The Niagara Parks Commission will allow tightrope walker Nik Wallenda to walk a wire across the Niagara gorge – a 180-degree turn from its established policy.
Commissioners voted Wednesday to allow the stunt during their Wednesday morning meeting.
It’s an about face for the provincial agency responsible for managing the public property along the Niagara River. It goes against a decades-old policy banning stunters from Niagara Falls.
The parks commission has decided to allow one “qualified stutner” every 20 years.
“It’s a new day,” Niagara Parks Commission chairwoman Janice Thomoson said.
The commission will give Wallenda 45 days to negotiate the arrangements for the walk.
Last year, the New York State assembly passed a one-time exemption to its ban on stunts that will allow Wallenda to use New York’s Goat Island state park as one of the endpoints for the highwire act.
Today’s NPC decision was needed to give Wallenda permission to use its Table Rock area as the other endpoint.
http://niagara-gazette.com/local/x1049389410/Wallenda-gets-his-walk
