Coveney named Niagara Parks chair as marina rebuild advances
February 28, 2026 at 5:16 AM
The Ontario government has appointed Graham Coveney as chair of the Niagara Parks Commission board, the agency that manages parkland along the Niagara River corridor. Coveney succeeds Bob Gale, who left the role after his December 2025 appointment as Niagara regional chair.
Graham Coveney served as Niagara Parks vice-chair since January 11, 2024, and previously served as a commissioner from 2019 to 2022. His chair appointment took effect February 12, 2026. Credit: Niagara Parks Commission“I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue to help lead this great organization, along with the excellent team we have,” Coveney said in a release from Niagara Parks.
His appointment comes as Niagara Parks advances projects along the south Niagara Parkway, including a major redevelopment of the Fort Erie marina property at Miller’s Creek. The waterfront site, operated by Niagara Parks since the 1960s, sits along the upper Niagara River shoreline and functions as the only marina on the Canadian side of that stretch of river.
Niagara Parks plans to invest up to $19 million to redevelop the marina into a recreation waterfront destination with expanded public access. Plans include more than 200 dock slips, a new restaurant with outdoor patio space, a retail component, expanded fishing access, charter infrastructure, and a public boat launch.
“We are very excited about the focus that the province has put on Niagara through its recognition of the significant opportunities to build on and expand a vibrant tourism sector,” Mayor Wayne Redekop said in a December news release.
Fort Erie’s waterfront already supports boating, fishing charters, cycling traffic along the Niagara River Recreation Trail, and cross-border tourism tied to Buffalo and the western New York shoreline.
Expansion of docking capacity and shoreline amenities adds infrastructure directly on the town’s riverfront rather than concentrating activity closer to Niagara Falls. The project also introduces additional public shoreline access in a part of Niagara Parks’ land that has historically had more limited recreational infrastructure compared with the northern end of the parkway.
Coveney takes over the commission as the province advances its Destination Niagara Strategy, an ongoing investment and marketing plan intended to position the region as a year-round tourism market. Niagara Parks is expected to implement elements of that strategy, including waterfront projects, parkland improvements, and visitor infrastructure.
“There are many exciting things ahead for Niagara Parks,” said Coveney.
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About The Author
Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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