Good-bye Robert Moses Parkway, hello Niagara Scenic Parkway.
That's the new name for the busy expressway leading into Niagara Falls that was announced this morning by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The new name comes with a $70 million budget to restore Niagara Falls State Park. Under the New York State Parks Plan of 2020, Cuomo wants to restore the history and natural resources of the park, modernize the facility with energy efficiency and resiliency, and increase tourism.
We did not maintain the Parks system the way we should. We reversed that with the #NYParks2020 plan. It’s almost a billion dollars.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 9, 2016
He said changes to the Robert Moses Parkway have been talked about for years, calling it a "mistake" the expressway blocked the waterfront for decades.
Cuomo says this new plan is an investment that began with a $900 million commitment to restore all state parks. With eight million visitors to Niagara Falls each year, this is also an investment in tourism. He says the park is in need of this "major" investment that will give visitors a "first class experience."
The final phase of the Niagara Falls park renewal will include developing a year-round Cave of the Winds display and continuing the park's partnership with Taste of New York, which created a 21 percent increase in visitor spending.
Cuomo continually expressed the importance of parks to the state of New York, saying they are "food for the soul," allowing people to get in touch with nature and learn stories about the community. He also called them the heart of the "I Heart NY" campaign.
