Free touch-a-truck and family safety fair event Saturday at Niagara Power Vista

Members of the public can sign up to test drive an electric car 

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will hold a touch-a-truck event on Saturday, June 10, displaying dozens of official and heavy equipment vehicles and allowing members of the public to test drive electric vehicles outside the Niagara Power Vista at the Niagara Power Project.

The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Niagara Power Vista, 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston.

Organizers said, “Learn about safety in the community and on the job, and enjoy activities and demonstrations.”

NYPA will display numerous trucks and heavy equipment vehicles used to perform daily tasks at the Niagara Power Project, including:

√ 175- and 15-ton cranes

√ Wheeled excavator

√ Mini excavator

√ Dump truck

√ Skid steer

√ Lawn-cutting equipment

√ Abei slope mower

√ Semi-tractor truck

√ Hybrid bucket truck

NYPA will also host a public electric vehicle test drive at the event, featuring a wide variety of electric cars including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Tesla Model Y and other popular electric cars from various manufacturers. Educational representatives will be available to discuss methods of charging EVs at home, work and in public. Anyone interested in test driving an electric vehicle can use the link to register: nypa.evnavigator.com/lewiston. Sign-ups will also be taken at the event, if space is available.

The New York State Canals will feature its popular Model Lock.

A press release stated, “The Model Lock symbolizes the 57 locks on the NYS canal system today – 35 on the Erie Canal alone. Locks are used to lift and lower boats when there is an elevation change. The model lock works just like a real lock only much smaller. All the locks on the canals are 300 feet long and 45 feet wide. Approximately every 10 feet inside a lock contains 1 million gallons of water.”

New York’s Department of Transportation will showcase a large plow truck, front end loader, and Gradall – a wheeled excavator. The DOT maintains the state highways in Niagara County, including pavement maintenance, drainage problems and repair, sign and guiderail maintenance, vegetation maintenance, and traffic signal maintenance.

Niagara County Sheriff’s Office deputies will provide information on various vehicles on display from the department’s fleet, including an armored assault vehicle, cruisers and a marine patrol vessel.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority will have an electric bus and bus tow vehicle on display.

Electric Mayhem, a group of the first six robotics teams based at Nichols School in Buffalo, will have demonstrations. The team has 112 students in the program from grades 5-12. In addition to competing in local and national contests, the team does between 1,200 and 1,500 hours of STEM outreach every year.

Other exhibitors include:

√ Upper Mountain Fire Co.

√ United Materials

√ Niagara Falls Fire Department’s Fire Safety House from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

√ New York State Police

√ Lewiston Police Department and its K-9 officer

√ WNY Trackless Train

√ Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station

Visitors are also encouraged to explore the Niagara Power Vista exhibits, including a simulated ride and build-a-dam stations. Visitors can also ride the Discover Niagara Shuttle to other area attractions during the event.

For more information about the event, email [email protected] or call 716-286-6661. Visit www.discoverniagarashuttle.com for more information about the shuttle times and routes.

About the Niagara Power Vista

The Niagara Power Vista is a free, hands-on science playground at the Niagara Power Project with more than 50 state-of-the-art interactive exhibits. Operated by the New York Power Authority, the visitor center is designed for inquisitive minds of all ages with special emphasis on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) concepts and careers. Visitors can experience a virtual rollercoaster, build a dam, operate a power plant, run the state grid, watch digital portraits of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison debate the benefits of alternating and direct current, and enjoy 350-foot-high views from an observation deck above the Niagara River.

The Power Vista is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, excluding some holidays, with free parking. It is located at 5777 Lewiston Road (Route 104).