It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... according to the NY Times. As NYC gets dumped on, some are calling The Big Apple the New Buffalo this winter season. I've had friends and relatives trapped there. I've seen some of the funniest videos, including this one where all hell breaks loose as a high loader is caught on film as it mangles a minivan - "Are you out of your mind? What are you doing?!"
One thing can be said about living in Buffalo, as opposed to cities that can't take a dumping of snow - when the weather gets tough, the tough really do get going. Now that we're finally learning how to celebrate our winters with festivals, pond hockey tournaments, and Fountain Plaza skating, it's interesting to be on the 'greener side' of the fence for a change. I always find it interesting that many northern cities romanticize cold, snowy winters - think of Montreal and Quebec. That's because they create year 'round destinations and celebrate the cold months. Even Toronto has figured out a way to create skating trails in the wintertime... how do we get one of these!
Here are some other year 'round ideas that Ontario Place is looking at. It's all a matter of creating unique and interesting destinations in order to cast off old notions about a Rust Belt city like Buffalo. We can't just think about the warmer months; we need to make this a four-season city, and I think we're off to a good start!
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One thing can be said about living in Buffalo, as opposed to cities that can't take a dumping of snow - when the weather gets tough, the tough really do get going. Now that we're finally learning how to celebrate our winters with festivals, pond hockey tournaments, and Fountain Plaza skating, it's interesting to be on the 'greener side' of the fence for a change. I always find it interesting that many northern cities romanticize cold, snowy winters - think of Montreal and Quebec. That's because they create year 'round destinations and celebrate the cold months. Even Toronto has figured out a way to create skating trails in the wintertime... how do we get one of these!
Here are some other year 'round ideas that Ontario Place is looking at. It's all a matter of creating unique and interesting destinations in order to cast off old notions about a Rust Belt city like Buffalo. We can't just think about the warmer months; we need to make this a four-season city, and I think we're off to a good start!
I posted this in the PK thread but thought it pertains here as well.
I've been checking out other Cities Winter Fests, some amazing events. Hopefully we can get inspiration for the future from:
http://www.winter-carnival.com/
350,000 visitors a year
$3.5 - $5 million dollar economic impact to the city of St. Paul and the State of Minnesota
http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/
Visitors spend more than $42.5 million dollars per winter in Québec City, while the Carnival itself generates direct economic spin-offs of $33.6 million a year.
http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/winterlude/
Optimistically, I'd love to see Canalside be built with this in mind, not just the summer water stuff.
Buffalo already has a reputation for Snow, use that as a marketing tool.