The rocks below the giant triple cascade that straddles the border between the US state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario are reddened with chambers carved to harness the mighty forces of nature that thunder overhead.
And now, a 670-meter (2,198-foot) tunnel built more than a century ago on the Canadian side has been opened to reveal the awesome scale of these engineering marvels.
As of July 2022, it is part of Niagara Parks’ decommissioned power station tour tours that began a year earlier. Exploring it offers a fascinating look at the groundbreaking work that helped bring this corner of North America into the modern era.
The power station, which operated from 1905 to 2006, diverts water from the mighty Niagara River to power giant generators that power regional industry and helped make Buffalo’s nearby Great Lakes port known as the City of Light.
The area around the waterfall, according to station guide Elena Zoric, was once a center of activity for businessmen who wanted to profit from the exploitation of hydroelectric power.
The Adams Hydroelectric Station was the first to open, operating on the US side from 1895 to 1961. On the Canadian side, the Ontario Power Company operated from 1905 to 1999 and the Toronto Power Station from 1906 to in 1974.
Mixed architecture
The 670-meter-long tunnel was carved into the rock more than a century ago. Niagara Parks Today, Niagara Parks Station is the world’s only fully intact hydroelectric plant of its time. Originally operated by the Canadian Niagara Power Company, it used Westinghouse generators to create alternating currents patented by inventor Nikola Tesla — cutting edge technology at the time. The factory, as tour guide Zoric explains to visitors, was built in an era dominated by aesthetics. Its rustic limestone exterior and blue roof tiles were, he says, an attempt by New York architect Algernon S. Bell to make the structure blend in with the falls. Before reaching the tunnel, visitors to the power station are shown a scale model of the massive engineering works that went into converting the pounding waters into electricity. Cylindrical blue generators once turned water power into electricity. Niagara Parks Zorich shows where the water entered, where it ran down a shaft to power the turbines and then through a tunnel to an outlet at the base of Horseshoe Falls, the largest of Niagara’s three falls. Marcelo Gruosso, senior director of engineering and operations at the Niagara Parks Commission, has been involved with the project since it was first envisioned in 2017. “The plant started with two generators and, by 1924, all 11 were installed, which you see here today,” he says, walking through the high-ceilinged building to point out a line of blue, cylindrical generators that fill the space. “Next to each generator is a ‘governor’ that regulated the flow of water to a turbine. An air brake on the regulator helped regulate the flow. They needed 250 rpm exactly to give them 25 Hertz.”
One of a kind
The tunnel once held 71,000 gallons of water moving at nine meters per second. Niagara Parks A glass elevator takes visitors down 55 meters past the six levels of infrastructure required for the hydroelectric power generation process. At the bottom is the tunnel where the water would come out. The tunnel, which is almost eight meters high and six meters wide, is also a historic, unique attraction and is included in the price of admission to the power station. “It took thousands of workers four years to excavate the slate beneath the main production hall using lanterns, dynamite, picks and shovels,” says Gruosso. “As it went down, the water was spinning the turbine blades,” says Gruosso. “They were connected to a 41 meter long shaft that went up to the main floor and turned the rotor on the alternator, creating alternating current power.” Walking along the arched passage of the tunnel, it shows white marks that reach almost to the top of the arched brick walls. “You can see how high the water went,” he says. “The tunnel held 71,000 gallons of water moving at nine meters per second.” Built like a fortress, the gently curving tunnel consists of four layers of brick and 18 inches of concrete and is surrounded by slate. “It’s amazing what they did without electricity,” notes Gruosso. “We did some minor brick repairs and added rock anchors to the arch to ensure structural integrity, but it’s in very good shape. They’ve only had maintenance done twice since it was built, once in the 1950s and once in the 1990s.”
Unique view
Tourists can now step out onto a platform to view Niagara Falls. Niagara Parks Near the end of the tunnel a hum begins to fill the air. Natural light pours in as the trail exits to a 20-meter, river-level viewing platform located almost at the base of Horseshoe Falls. Gruoso has to shout to be heard over the incessant pounding. “This is where the water from the tunnel spills into the river. It’s the best place to see the falls.” The platform also gives visitors a perch to watch the tour boats, packed with passengers in rain ponchos, hit like corks at the base of the falls. To complete the power plant experience, there is an evening show called “Currents: Niagara Power Transformed.” The light and sound experience charts the history of the power station and includes 3D projections of floating water, turbines and sparks of electricity. A visit to the power station and tunnel takes about two hours, but to watch the evening show an overnight stay is recommended. Accommodations range from higher-end hotels overlooking the falls, such as the Hilton, to budget-friendly accommodations, such as the Days Inn. As for the food, Niagara Falls was once strictly a hot dog and fries kind of town. Fast food is still around, but the destination has upped its game. Local chef-inspired menus are available at Niagara Parks properties such as the Table Rock House Restaurant, as well as independent dining spots such as AG, which features produce from its farm. Also worth a visit is the Niagara Parkway, which winds along the Niagara River and can be explored on foot or by rented e-bike. Stops along the way include the Whirlpool Lookout and the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station, a monolithic structure along the river that currently contributes to southern Ontario’s electricity grid. A trip to Niagara Falls is energizing in many ways. It’s a place of natural beauty, but it can also make you think twice about the natural forces that continue to shape our modern lives.
