Birdair Canopies Enhance Niagara Falls’ Hornblower Ticketing Plaza

Birdair’s scope of work included design, fabrication, supply and installation of two new PTFE membrane sail canopies, totaling 3,600 square feet. The canopies are located at the plaza, welcoming customers looking to buy tickets for the boat tour. Intended to provide shade and protection from the weather, the design of the PTFE sail-shaped canopies was influenced by the boating and nautical experience of being on the river in the Niagara Gorge.

“Birdair’s innovative PTFE membrane canopies add beauty and protection to the Hornblower ticketing plaza—an iconic structure for an iconic waterfall,” said Michele Roth, Business Development Manager, Birdair North America. “This lightweight membrane provides cost-effective and elegant designs because it requires less structural steel to support the structure. In addition, the membrane typically offers building owners reduced construction and maintenance costs compared to traditional building materials.”

The ticketing plaza was designed by Chapman Murray Associates Architects, Inc. with engineering firm, Urban & Environmental Management, Inc. and general contractor Hornblower Canada Co..  Hornblower tapped Birdair for their design and installation expertise as well as their unique PTFE membrane canopies. PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene, is a Teflon®-coated woven fiberglass membrane that is extremely durable and weather resistant. The PTFE fiberglass membrane canopies will provide guests with much-needed comfort and protection from the elements.

“The team from Birdair were a pleasure to work with”, said Brian Stewart, Vice President of Development with The Hornblower Companies. “From sales through design and construction, I felt confident we were working with experienced professionals. Well done!”

World Class Boating

Started over 30 years ago in Berkeley, California, Hornblower is widely known as the most experienced, versatile and accomplished maritime company in the United States. Hornblower’s 35 distinctive yachts pass by famed landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Diego skyline and the glittering coastal landscapes of Los Angeles. In 2012, Hornblower won a 30-year bid with The Niagara Parks Commission, an Operational Enterprise Agency of the Canadian Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport to become the official operator of boat tours to the waterfalls of Niagara Falls, Canada.

With two catamarans and over 150 new employees, Hornblower Niagara Cruises officially opened its doors on May 15, 2014. Throngs of people poured into the ticketing plaza, beautifully appointed with Birdair’s canopies.

Materially Superior

The sail-shaped canopies are made of Birdair’s PTFE fiberglass membrane. PTFE fiberglass membranes can be installed in climates ranging from the frigid arctic to the scorching desert heat with a project life in some cases exceeding 30 years.

PTFE fiberglass coating is chemically inert and capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. The low-surface free energy of the material creates a surface which is readily cleaned by rainwater. It is also completely immune to UV radiation. This unique combination of inertness, thermal stability and surface properties make Birdair’s PTFE-coated fabric membrane ideal for projects requiring superior weather and fire resistance.

Teflon® is a registered trademark of E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company, Delaware.