TIME TO END NIAGARA'S TOURISM TURF WAR

THE TURF WAR in Niagara has to change to mutual co-operation. Every community in Niagara has attractions, but in many cases not enough attractions to warrant a special visit to Niagara.

But add the many attractions in Niagara communities to those in Niagara Falls and it could could warrant a visit to their area.

For this type of co-operation to take place, it would require soul-searching in every regional municipality to decide on valid reasons for why a family should visit their area.

It could be history-related. It could be tied to the environment, or outside activities such as a fall fair. Maybe it is sports such as fishing, bicycling trips, winery visits, sites from the War of 1812 between Canada and the United States or from the Underground Railway that spirited so many slaves from the United States.

Then there are the attractions that span a number of municipalities, such as the Niagara Parks Commission, the bus and train connections from the Greater Toronto Area, plus wine tours, farmers markets and local stands where fresh fruit can be purchased in season.

Let's forget the word "war," and work on co-ordinating and marketing our attractions within Niagara that will be magnets to attract visitors to our area on a year-round basis.

If this can't be done, why not end all of the funding to the tourism industry and give the non-tourism sections of Niagara a tax break?

Joseph Montgomery, Niagara Falls