Ambassador Team

Ambassador of the Month - Congratulations to Linda Hicks!

Linda has been an Ambassador since 2023 and one of a special group of experienced volunteers who helped us launch the new mentorship program this season.

This month she topped the chart when it came to volunteer shifts.  Her favourite stations are greeting at the Kiosk and sharing her knowledge of Town history at the Court House.  We asked Linda what motivates her to donate her time as an Ambassador and here’s what she had to say:

“The role of NOTL Ambassador is a gratifying and enriching learning experience.  You have the opportunity to engage with locals and visitors from all over the world to promote what our beautiful Town has to offer.

The opening of the Court House this season has provided a different focus from kiosk shifts.  Questions and conversations in the historic building tend to focus on local history rather than what to see and do in the area.  It’s wonderful to see people appreciate the importance of history in our Town.

Both positions enable me to continually learn more about NOTL and interact with an amazing Team of volunteers.”

Thanks to a very special Partner, Konzelmann Estate Winery, Linda and 3 guests will enjoy an hour-long private tasting paired with locally sourced charcuterie in the brand new luxury style Dome overlooking the vineyard and Lake Ontario.

Thank you, Linda, for everything you do to support the Ambassadors!

Experience NOTL

Did you know

…that the cost of the Sentineal Horse and Carriage rides vary depending on the length of time and can run anywhere from $150 to $260 for 4 people.

…that the free shuttle route is from the back of the Court House to the Fort George Bus lot.  It runs on a continuous loop.  There are some park benches at the back of the building where visitors can wait for the next bus. On weekends there are 3 buses in rotation.

…that parking is $8.50 per day at Fort George and visitors can use the shuttle to get to town and back.

…if a visitor has a parking issue or ticket, they need to contact the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.  The Visitors Centre can provide a card with the phone number, address and the website where tickets can be paid or disputed.

 …the Visitors Centre has a list of Restaurants that offer vegetarian and vegan options and can print it out for visitors.  This information is also accessible by Ambassadors using the Digital Green Book.

Community Site Visits - August

Educational Community Site Visits remained a key part of the continuous learning program for Ambassadors. Thanks to wonderful partnerships, Ambassadors have now completed no fewer than 22 visits to a wide array of great places to visit around NOTL & the Niagara Parkway, including Arts & Culture, History, Wineries, & Nature at its finest.

This month, Ambassadors were exposed to the incredible history of NOTL at Fort George and experienced guided walks of Butler’s Barracks/The Commons/Heritage Trail and the Historic Waterfront/Docks. Our final visit of the season was to a hidden gem in NOTL, Queenston Pottery.

Fort George

Guided by Fort Major, Dan Laroche, Ambassadors were regaled with some of the realities of manning and living in a Fort during the War of 1812; it was captured and destroyed by the Americans in May 1813. After that, the Fort fell into ruin and was abandoned in the late 1820’s. Yet, it was only over 100 years later, in the late 1930’s, that the Fort was eventually reconstructed, and was designated as a national historic site in 1969.

Seeing the life of British Redcoat soldiers and their officers over 200 years ago was spellbinding. Regular troops were housed in the Blockhouse with multiple bunks, some having their wives & children there too, yet officers were either living in Town (rank of Captain & above) or at the Fort in a Georgian-style Cottage, with a full kitchen and dining room.  Officers in the British army were educated, cultured, and expected to live like gentlemen. They attempted to re-create the lifestyle and social standards they were accustomed to in Great Britain and their quarters reflect their background, rank, and interests.

On a sweltering morning during an unrelenting heatwave, the Fort Major & his troops were dressed in full uniform. That itself deserves absolute admiration.

Ambassadors and other visitors to the Fort were treated to a realistic and candid Musket demonstration, with the full explanation of the ‘Brown Bess’ musket, and, when it is fired, the resulting ‘fog of war’. The Fife & Drum Corps also performed. In the day, recruits could be as young as 10 years old. Their main responsibility was to beat signals. Along with a bugler, their drumbeats were the alarm clock calling soldiers to their duties at all hours. 

A memorable morning was clearly imprinted on the Ambassadors to share with visitors and encourage them to go to Fort George.

During Summer 2025 until Labour Day, national parks and historic sites have free admission, thanks to an initiative by the Federal Government. Parking at $8.50 for the day at Fort George is the best value in NOTL.

Butler’s Barracks, The Commons & Heritage Trail

The historical connections in NOTL are amazing around the time of the War of 1812. In 1814, looking to replace Fort George, British engineers began the construction of Butler’s Barracks on the plains behind Fort George to keep troops out of the range of American guns. Butler’s Barracks were named after Colonel John Butler and his Rangers, a British Loyalist military unit.

