St. Catharines Standard, November 23, 2009
by Karen Walter, Standard Staff
Retracing the footsteps of Laura Secord's historic trek or Major General Sir Isaac Brock's last ride is something an estimated 10.8 million Americans are interested in doing, the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council says.
Attracting those visitors has been made easier with an interactive website officially launched Tuesday by the nonprofit organization.
"You can plan your whole trip and you can virtually take the whole trip," said chief exec-u tive officer Vincent Del Buono.
Over the next year, the website at www.discover1812.com will be the organization's principal marketing tool.
Del Buono said the council hopes to reach the large number of people surveyed who said they would definitely or probably attend a bicentennial event for 1812.
Surveys have found that people within one day's driving distance have the greatest interest in the war's bicentennial, he said. Residents in New York City are also interested, but getting New Yorkers to Niagara presents more of a challenge.
The non-profit council was created to increase public awareness and participation in the bicentennial on both sides of the border.
The website was made possible with grants from Ontario Tourism and the Trillium Foundation.
The site features a history section with an overview of the war in Niagara, upcoming events, a virtual museum in the works and shop.
The site also has an interactive map with 125 points of historical interest.
Those highlights are organized into six trails for visitors, such as that famous trek by Laura Secord.
Source: St. Catharines Standard