Accessibility
Accessibility At Niagara Parks
In fulfilling our mission, Niagara Parks strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. Niagara Parks is committed to giving persons with disabilities the same opportunity or reasonable alternative to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same or similar services, in the same place and in a similar way as other guests.
Support Persons
Admissions
Admission fees and fares for accessibility support persons (when accompanying a person with a disability) who specifically identify themselves as support persons, shall be waived at all Niagara Parks attractions and transportation systems. No identification will be required in order to waive the admission fee and fare.
Requirements
Niagara Parks may require that a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person at a specific location if a support person is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a disability, or the health and safety of others. This requirement is communicated through the Niagara Parks website and at the specific location. This would include but is not limited to such venues as Niagara’s Fury, Journey Behind the Falls and the Whirlpool Aero Car.
Access
Any person with a disability who is accompanied by one support person will be allowed to enter Niagara Parks’ premises with their support person. At no time shall a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to their support person while on Niagara Parks premises.
Service/Support Animals
Service/support animals and guide dogs are permitted at all Niagara Parks sites in areas open to the public.
Accessible Parking
Guests with an accessible sticker, placard, or license plate on their car do pay to park when first parking at any parking lot owned by Niagara Parks. However, they can re-park on the same day for free at any other Niagara Parks paid parking lot as long as they retain their original parking receipt and display it on the dash.
We also offer the Niagara Parks Parking Pass that is valid for the calendar year. This pass does not include the Police Building, Falls Ave, Oakes Garden parking or the boat launches.
Assistive Devices
Persons with disabilities are permitted and encouraged to use their own personal assistive devices to access our facilities and goods and services. Assistive devices such as communication aids, cognition aids, personal mobility aids and medical aids may be used at all Niagara Parks facilities and parklands where access is possible at the venue. It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that his or her assistive device is operated in a safe manner at all times.
Mobility Rentals
Several hotels in Niagara Falls have purchased their own scooters and/or have wheelchairs they loan to guests. We recommend asking when you book your room. There are also several local wheelchair rental options available:
eSkoot Niagara
289-271-0663 – www.eskoot.com
Four-wheeled electric scooters only; daily or weekly.
Performance Mobility Home Healthcare Solutions
289-296-2822 – www.performancemobility.ca
Manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers available. Daily, weekend and weekly rentals.
We have up to eight wheelchairs available at our Table Rock Welcome Centre for daily loan. There is also one wheelchair at the Butterfly Conservatory, one at the Floral Showhouse, and four at the Niagara Parks Power Station available for loan while at those attractions. Wheelchairs are available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Since there is a limited number of wheelchairs available, you may wish to bring your own wheelchair or scooter.
Accessible Attractions
The Journey Behind the Falls is partially wheelchair/scooter accessible. Elevators transport you down to a set of tunnels. The tunnel straight ahead leads you out to the upper and lower observation decks. The lower observation deck at Journey Behind the Falls can be reached only by stairs (approximately 18 steps) but the view from the upper deck is still spectacular. The tunnel to your right goes one-third of the way behind the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. The wide, well-lit tunnel leads to the viewing portals behind the Falls and the upper observation deck.
Regular admission will be discounted at Journey Behind the Falls where full accessibility is not available. This discount does not apply if the customer is purchasing an admission package that is already discounted.
One wheelchairs is available for use on a first-come, first-served basis at this location. We also have up to eight wheelchairs available at our Table Rock Welcome Centre for daily loan on a first-come, first-served basis.
11 accessible parking spaces available.
Niagara Parks Power Station and The Tunnel are fully accessible. There are several benches located throughout the main floor of the Power Station. The glass-enclosed elevator will bring you down to the Tunnel, the tunnel is 2200 feet long with benches available approximately every 500 feet.
Up to four wheelchairs are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis at this location.
11 accessible parking spaces available.
The Butterfly Conservatory is fully accessible. Paved paths and ramps provide access to the 11,000 square-foot conservatory. Benches are available along the paths.
A single wheelchair is available for use on a first-come, first-served basis at this location.
The introductory film has captioning available upon request, as well as transcripts in English and French.
7 accessible spots in front parking lot and 5 accessible spots in the back parking lot.
Whirlpool Aero Car is not wheelchair/scooter accessible. There are 40 steps down to access the Whirlpool Aero Car, and a separate set of 40 steps back up to main level once the ride is complete. There is no seating available on the Whirlpool Aero Car.
2 accessible parking spaces available.
Only the length of the main White Water Walk boardwalk is accessible. An elevator will take you down to the 240-foot tunnel that brings you to the wooden boardwalk along the water’s edge. The main boardwalk is flat, wooden, and 1000 feet long. Along the main boardwalk there are two small lower viewing decks that can only be accessed by stairs. Benches are available at the beginning and end of the boardwalk.
2 accessible parking spaces available.
The Floral Showhouse is fully accessible. From the main atrium, ramps provide access to the North and South houses. The outdoor Life on Display exhibit can be reached from the main atrium and is accessible via a paved pathway.
There are Braille plant labels available upon request.
A single wheelchair is available for use on a first-come, first-served basis at this location.
