Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
During most of the year, the Dufferin Islands are free of crowds. Summer weekends are
the most popular times for visitors and locals who use the park for dog walks and picnic
lunches. Catch-and-release fishing and bird-watching are popular activities in the summer.
In the winter, animated-light displays for the Festival of Lights are erected in the park. Mo-
torists can drive through the park and make a small donation that benefits the festival or-
ganization.
Toronto Power Generating Station and the Old Scow
The
Toronto Power Generating Station
(NiagaraPkwy.)isanabandonedpowerplantthat
generated electricity 1906-1974. Looking at the beautiful limestone structure, it's hard to
believe it was a power station. When commissioned as a hydroelectric plant, it was an en-
gineering marvel. The plant's owners wanted the exterior to match the importance of the
interior, so an Italian Renaissance design was chosen—the first time beaux arts had been
usedforanindustrial structure.Imposingioniccolonnadesflankthestately mainportionof
thebuilding. Itstandsalongtheshoreoftheriver,anelegant reminder oftheelectric power
revolution that was born at Niagara. The interior of the building is closed to the public.
Niagara Parksnowownsthestation andisweighinghowbesttorepurposethebuilding.
Locals speculate the grand structure will someday house an interpretive museum.
The grounds immediately adjacent to the station afford the best perspective of the
old
scow.
A scow is a type of large boat that has a flat bottom and squared-off ends, used
primarily for transporting materials like ore or sand in bulk. The old scow was carrying a
load of rock when it broke loose, rapidly floated downstream, and became lodged above
Horseshoe Falls in 1918. Two men aboard were rescued by the heroics of famed river man
Red Hill, Sr. The scow remains lodged where it became marooned nearly 100 years ago,
providing a resting spot for gulls and other birds. You can spot the scow from the parkway
while driving, but it's worth a closer examination on foot. The best vantage point is the
northern end of the Toronto Power Generating Station.
Floral Showhouse
A few hundred yards from the brink of Horseshoe Falls, the
Floral Showhouse
(7145
NiagaraPkwy.,905/371-0254,
www.niagaraparks.com
,
9:30am-5pmdaily,$5adults,$3.75
children 6-12) is a tropical oasis filled with lush foliage and songbirds. The showhouse
is an enclosed greenhouse with thousands of flowers and plants chosen for their beauty
and fragrance. The main showhouse is a large, airy, indoor space featuring a waterfall and
trapezoid-shaped glass roof. This spacious area has the atmosphere and intrigue of a trop-
