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(Editor's note: Devils Hole and Whirlpool State parks have always been part of the contiguous Niagara Falls State Park shoreline. By officially combining them, the hope is they will gain more visitors. Different people and cultures embrace different things. For example: I had multiple Japanese tour guests in the last year who ranked their favorite attractions as 1) Cave of the Winds 2) Whirlpool State Park and 3) Maid of the Mist. "I like it here. It is so peaceful" they say.)
By Derek Held
WKBW
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — From the Niagara Scenic Parkway all the way up to the Niagara Power Vista Visitor’s Center will all soon be part of one state park, as Niagara Falls State Park is set for expansion.
"Almost five miles of continuous shoreline for Niagara Falls State Park," New York State Parks Niagara Regional Director Mark Mistretta said.
New York State Parks shared a map of what the new park layout will look like with 7 News:
WKBW
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Whirlpool and Devil's Hole State Parks will no longer be their own separate state parks. The entire area of both parks will be included within the expanded ‘Niagara Falls State Park.’
"Niagara Falls State Park, that is the name that people recognize. They don’t recognize 'Whirlpool.' They don’t recognize 'Devil’s Hole' as much," Mistretta said. "We actually did surveys, and a lot of people really didn’t make the connection and understand that there’s a couple more parks up there, so we want to do a better job marketing that."
Mistretta says that this is just the first step into the park’s future, one he hopes will encourage tourists to visit more sites than just the falls themselves.
The idea is that the longer visitors stay, the more economic benefits to the area, as a larger park runs alongside attractions like the Aquarium of Niagara.
"It’s all about drawing more of those 9 million guests a year further into the park, which is, of course, great for us," Aquarium President/CEO Chad Fifer said. "I think the visibility and credibility that comes along with the ‘Niagara Falls’ name is huge for the experience here."
If enough people visit the additional areas, like Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole, Mistretta says that more amenities will follow.
"We see, perhaps, a few more formal play areas, maybe concession areas further north," Mistretta said. "We are going to be creating some new overlooks. The views, as you probably know, are spectacular as well. We want to create more."
Signage will start changing through a gradual process this spring.
