Niagara Falls

that sense of community and belonging through- out the city.” BVM: What technological and green advance- ments have you initiated? Diodati: “Originally, the city of Niagara Falls and three other municipalities in our region wanted to find a way to provide high-speed fiber optic cable for the MUSH section (Municipalities, Universities, Schools, Hospitals), so we started the Niagara Regional Broadband Network. From there, we expanded into the commercial sector, and kept expanding so much that we’ve had the big companies try to buy us out several times. But we’re not in it for the money.We’re in it for the long haul for economic development. “Fiber optic has gone from a luxury to a ne- cessity.When you buy a house, you assume there is high-speed connectivity along with regular utilities, so we’re also doing wireless.We’ve since bought out two of the three municipalities, but we keep reinvesting to make it bigger, better, and available to everyone.We want to bring high- speed to areas that can’t afford it. This business is NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO something we’re happy to own and grow; it brings great rewards through economic development and other ways. “On the ‘green’ side,we spent $4 million to upgrade the old sodium lighting on the Falls.The problemwith LED technology–it had not come far enough to throw light that far and through the mist. So,we did a world- wide Request for Proposals and narrowed it down to a Japanese company with equipment made in California. It’s been so successful; we got a 300 percent increase in intensity, a massive range of new colors, and no dead spots. By putting the lights behind the mist, you can now see more of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls than ever before.The effects that are possible in this digital age are spectacular, and operating costs are reduced because it uses significantly less electricity to create the lighting.We’ve also changed our city street light to LED.All around,we’re more sustainable.” BVM: What major projects are on the horizon for