By Nick Mattera
Plans to link the Niagara region by way of a free shuttle bus were discussed at Monday’s Village of Lewiston board meeting.
County Legislature John Ceretto called the bus an “out-of-the-box economic development plan” that would bring tourists to area attractions free of charge.
“We are brainstorming the possibility and feasibility of having a shuttle run from Niagara Falls to Lewiston and all the way to Fort Niagara,” Ceretto said. “Our hopes are that we would like to have it up and running this summer.”
He said this would get people into the restaurants, shops and attractions located north of Niagara Falls. Ceretto said he met Monday with Lewiston Mayor William Geiben, Village Trustee Ronald Craft, Town Supervisor Steven Reiter among others to discuss how the bus could be paid for.
The shuttle service would be provided by Niagara Rural Transportation at an estimated cost of $20,000 for the summer. David Lacki of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce has said he would do marketing for the bus free of charge.
Ceretto said there are a number of ways to fund the project — it just might be a slow moving process.
“We have to research the funding a little more,” he said. “We are always looking for grant opportunities, but we are also looking to business owners to possibly contribute.”
The bus would run for eight weeks during the key tourist months of July and August. The details of where the bus would start, stop and frequency of operation are all being sorted out by officials.
Ceretto said he has been working on this idea for more than two years and would like to see the bus run for three years, leading to the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.
Geiben said the key concept is not only getting visitors into the area but getting them to stay in the area, which would have a positive financial impact on the community.
“The key concept is regionalism, to get our friends who come into the area to stay another day,” he said. “Stay in the hotels, pay the bed tax, shop, go to the restaurants and hit the various tourist attractions from the Falls themselves to the Freedom Crossing to Fort Niagara.”
In other meeting related business, the village entered into an agreement with the Town of Lewiston for the creation of a 1.5 acre dog park on the Lewiston Plateau. Geiben said the village entered into a lease agreement that provides for legal protection to the village.
