Page Updated: December 8, 2023
Niagara Parks Power Station
The Generator Floor - Niagara Falls ON
A relatively new attraction in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario (opening Jul 2021), the Niagara Parks Power Station walks visitors through the in-depth history of the decommissioned century-old hydroelectric plant: The William Birch Rankine Generating Station.
I wasn’t excited about this addition to our Niagara Falls tour package. Just seemed like a dud. But, it’s really an unexpected gem!
The Generator Floor
A self-guided tour and interactive displays are dispersed throughout the main floor of the station allowing visitors to explore at their leisure.
Be sure to check out the Harnessing the True Power of the Falls model to examine the many aspects of the power station in detail. It’s huge!
Recommend headphones for people interested in listening to more facts with QR codes.
From the main floor, visitors descend 180ft in a glass-paneled elevator that allows glimpses of hidden decks and the machinery within. On the ride down, elevator guides point out specific details of key decks. When the elevator doors open, visitors step off and have access to the original tailrace tunnel that once funneled spent station water back to Niagara River.
The Tunnel
The Tunnel is 2200ft in length, cool and damp, sports a newly constructed concrete path, is lined with interpretive signs detailing feats for its construction. Several benches can be found along the tunnel’s length should visitors need a break.
The coolest part of this experience is knowing you’re traveling the old water path while absorbing the monumental construction challenges of the day. Mining, drilling, blasting with pickaxes, shovels, and dynamite… it’s mind-blowing.
The light at the end of the Tunnel guides visitors to a new river-level platform with terrific views of iconic Horseshoe and American Falls!
-b&b
Journey Behind the Falls
Niagara City Cruises