The Commons is an adjacent open land area along with a wooded area known as Paradise Grove. By 1854, there were 20 buildings situated on the site but today the only surviving buildings that can be seen are the Commissariat Stories, the Junior Commissariat Officers’ Quarters, the Men’s Barracks, and the Gun Shed.

Pre-1812, in the late 1700’s, to honour the relations with First Nations, the Commons had an Indian Council House located there; it was presented as a bounty from King George III. In 1871, the Commons passed from the Crown to the Canadian army and the area became known as ‘Camp Niagara’. It was a military training ground for British & Polish forces right through to WW1 and WW2. There has also been a racetrack and 9-hole golf course on the Commons, and in recent years, it has been the site for polo matches. An Indigenous lacrosse tournament is coming this Fall. Another unique event in 1955 was the Boy Scouts’ 1st World Jamboree.

Paradise Grove with its tall white pines was at one time a source of masts for the British Navy who built ships on the Great Lakes.

The newly designated ’Upper Canada Heritage Trail’, starting from close to King & John Streets was originally a train line serving Niagara Falls to the Docks in NOTL. The line was the brainchild of Samuel Zimmerman, an American magnate, who was instrumental in the construction of the suspension bridge over the Niagara River at the Whirlpool Rapids. The first train came through in 1854. Trains would connect with as many as 4 steamships in a day. The Erie and Ontario Railroad train initially followed a route from Chippawa via Niagara Falls but in 1863 the line was extended south to Fort Erie and then in 1873 to Buffalo, New York. The train line continued for passengers until 1927 and for freight until 1959. Today, the 10 km long Heritage Trail continues to be developed as a walking, hiking and cycling trail. It is truly a wonderful environmental initiative, and its route encompasses a variety of landscapes from urban and Carolinian forest to rural orchards and vineyards.

Another memorable morning, thanks to master-guide, Rick Meloen.

NOTL Historic Waterfront & Docks

At the Waterfront, it was master-guide Tony Chisholm who made the visit special. Starting at Ball’s Beach by the Railway Turntable & Foghorn House, Ambassadors strolled along the old railway line pathway to the Whale Inn, Gazebo, & Queens Royal Park.  The stories were fascinating throughout.

A circle of stones is all that remains of the railway locomotive turntable, and is currently being reconstructed at the present roadway. It was 60 feet (18 m) in diameter and contained a manually rotated bridge which allowed the locomotive to be turned around for its return journey. The locomotive could also be moved from the turntable to an engine house located nearby on Turntable Way. A historic plaque honours the site.

The Foghorn House was built in 1904 and the foghorn operated as a warning signal for marine vessels in the days when Niagara’s waterfront was a bustling center for the shipping industry. There were two lighthouses close by, one at the Marina and one by the Pumphouse Gallery. The foghorn operated until 1978 when it was declared redundant and fell into disrepair. The house was refurbished in 2010 and today is rented out by the Town as a vacation rental cottage.

Stories of ships floundering and sinking in Lake Ontario were common, especially in November gales and in winter. Interestingly, the ships were all named with a ‘C’ and ‘A’, such as the Chippewa….and Canada, perhaps? Guests from the ships that docked were bound for either the train, onward to Buffalo, or going to Camp Niagara, or they stopped at the elegant Queen’s Royal Hotel. In the 1860s, the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake suffered an economic blow when the county decided to relocate all legal proceedings to the Courthouse in St. Catharines. Jobs were lost, shops closed and people moved away looking for better opportunities for their families.

However, with money as compensation for the loss of the courthouse business, town council built a world class hotel — The Royal Niagara which opened in 1869 — at King and Front Streets on the shore of the Niagara River, later changing its name to the ‘Queen’s Royal Hotel’. It was first-class, becoming the destination of the very wealthy seeking the peace and tranquility of life in a small town. Its heyday continued till after WW1 with many upscale gatherings and parties. Even the Davis Cup of tennis was competed for at that site. However, after WW1 the economy shifted and the importance of the hotel diminished. The private automobile became more fashionable and people were now able to travel to other destinations for their holidays. In 1927 the Queen's Royal Hotel was slowly closed down and everything was auctioned off by 1935. Eventually, the old hotel was demolished to make way for Queen’s Royal Park.

In a corner of the park at the foot of King & Front Streets are three important NOTL landmarks….

• the iconic ‘Gazebo’, built in 1981 for a movie production of ‘Dead Zone’.

• the old ‘Whale Inn’, built in 1835 to cater to sailors and merchants arriving at the harbour. It is now a private residence,  and

• a granite monument  to ‘Solo Swims of Lake Ontario’. The first was achieved in 1954 when the legendary Marilyn Bell swam the grueling 51 km to Toronto. For guide Tony Chisholm there was personal pride, too, as his son managed the feat in 1984. Amazing!

