Table Rock Welcome Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Table Rock Welcome Centre |
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Main entrance
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| Former names | Table Rock House |
| Alternative names | Table Rock Centre |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Collegiate Gothic (north) |
| Completed | 1926 (north building) 1974 (south building) |
| Renovated | 2008 |
| Owner | Niagara Parks Commission |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Findlay and Foulis |
The Table Rock Welcome Centre is a popular place for visitors at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It's right next to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. This big building complex used to be called Table Rock House.
It has two main buildings that are connected by an indoor walkway. Inside, you'll find "The Grand Hall," which is a cool observation area with many levels. This part was finished in 2008.
The north building was built in 1926. It has shops on the first floor and the Welcome Centre. You can also experience Niagara's Fury, a ride that feels like you're in whitewater. This is also where you buy tickets for the Journey Behind the Falls attraction. Upstairs, there are more unique stores and places to see the falls from outside.
The south building was built later, in 1974. It has a fast-food snack bar and more shops on the first floor. On the second floor, there's a restaurant with amazing views of the Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara River.
The Niagara Parks Commission owns and runs Table Rock Centre. It's the best way to get from the Horseshoe Falls viewing area to the Falls Incline Railway. A new bridge built in 2008 helps people cross the Niagara Parkway easily. This railway takes visitors up to the Fallsview Tourist Area above the Niagara Escarpment.
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Discovering Table Rock's Past
Early Days: 1827-1887
The very first building here was put up in 1827 by Thomas Barnett. He opened a museum with interesting items. Later, in 1853, another person named Saul Davis built his own place called Table Rock House. It was right next to Barnett's museum.
There was a lot of competition to get tourists' attention. Davis's building was between Barnett's museum and the Table Rock viewing spot. This meant Davis could get to visitors first. There were even some problems between the two owners. Eventually, Davis bought Barnett's properties in 1877. He continued to run the place until the Niagara Parks Commission took over in 1887. This happened when Queen Victoria Park was created.
Under Niagara Parks Commission: 1887 - Today
Since the 1840s, there were stairs that led down to the river level. Tourists could walk right next to the Horseshoe Falls. This area was called Behind The Sheet. In 1889, a lift replaced these stairs. By 1905, tunnels were dug inside the rock. This was the start of the famous Journey Behind the Falls attraction.
Davis's old Table Rock House was getting old. It was taken down in 1925 to make room for a new road and a new building. The new building was designed by Findlay and Foulis. This building, finished in 1926, is still used today. It has been changed a lot over the years.
After World War II, the tunnels were fixed up. In 1951, a viewing platform was built near the Horseshoe Falls. The attraction, then called the Scenic Tunnels, became very popular. So, in 1963, Table Rock House got a big update.
They added a second-floor viewing area. They also had an exhibit of fake Royal Crown Jewels from Britain. This exhibit brought in over 330,000 people in its first year! But it was removed in 1973 because not enough people were visiting.
In 1973, the road was moved to the west side of the building. This created a safe walking area between Table Rock House and the Horseshoe Falls. In 1974, the Table Rock South building was added. This gave more space for shops and a restaurant.
In the early 1990s, the two buildings were connected. This created the indoor walking area we see today. The main gift shop in the 1926 building was also updated. The Scenic Tunnels attraction was renamed Journey Behind The Falls in the mid-1990s. This name better describes what visitors do there.
More improvements were made in 1998. A big renovation happened in 2008. This added the Grand Hall, an indoor viewing area facing the Falls. The north building was also expanded for more souvenir storage. Plus, the new pedestrian bridge over the Niagara Parkway was built.
Today, the site is called Table Rock Centre. It's still a top spot for visitors and helps the Niagara Parks Commission earn money.
Table Rock in Movies
The Table Rock Centre building was shown in the 1980 movie Superman II. The outside of the 1926 north building was used as the "Honeymoon Haven Hotel." In the movie, Clark Kent and Lois Lane were trying to find out about problems in the honeymoon business.
