NIAGARA FALLS HAS MANY CONNECTIONS TO QUEEN VICTORIA

This month, most of us will get to enjoy an extra day off as we celebrate one of the oldest national holidays in Canada. Although some refer to it as the May "two-four" weekend, it is not meant to be an ode to being able to enjoy a cold case of beer outside in the balmy spring weather. Even though some may not be familiar with this holiday, Victoria Day celebrates one of the longestreigning monarchs in the United Kingdom on her birthday.

Queen Victoria was just 18 when she ascended the throne in June 1837; she went on to rule the British Empire for more than 63 years. (This record was surpassed only a few years ago by Queen Elizabeth II.) During the Queen's lifetime, Victoria Day was celebrated with much patriotism. Military parades and band tattoos, as well as sporting events, were usually part of the day's festivities. After listening to lengthy patriotic speeches, citizens often ended the day with bonfires and fireworks displays. One such celebration occurred in Niagara Falls in 1897, with a huge fire on the bluffs overlooking Queen Victoria Park.

The city of Niagara Falls bears many other reminders of Queen Victoria and her popular reign. In 1888, the official opening of the newly created Queen Victoria Park occurred on Victoria Day. A few years later in 1893, local Victoria Day celebrations featured the running of the first-ever electric streetcar of the Niagara Falls Park and River Railway. As well, we cannot forget the Niagara Falls streets named in honour of Queen Victoria. Queen Street was named in her honour in 1856 and Victoria Avenue was renamed in the late 1890s, having been previously known as First Concession Street.

Although the city of Niagara Falls has had its fair share of royal visitors, Queen Victoria never visited Canada. Her father Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, was Canada's first royal visitor in 1791. In September of 1860, Prince Edward (later King Edward VII), the eldest of her nine children, visited Niagara Falls and had a very busy few days. He rode the Maid of the Mist, laid the top stone of Brock's Cenotaph, witnessed the first illumination of the falls at night and even got to see the world-famous funambulist The Great Blondin cross the Niagara River on a tightrope.

Queen Victoria died on Jan. 22, 1901, and was mourned around the world. Locally, the citizens of Drummondville wanted to commemorate their queen in some way, and it was decided that they would erect a memorial fountain in her honour. The Queen Victoria fountain stood on the northwest corner of Main Street and Lundy's Lane. The fountain was unveiled on Oct. 19 and water began to flow that day to quench the thirst of the gathered humans, horses and dogs alike. The fountain remained at this site until 1923, when it was moved to Stamford Township Hall. As time progressed, automobiles became a more popular mode of transportation than horses and the fountain was deemed a traffic hazard. The fountain was moved a second time in 2010 to its present location at the Niagara Falls History Museum.

Happy Victoria Day! I hope everyone is able to enjoy some nice spring weather, and perhaps raise a toast to the Queen!