signage of pedestrian right of way

    Divide walkways into two lanes, as in some parks in large cities

    Make the renters read and sign park ethics declaration

    Each bike should be equipped with a bell and a visible ID 

    No e-bikes on woodland trails

  • Share Future transit plan on Facebook Share Future transit plan on Twitter Share Future transit plan on Linkedin Email Future transit plan link

    Future transit plan

    by Christine, about 8 years ago

    Given the recent announcement of the federal and provincial transit investment, NOTL will get 148K from federal and 122K from the provincial.  Should we form a committee to look at how to use this money wisely and how to integrate with future GO train service.  NOTL work force, a lot of them are not living in town.  They are largely minimum wage jobs (nothing wrong with this, those jobs put me through university) and people may not have cars.  Right now we have proposed Randwood and Q124 development, Vintage Hotel is planning expansion at Post and Pillar, a brewer looking... Continue reading

    Given the recent announcement of the federal and provincial transit investment, NOTL will get 148K from federal and 122K from the provincial.  Should we form a committee to look at how to use this money wisely and how to integrate with future GO train service.  NOTL work force, a lot of them are not living in town.  They are largely minimum wage jobs (nothing wrong with this, those jobs put me through university) and people may not have cars.  Right now we have proposed Randwood and Q124 development, Vintage Hotel is planning expansion at Post and Pillar, a brewer looking at coming in, more restaurants opening up ...whether you are pro or object to these developments...looking at the next 10 to 15 years, as a region we will have more and more needs of labour.  And even though I am a strong believer of tourism first, ....we are host and tourists are our customers, so customers always first.  It would be nice to have transit service that we can actually benefit from....even it's just a route directly to future GO station in both St Catharines and Niagara Falls.  More bike lanes would be nice too, especially on Lakeshore.  Lots of cyclists in the summer.. after witnessed a driver driving 80km/hr, speeding beside a group of young teens last year along Lakeshore....I am a supporter of bike lanes

  • Share Outdoor Pickleball courts in Virgil on Facebook Share Outdoor Pickleball courts in Virgil on Twitter Share Outdoor Pickleball courts in Virgil on Linkedin Email Outdoor Pickleball courts in Virgil link

    Outdoor Pickleball courts in Virgil

    by Jkbuis, about 8 years ago

    it would be fantastic to implement 6-8 outdoor pickleball courts in Virgil!  It’s a growing sport, good for our community members and being outdoors in the summer is a healthy, fantastic idea!

    Kevin and Jacqueline Buis

    it would be fantastic to implement 6-8 outdoor pickleball courts in Virgil!  It’s a growing sport, good for our community members and being outdoors in the summer is a healthy, fantastic idea!

    Kevin and Jacqueline Buis

  • Share Trees - good news stories on Facebook Share Trees - good news stories on Twitter Share Trees - good news stories on Linkedin Email Trees - good news stories link

    Trees - good news stories

    by dwniagara, about 8 years ago

    I remember Dennis Dick at some council meeting last year what a good job the town was doing (JB Hopkins work) on planting trees

    Given the current environment where we now all seem to recognize the value of trees to our environment, it would be good if there is space on the Town's website for say a quarterly (to start with) tree report where the Towns work in felling unhealthy trees and their replacement In addition the target tree canopy % can be tracked.

    I remember Dennis Dick at some council meeting last year what a good job the town was doing (JB Hopkins work) on planting trees

    Given the current environment where we now all seem to recognize the value of trees to our environment, it would be good if there is space on the Town's website for say a quarterly (to start with) tree report where the Towns work in felling unhealthy trees and their replacement In addition the target tree canopy % can be tracked.

  • Share Where is a link for the Official Plan? on Facebook Share Where is a link for the Official Plan? on Twitter Share Where is a link for the Official Plan? on Linkedin Email Where is a link for the Official Plan? link

    Where is a link for the Official Plan?

    by Betty and Jamie Knight, about 8 years ago

    Hi.  Could you please add a link to provide us with a means to "join the Conversation" about the status of council working on the Official Plan.  My review of council minutes suggests that the council decided to defer reviewing the Official Plan in October of 2016.

    Betty Disero brought a motion a year ago, in February 2017, to reconsider councils motion, but only Jamie King supported her on it.  Every other councillor, including the mayor, voted against reconsidering their earlier motion to suspend the procedure.

    Thank you.

    Hi.  Could you please add a link to provide us with a means to "join the Conversation" about the status of council working on the Official Plan.  My review of council minutes suggests that the council decided to defer reviewing the Official Plan in October of 2016.

    Betty Disero brought a motion a year ago, in February 2017, to reconsider councils motion, but only Jamie King supported her on it.  Every other councillor, including the mayor, voted against reconsidering their earlier motion to suspend the procedure.

    Thank you.

  • Share community centre user fees on Facebook Share community centre user fees on Twitter Share community centre user fees on Linkedin Email community centre user fees link

    community centre user fees

    by Barbara Waller, about 8 years ago

    I play with the senior ladies badminton drop in group. This year we had a 46.2% increase imposed on us. One of our members who also plays table tennis calculated that she would now be paying almost $500 per year in user fees. 

    When the community centre first opened it was decided not to charge fees for senior drop in programs in some rooms but to charge for the auditorium.  The community centre has been with us for 6 years now so perhaps it is time to review the pricing model for this facility.

    The model... Continue reading

    I play with the senior ladies badminton drop in group. This year we had a 46.2% increase imposed on us. One of our members who also plays table tennis calculated that she would now be paying almost $500 per year in user fees. 

    When the community centre first opened it was decided not to charge fees for senior drop in programs in some rooms but to charge for the auditorium.  The community centre has been with us for 6 years now so perhaps it is time to review the pricing model for this facility.

    The model of charging high rents to some senior groups and nothing to large numbers of other users– including non-residents coming in to enjoy free programs - is both unfair and unsustainable over the long run. If a small drop in fee of $1 had been charged over $30,000 would have been collected over the past 6 years.

    As part of the facilities review, could staff look at models used in other communities such as Stratford, Niagara Falls – and St Catharines that is currently engaging in a discussion with its citizens on how to charge for their facilities.  Link to their website below.

    <communications@stcatharines.ca>

    The lady in question (a retired 76 yr old single lady)  has since dropped out of badminton as she can not afford to pay $500 per year for these activities.  This should not be the case in a community centre that aims to be inclusive and a resource for all.

  • Share Traffic on Queen street on Facebook Share Traffic on Queen street on Twitter Share Traffic on Queen street on Linkedin Email Traffic on Queen street link

    Traffic on Queen street

    by Lsgazzard , about 8 years ago

    I would like Council to consider having a police traffic cop directing traffic at the intersection in front of the Prince of Wales hotel in the summer.

    This is a viable, more cost efficient option to a paedestrian mall which most people don't want.

    It will prioritize safety for tourists and residents.

    I would like Council to consider having a police traffic cop directing traffic at the intersection in front of the Prince of Wales hotel in the summer.

    This is a viable, more cost efficient option to a paedestrian mall which most people don't want.

    It will prioritize safety for tourists and residents.