The World According to Bob

Editor’s note: Each week, Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino pontificates from his pulpit sharing his view of city affairs with his minion. His proclamations are published to Youtube. The Express transcribes them so you don’t have to watch.

Good morning, everyone. It's Friday. Today we'll be down at Prospect Point to cut a ribbon on a brand new venue at Prospect Point, the Cataract Stairs and Deck.

I know that the Cave of the Winds currently allows you to get as close as you can to the Falls, but the stairs and deck will allow you to get yourself right out in front of the American Falls, so it will be exciting for those who love to go down to the falls and get some interesting views and panoramic perspectives. So we'll be adding that to the many new additions in the state park this morning. We continue to make our way through some of the grass cutting that's going on.

About mowing

Just to update everybody to date, a little over 400 properties, private properties, have had work done on them as a result of our efforts to enter into a contract with a private contractor to help our clean team get ahead of some of the properties that are not kept up.

We'll continue to do that for as long as we are able throughout the season.

About paving

The private contractor for road paving will be starting soon. And the road that they'll be doing is Niagara Street.

Niagara Street from Hyde Park Boulevard all the way to Portage. So it's an awfully long stretch. We'll be in contact with the school administration as well as the administration at Bloneva Bond School to sort of coordinate how that will work with all of them.

Again, a lot of this, it's really a function of having to start late in the season as a result of the inaction, both in July and then in August, by some members of the council. So we do our best to get this road completed before the end of the season.

School is starting

It’s September, we're in the middle of school starting.

Next week, all schools will be back in full swing. You know, it's really a time to remember, and I know that I talk about it so often about the streets, but now, more than ever, we need to be careful.

School buses will be out and around. You'll have young children waiting at school bus stops. It's important really for us to be attentive on the streets and also to be patient. I mean, we've just read recently about the horrible incident in the town of Niagara involving a 80-year-old military veteran and an individual from North Tonawanda involved in a rogue rage incident. I don't understand it.

You know, everyone gets frustrated behind the wheel, but we all drive differently. But I think the most important thing is that we all need to drive in a way that is respectful of the roads, understanding.

Some of our operators go slower than we would like to go. That doesn't mean that we need to break the law or worse, get involved in an altercation. Typically what happens in that incident, nobody wins.

So, again, let's exercise some civility on the street as well as some sensibility, realizing that if you're an e-vehicle or a motor vehicle, a bicycle, whatever you are out on the roads, we're sharing it. And it's important for us to be respectful of speed limits, road signs, as well as attentive to one another on the street. And all of that gets heightened now by the fact that school buses will be out and about. So please, you know, don't create a catastrophe upon yourself and upon others by being inattentive or failing to be alert and respectful when you're on the street.

Blues Fest

September also brings a couple of activities that will be happening downtown and more on this as the dates and times become more clear. Again, the Blues Festival will be back, and this year will include a bourbon event in the middle of the Blues Festival. We have the pleasure of having Steelbound Distillery and Brewery, along with some of the affiliated entities with them, starting this bourbon event as a part of the Blues Festival. It should be exciting. More on that as soon as we have more information.

And then, of course, toward the end of the month is Oktoberfest, another great opportunity to get downtown, enjoy the culture, and get to visit with friends and neighbors.

Labor Day

So as we walk our way into Labor Day weekend, the official, unofficial, end of summer, let's remember that it's time to also think about what Labor Day means, right? It's time to reflect on the men and women who every day do the work of building cities, building buildings, and helping people.

We need to take a moment to really reflect on the fact that that's what really has made our country, our state, our city great. So I'm wishing everyone a relaxing, it's going to be a good weekend, a relaxing and enjoyable Labor Day. Take some time to reflect on even the members of your own family who have worked hard to help you get where you are today.

So enjoy the weekend. Be safe on the roads. And I look forward to talking to you again next week.