Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Part II – Management Plan Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Commission July 2012 NIAGARA FALLS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA Part II - Management Plan Submitted to: The Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Commission U.S. National Park Service and Ken Salazar U.S. Secretary of the Interior Consulting team: John Milner Associates, Inc. Heritage Strategies, LLC National Trust for Historic Preservation Bergmann Associates July 2012 NIAGARA FALLS NATIONAL HERITAGE A REA MANAGEMENT PLAN Part II – Implementation Plan ii NIAGARA FALLS NATIONAL HERITAGE A REA MANAGEMENT PLAN Table of Contents PART II ─ MANAGEMENT PLAN CHAPTER 1 ─ CONCEPT AND APPROACH 1.1 What is a National Heritage Area? ................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Designation of the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area ................................ 1-2 1.3 Vision, Mission, and Goals of the National Heritage Area .............................. 1-3 1.4 The Heritage Area’s Preferred Alternative ....................................................... 1-4 1.5 National Signifi cance of the Heritage Area ......................................................1-6 1.6 The National Heritage Area Concept ............................................................... 1-8 1.6.1 Guiding Principles................................................................................... 1-8 1.6.2 Using the Management Plan ................................................................... 1-9 1.6.3 Terminology ............................................................................................1-9 1.7 Niagara’s Interpretive Presentation .................................................................1-11 1.8 Niagara’s Visitor Experience.......................................................................... 1-12 1.9 Approach to Community Engagement ...........................................................1-13 1.10 Approach to Preservation, Conservation and Stewardship ......................... 1-14 1.11 Approach to Community Revitalization ..................................................... 1-15 1.12 Management, Implementation & Business Plan .........................................1-16 CHAPTER 2 ─ NIAGARA’S INTERPRETIVE PRESENTATION 2.1 Vision and Goals for Interpretation ...................................................................2-1 2.1.1 Organizing the Interpretative Presentation.............................................. 2-2 2.1.2 Desired Interpretive Experience ..............................................................2-4 2.1.3 Guiding Principles for Interpretation ...................................................... 2-4 2.1.4 Organizing for Implementation ...............................................................2-7 2.2 The Heritage Area-wide Presentation ............................................................. 2-10 2.2.1 Implement a Heritage Area-wide Interpretive Presentation ..................2-10 2.2.2 Research and Documentation................................................................ 2-12 2.2.3 Heritage Area Identity ........................................................................... 2-14 2.2.4 Heritage Area Publications.................................................................... 2-15 2.2.5 Heritage Area Media Experience .......................................................... 2-16 2.2.6 Interpretive Center and Orientation ...................................................... 2-19 2.2.7 Interpretive Guides and Living History ................................................ 2-20 2.2.8 Public Art ..............................................................................................2-21 2.2.9 Programming and Events ...................................................................... 2-22 2.3 Heritage Area Interpretive Plan ...................................................................... 2-23 2.3.1 Natural Phenomenon .............................................................................2-27 2.3.2 Tourism and Recreation ........................................................................ 2-30 2.3.3 Power and Industry ............................................................................... 2-34 2.3.4 Borderland/Border Crossing ................................................................. 2-38 2.3.5 Borderland: The Western Doors ............................................................2-39 2.3.6 Borderland: Clash of Empires ...............................................................2-42 2.3.7 Borderland: Revolutionary Frontier ......................................................2-45 2.3.8 Borderland War of 1812 ........................................................................2-47 NIAGARA FALLS NATIONAL HERITAGE A REA MANAGEMENT PLAN iii Part II – Management Plan 2.3.9 Underground Railroad ...........................................................................2-50 2.4 Regional Collaboration ................................................................................... 2-53 2.4.1 Regional, National, and Bi-national Collaboration ...............................2-54 2.4.2 Thematic Partners .................................................................................2-59 CHAPTER 3 ─ NIAGARA’S VISITOR EXPERIENCE 3.1 Guiding Principles for Heritage Tourism ..........................................................3-2 3.2 Image: Tourism Branding and Messaging ........................................................ 3-3 3.3 Quality Standards for Attractions, Events, and Visitor Services ......................3-5 3.3.1 Setting Standards, Identifying Responsibilities and Benefi ts ................. 3-5 3.3.2 Creating a Process ................................................................................... 3-6 3.4 Wayfi nding ........................................................................................................ 3-7 3.4.1 Basic Wayfi nding Tools ...........................................................................3-8 3.4.2 Wayfi nding Signage .................................................................................3-9 3.5 Hospitality Training .......................................................................................... 3-9 3.6 Packaging Attractions ..................................................................................... 3-12 3.6.1 Creating Regional Passes ...................................................................... 3-12 3.6.2 Creating Packages and Itineraries ......................................................... 3-13 3.7 Transportation Options ................................................................................... 3-14 3.7.1 Considering a Shuttle Service ............................................................... 3-15 3.7.1 Other Transportation Options ................................................................ 3-16 3.8 Visitor Orientation........................................................................................... 3-18 3.9 Tourism Marketing Partnerships ..................................................................... 3-19 3.9.1 Tourism Marketing Partnerships: Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation (NTCC) ............................................................................. 3-19 3.9.2 Tourism Marketing Partnerships: Beyond Niagara County .................. 3-20 3.9.3 Tourism Marketing Partnerships: Local Businesses ..............................3-21 3.10 Evaluation ..................................................................................................... 3-21 CHAPTER 4 ─ COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 4.1 Planning Guidance for Community Engagement ............................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Guidance from the Vision and Mission Statements ................................ 4-1 4.1.2 Guidance from Goals and the Preferred Alternative ............................... 4-2 4.2 Concept and Approach for Community Engagement ....................................... 4-2 4.3 Communication: Creating a Public Presence ....................................................4-4 4.4 Educational Programming for Residents .......................................................... 4-5 4.4.1 Arts and Cultural Programs ..................................................................... 4-6 4.4.2 Outdoor Recreation ................................................................................. 4-7 4.4.3 Community Events .................................................................................. 4-9 4.5 Community Involvement in Research .............................................................4-11 4.5.1 Creating a Repository for Research ........................................................4-11 4.5.2 Recording Community Traditions and Memories ................................. 4-12 4.6 Programs for Youth ......................................................................................... 4-15 4.6.1 Educational Programming for School Children .................................... 4-16 4.6.2 Other Youth Outreach ............................................................................4-18 4.7 Organizing and Managing for Community Engagement ................................4-22 iv NIAGARA FALLS NATIONAL HERITAGE A REA MANAGEMENT PLAN Table of Contents CHAPTER 5 ─ PRESERVATION, CONSERVATION & RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP 5.1 Vision and Goals for Preservation, Conservation and Resource Stewardship ..5-1 5.1.1 The Historic Preservation Approach ......................................................