NIAGARA FALLS — From the seat of her bike and through the eyes of tourists, Carol Rogers, an environmental educator for New York State Parks has seen the metamorphosis of Niagara Falls.
She’s now undergone a change of her own. Retirement
Before leaving her position, Rogers spent one of her remaining afternoons walking through the park and discussing the changes inside the park and out. While once there were few hotels and not much going on, today there are multiple hotels, places to eat and things to do.
The city was divided from its natural beauty by a parkway Robert Moses designed. Today, the Gorgeview Nature Path makes it a different place.
Studying what brings people downtown and what keeps them here, USA Niagara Development President Anthony Vilardo said focusing on nature, and heritage brings visitors of higher socioeconomic status. The sort of people with higher incomes, more education and more refined tastes who would never find joy on Clifton Hill across the way.
Rogers walked the path the other day, marveling at its completed beauty.
“When last I walked this,” she said, walking just north of the Discovery Center, “it was under construction. Look at the view from here. This is nice for the people who live nearby.”
She looks at the poppies, varied native grasses, bergamot, daisies and more and marvels at the beauty even as…
