Wallenda making pitch to Canada for tightrope walk

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Daredevil Nik Wallenda hopes Canadian officials will give him the thumbs up to wirewalk across the Niagara Gorge. Wallenda was in town Thursday to meet with officials across the border and stopped by the Seneca Niagara Casino Hotel for a press conference. James Neiss
Winston Simone, right, manager of Daredevil Nik Wallenda, right, said he looks forward to speaking with Canadian officials in hopes of getting the green light to walk a tight rope between the U.S. and Canada over the Niagara Gorge.

October 21, 2011

By Timothy Chipp Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Fri Oct 21, 2011, 03:11 PM EDT

NIAGARA FALLS — Nik Wallenda’s lifelong dream may be coming closer to reality.

The tightrope walker and his team met with Canadian officials Thursday in continuing efforts to convince that side of the border to allow a wire walk next year above Niagara Falls. Wallenda said he wasn’t expecting anything but a continuation of the dialogue his group has had with elected officials.

“I don’t perceive a 100 percent go-ahead,” he said during a press conference Thursday. “We’re just discussing the next step. But we’ve gotten great support from Mayor Jim Diodati and the other officials”

Veteran Canadian wirewalker Jay Cochrane has been denied permission in recent years, but Wallenda and his team are confident the event will happen. He told a reporter for the Niagara Falls, Ont., Review he waited until the Ontario provincial election was over this month before resuming his talks with Canadian officials, including tourism minister Michael Chan and Niagara Falls MP Kim Craitor.

"The people we've been dealing with that are huge supporters all got re-elected," he said.

Despite being pressed for details, Wallenda was elusive with his answers. He would not reveal details of the proposed walk, when it would happen, nor what he would propose to the Niagara Parks Commission.

The commission's next meeting is Nov. 16.

On this side of the border, Wallenda said he’s dreamed since he was a child of walking across the falls, which is exactly what he’d do should the Canadians approve his proposal. Should he get the necessary permission, he’d walk right at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls.

But doing such would mean he’d be traveling directly through the mist created by the falls.

He said such an experience would actually make the experience much better, not just for himself, but for the countless thousands of people organizers are expecting would be there to see it.

“I think it would be pretty awesome if I disappear into the mist and suddenly appear on the other side,” he said. “To the best of my knowledge, no one has ever walked directly over the falls before. I’d love to be the first.”

One thing is for certain surrounding Wallenda’s attempt to make the walk. Whether or not the Canadians approve the stunt, the daredevil will perform some kind of program at the falls next year. The state Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved a law giving the daredevil a one year window to perform on the state side, meaning he could walk from Goat Island to Niagara Falls State Park, which also was proposed.

No permission would be needed from the Canadian side to make such a journey.

Should the Canadians approve it, Wallenda is looking at putting together a 10-day event surrounding his walk. According to state Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, the atmosphere at the falls would include a circus act and other entertainment options for the entire family.

“This is much more than a one-day event,” Maziarz said. “This event is probably going to be around for about 10 days.”

But if Wallenda had it his way, he’d like more.

“I’m hoping it’s more than 10 days, actually” he said. “I wouldn’t mind if we stayed here longer. Or if we were able to get something permanent set up here, make this my second home.”

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