Exploring what was left of Pyramid Place, or the Niagara Falls IMAX theatre, in the heart of the tourist district.
Pyramid Place had stood at the corner of Robinson Street and Fallsview Boulevard for 101 years, seeing use as a wire weaving factory, an amusement park, night clubs, tourist shops and an IMAX theater. The theater was in the early stages of being demolished to make room for a 12-storey hotel.
Join me and fellow explorer Cole Morningstar as we wander through the only remaining building left, the former Niagara Falls IMAX Theatre, just days before it came crashing down.
This property was constructed in 1919 as the Niagara Wire Weaving Company, producing thin, flexible wire mesh that was shipped to paper mills across the world.
The factory closed in 1974 and a part of the building was demolished, however a large section remained and was reborn five years later as a tourist attraction.
One year later it underwent an expansion to add attractions and children’s activities, called Kids Place. Amusement park rides were added to the parking lot in 1981 – To everyone in Niagara Falls, it was called Pyramid Place
It was never a financial success, however, and the facility closed in 1983. A fire the next year caused $50,000 in damage to the property.
The namesake of the property, the Pyramid was transformed into a movie theater in 1987 and exclusively ran one movie for 35 years – Niagara Miracles, Myths and Magic.
A low budget, 41 minute visual tour through the history of City of Niagara Falls from the early aboriginals and the legend of the Maid of the Mist, to the many daredevils who successfully and unsuccessfully attempted to go over the falls in barrels to other larger than life tales, such as the time Roger Woodward, a 7 year old boy survived an accidental plunge over the horseshoe falls in 1960.
In 1998, the theater hosted a sold-out screening of “Titanic,” introduced by director James Cameron as part of the first Niagara Film Festival, James Cameron is a native of Niagara Falls.
In 2000, the theater underwent a $3 million upgrade which added a six-channel surround-sound system to its six-storey screen; the IMAX Theater at Pyramid Place attracted about 350,000 people per year.
The IMAX theater also held a complete collection of almost every barrel (or a replica barrel) that went over the Horesehoe Falls during the almost 90 years of random daredevil attempts.
The former Pyramid Place and Niagara Falls IMAX Theatre site will be the new home of, you guessed it, a 12 storey hotel.
The new Hilton Garden Inn will offer 230 rooms within walking distance to all of the major attractions Niagara Falls has to offer.