2 accessible parking spaces available.
Laura Secord Homestead, McFarland House, and Old Fort Erie are partial wheelchair/scooter accessible and Mackenzie printery is not wheelchair accessible. While most areas at Laura Secord Homestead, McFarland House, and Old Fort Erie are accessible, some are not, having a second story that are accessed only by stairs.
Heritage site staff are committed to providing all guests with an enjoyable experience and will provide a personalized interpretive experience wherever possible.
Regular admission will be discounted at historic sites where full accessibility is not available. This discount does not apply if the customer is purchasing an admission package that is already discounted such as the Niagara Heritage Trail Pass.
2 accessible parking spaces available at McFarland House.
2 accessible parking spaces available at Old Fort Erie.
Transportation
Niagara Parks does not charge a fare to support persons who accompany a passenger with a disability on either our WEGO buses or on the Falls Incline Railway.
WEGO buses are fully accessible. All WEGO buses feature a fold out ramp and kneeling capabilities. Each WEGO bus meets all technical requirements of the AODA Transportation Standard. Each Bus is equipped with:
All WEGO buses make pre-board announcements of the route and provide an audible and visual announcement of next stop (s) while vehicle is on route or in operation.
Priority/courtesy seating has signage to indicate passengers without disabilities must vacate courtesy seating when required by a person with a disability. Seating is located as close as practicable to the entrance doors.
The Falls Incline Railway provides year-round accessible transportation between Niagara Parks property, and the Fallsview Tourism district.
The design of the Incline allows all guests to enter the carriages with no difficulty because the floor of the Incline is the same level as the outside platform.
The carriage gates are extra wide to allow a wheelchair or a scooter to enter and exit. There are also built-in straps on the carriers for extra security for mobility devices.
Accessible Restaurants
Table Rock House Restaurant, Queen Victoria Place Restaurant, Table Rock Market, Table Rock Patio, Queenston Heights Restaurant, and Legends on the Niagara Club House are fully accessible.
The accessible ramp entrance to Queen Victoria Place Restaurant is available at the rear of the building. Staff are happy to assist guests with accessibility concerns – there are service bells at the regular entrance to the restaurant and at the rear accessible entrance if needed.
Other accessible food locations include the Grand View Quick Serve restaurant, the Queen Victoria Park Quick Serve restaurant, and the Whirlpool Half Way House.
Golf
Legends on the Niagara, located just five minutes south of the Falls, was Ontario’s first golf complex to offer the SoloRider golf cart. Golfers with mobility disabilities can play a full round at any of Legends’ three courses, on a specially designed 350-degree swivel seat golf cart which elevates to allow players to tee off, putt and to travel on the greens and even into sand traps, due to its turf-friendly designed tires. To reserve your tee-time and the SoloRider, simply contact Niagara Parks Golf at 1-866-465- 3642 or 905-295-9595.
Other Accessibility Measures
During annual public consultation sessions, Niagara Parks presents the progress report on our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and gathers feedback to assist in identifying barriers experienced by guests to Niagara Parks. The latest plan is available in PDF format.
Niagara Parks welcomes feedback in respect to its Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (2022 – 2026). To submit your comments, please write to accessibility@niagaraparks.com.
Niagara Parks is committed to ensuring that first aid and emergency services are provided for all persons with disabilities when required.
Staff is trained to respond to first aid and emergency matters which may occur at Niagara Parks, including how to communicate emergency information and how to offer evacuation assistance to persons with disabilities, identifying accessible and safe evacuation routes both on-site and off-site.
Emergency procedures, plans and public safety information that are available to the public as well as any relevant updates to these procedures, plans and information, will be made available and in an accessible format or accessible communication support upon request. Time frames for this information will be dependent upon the format requested but will be provided as soon as is practicable.
Niagara Parks staff will be trained in emergency response policies and procedures as they relate to people with disabilities, including how to communicate emergency information and how to offer evacuation assistance to people with disabilities, identifying accessible and safe evacuation routes both on-site and off-site.
Niagara Parks follows AODA requirements and takes reasonable steps to communicate with persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. Niagara Parks staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public on behalf of Niagara Parks are also properly trained in how to communicate with guests with various types of disabilities.
Should you require information in an alternate format, please contact us.
Accessibility Feedback
Any personal information is collected pursuant to Ontario Regulation 429/07, the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and will be used strictly for the purpose of responding to your feedback.
Alternate formats will be made available upon request.
Accessibility Niagara Parks
The Niagara Parks Commission - 7856 Portage Road, Niagara Falls, Ontario, L2G 5Y8
During regular working hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.) Monday to Friday 1 (877) 642-7275 or fax (905) 295-4142
(905) 358-3268, ext. 4222, or FAX (905) 295-4142 TTY Toll Free 1 (855) 356-5672
P.O. Box 150
7400 Portage Road
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2
Contact Us
Toll-free: 1.877.642.7275
(905) 358-3268, ext. 4222, or FAX (905) 295-4142
TTY Toll Free 1 (855) 356-5672
Email: info@niagaraparks.com
Oak Hall - P.O. Box 150
7400 Portage Road
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2