Niagara-on-the-Lake has received a $47,000 federal grant to support the summertime ambassadors program, new safety barriers for downtown patios and to install a rainbow bench along Queen Street.

“With the funds, the ambassadors are so well-equipped to go into a 2022 program. We’re so grateful for our partnership with the town,” Laurie Harley, past-president of the Shaw Guild and one of the lead organizers of the ambassadors project, said in an interview.

The grant comes from the federal government's new “My Main Street” program. 

How the money will be divided among the projects is yet to be determined, town spokesperson Marah Minor said in an email to The Lake Report.

The ambassadors project began in 2020 when the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake asked the guild to help tell visitors and residents about pandemic restrictions, Harley said.

But it became more rewarding than simply acting as a conduit for pandemic restrictions, Harley said.

“What was interesting was just meeting visitors. Greeting them, answering their questions, sharing information that probably only people who live here know so people kind of have the inside story,” she said.

“That’s what we built it on.”

All volunteers are trained to know what places in town they can recommend to curious travellers to make sure their specific interests are met and part of the funding will go toward extra training and education for volunteers, Harley said.

“There’s a lot to learn about this town,” she said.

The project has deepened her love and understanding of NOTL, Harley said.

“We live here but sometimes you don’t really appreciate how beautiful a place is until you see it through the eyes of a visitor,” she said.

Funding also will help pay for the recruitment process and cover costs for working clothes, which have the ambassador logo clearly visible.

Harley said the guild is revamping the ambassador program and will share more details on the changes in February. It hopes to have the program underway for the May long weekend.

People interested in volunteering this year can reach out to the ambassadors at info@notl-ambassadors.ca. 

The government grant also will go toward two Queen Street projects to enhance the public space. 

One of the first projects, which NOTL has committed to, is the installation of a rainbow bench on Queen Street, a move recommended by the diversity and inclusivity committee.

“Installing the bench is an excellent step to improve economic and social inclusion and demonstrate the town's dedication to inclusivity and accessibility for all,” a statement from the town says.

Minor said the bench will be installed after a location is chosen by council and the weather improves.

The other project is the installation of “creative” safety barriers around the roadside patios dotting Queen Street to “better fit the community’s aesthetic and revitalize the public space,” the release reads.

“The creative safety barriers are wine barrels filled with aggregate and topped with planting materials,” Minor said.

“My Main Street” is a $23.25 million federal program that aims to “help drive business and restore vibrancy to local communities across southern Ontario in the aftermath of COVID-19,” according to its website.

The program prioritizes projects which “support economic and social benefits for equity seeking groups, including francophones, women, Indigenous, racialized groups, Black communities, newcomers, youth (39 and under), people living with disabilities, the unhoused, low-income people, trans or non-binary people, and or LGBQ+.”