Mayor, Police, Citizen Reflect on Crash

Thursday, 23 November 2023 at 13:02

By Geoff Waterfield

Many wondering when the chance to return over the Niagara River would come, after car crashed into customs

A St. Catharines woman shopping in New York for a friend's wedding recalls a nervous afternoon after the border between Canada and the US was closed, caused after a car crashed into the customs area of the Rainbow Bridge.

Meghan Stokes heard of the closure during lunch, and tells us the first thing that went through her mind... getting her kids from school.

"So, my sister actually picked them up, which was good. And then my girlfriend, struggled with anxiety, so she was in a panic, because she had left her dog home all day, so, we were all worried about everything."

She adds they didn't bother looking for a hotel like many others, chancing the border would open in a decent time.

But, they still kept busy. "We actually went back into Walmart and bought water, and stuff, in case we were stuck all night. A lot of people we ran into were even booking a hotel."

Niagara Falls Mayor was reflecting on the impact a day like yesterday has.

Jim Diodati is crediting communication between Canada and the US, adding sometimes we take things for granted until we lose them. "The fact that we've got the world's longest unmilitarized border, and the fact that it's been that way for hundreds of years, we're really grateful. And sometimes we take it for granted. So, I think today we're a little more appreciative that we've got the symbiotic relationship with our family and friends to the south."

The mayor adds if there wasn't a great flow of information between law enforcement, the amount of misinformation would have been worse than it was.

Meanwhile, Niagara Regional police made sure travelers from the US were able to find their way around the region.

Constable Phil Gavin says with major road closures, international travelers can get lost in residential areas. "Certainly impactful, and when we can try and communicate out, we rely on drivers to, if they have devices with them, to try and find the best routes, or, in this case, if they wanted to get into the States, they're going to have to find ways to pass some time in Niagara."

He added the public and media's desire for information will always be faster than what police can provide.