At this location, where the Niagara River and Lake Ontario meet, visitors have wonderful views across the River of Fort Niagara in the US, and across the Lake, the outline of Toronto can be seen on a clear day.

Queenston Pottery

Our final site visit for the season took place at Queenston Pottery, a hidden gem in NOTL, and a family run business since 1978.  Each piece of stoneware is a testament to their craftsmanship and artistic dedication.  The exquisite collection includes a wide assortment of items, including dinnerware, serving platters, mugs, goblets, bowls, colanders, decorative tiles, charcuterie boards, wooden ceramic centerpieces, and more.  All products are dishwasher and microwave safe.

Our knowledgeable hosts, Rick, Lisa, and Eva (still creating beautiful pieces at the young age of 82), shared their passion for their craft and explained the lengthy process of creating these works of art.  Their love for what they do was evident as they demonstrated and explained some of the key production steps, including mixing the white clay with a pug mill, creating the striking knives and plaster molds, using the jiggering and trimming machines, the first kiln firing at 1000 degrees Celsius, glazing, and the 2nd firing at 1300 degrees Celsius.  A couple of our Ambassadors, Margie & Rick rolled up their sleeves and splendidly performed a couple of the key steps in creating a mug. Well done!

Queenston Pottery continues to expand their reach into the community (visitors and residents) with interesting and hands-on experiences and events, including:

• Free studio 15 minute drop-ins every Thursday at 10:30 am, offers guests an opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at what they are making that day

• Visiting Artist Program brings a rotating selection of painters and mixed-media artists to our gallery, offering a fresh and inspiring collection of artwork, for a 6-week period, throughout the year

• Nature Tile Creation, a 2-part workshop, offered Sep 10 - Oct 2

• Introduction to Pottery Skills & Techniques, offered Sep 15-16

• Slab to Table: Handcrafted Platters workshop, offered Sep 23-24

• Culture Days "Expressions in Clay" hands-on workshop, Sep 27

• Fall Pottery Harvest Pass - held in conjunction with Fire and Flax, and Lakeshore Pottery, on Oct 4-5

Our visit to Queenston Pottery provided a rich insight into the craftsmanship, history, and community engagement of this unique pottery studio. 
Check out theirwebsitefor more information.  You can also sign up for their newsletter, so you always have the latest information on what's happening, by sending an email to Lisa at queenstonpottery@gmail.com .

Niagara-on-the-Lake…..what a remarkable place for Ambassadors to live in, to cherish, and be proud to share with visitors.

Doors Open Niagara-on-the-Lake – October 18, 2025

The annual Doors Open event will take place in NOTL on Saturday, October 18.  It’s an opportunity for residents and visitors to explore sites of historical and cultural significance and discover the beauty and charm of our Town.  Entry to all sites is free for the day.  Link to Doors Open Website.

The Museum has asked if the Ambassadors would be willing to staff the event, at the Court House, from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, October 18.  While it’s after the close of our official season, we’re delighted to accept the invitation.  With the experience we’ve gained over the season, it will be a final opportunity for us to showcase our knowledge of the historic building.

Doors Open shifts will be released in MAP on September 9 for sign-up.  There will be three shifts starting at 10 am and ending at 5 pm.  Watch for the notice and join us to bid a fond farewell to the Court House for the 2025 season.     

Resources

New Communication Tool in the Lounge

The latest addition to the Lounge space is a new white board.  It’s a place where we can feature what’s new and you can share highlights from your shift - maybe there was a question you had difficulty answering (like the one about parking meters in the photo), a fascinating story from a visitor, or simply a comment about your shift you’d like to share.  With your help, we’ll keep it current as a “go to” place for new information, reminders and comments.

Court House Defibrillator

Did you know there is a defibrillator located on the main floor hallway of the Court House?  It can be a life-saving tool for anyone experiencing a potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia.  As Ambassadors, our role in an emergency situation is to call 911 and then remain until help arrives.  But it’s important to know where the   defibrillator is located and that a QR code is available with a quick demonstration of how the machine works.  The defibrillator itself is designed to guide a user through the process with voice prompts and visual instructions.  A member of the public or a person trained in CPR may be available to use the device and help save a life.   

Need help signing up for shifts?

Remember that the user interface for the MAP "application" (normally accessed on your phone) is slightly different that the MAP "website" (normally accessed on your computer), and that may sometimes cause confusion when trying to find shifts to sign up for.
Click here to access the How To guide for MAP shifts.  We are always here to answer any questions you may have!

Contact Us

If you have any comments or questions about the Communications you receive, please send an email to kathryn@notl-ambassadors.ca