Go Deep!

Deeper and Deeper at CNP
Frank Flake had to yell for the eight of us visitors to hear. The noise was deafening here in the bowels of the Canadian Niagara Power generating structure. Ken Benner had arranged with Frank for this “in depth” tour and that’s what it had become. I tried to tape record over the noise not so successfully at times.
What a setting for a scary movie! Dark, dank and dreary - a monster could step out anytime. Cheerful Frank was so enthusiastic about his place of work that he dispelled any fears we might have had. We could see into the forebay to our east, facing out on the rapids above the Horseshoe Falls. Frank explained and then answered some of Ken Benner and Bud Henninghan’s questions.
On the west wall the stone masonry was extremely well done and remained in tact all these years. “That’s the work of Scottish stone masons.” Flake stated. Like the ancient walls created by the fine skills of Inca masons the stones fitted perfectly with one another. Stone repair work was being done by skilled workers of Italian descent on the east side. Flake remarked, “The men working here admire the work across the way.” I had not brought a camera for this memorable trip. I wish that I had.
We descended down even lower to the final level. Dampness was every where. On the railings and walls as we carefully walked down. There was just enough light to guide our way. Phantom of the Opera fans would love this place. This level was even more scary than the level above.. C’mon, with cheerful Frank Flake leading what did we have to fear. Ken Benner nudged me and said that even the gals seem to enjoy this trip and they were. This was a thrill we had never experienced.
“November of 1907 was the beginning here,” Frank said. I could just barely hear his voice over the din of the water. Ninety years old and still producing electrical power for us Fort Erieans, amazing! Actually it was 1910 that he said that all of Fort Erie could receive power.
Mr.Flake pointed to an oil bath surrounding one of the eleven turbines in operation. The water going through here at such great speed, boils, and needs the oil to reduce friction and heat. I asked what kind of oil. 10W30? Just joking. It is, however, a special kind of oil accommodating high pressures and temperatures that is utilized. “We have to check the oil levels continually Flake emphasized.
Water was splashing on us from the rotating turbines. Wooden wedges were used to maintain the correctness of the shaft and they too were inspected by the men of Flake’s work force.
At this time Frank said over the roar, “ The water comes from the forebay, hits the water wheel here and goes back into the river. All the water for the plant comes from here. In the forebay we have an electrically driven pump that we haven’t had to use. We check the water before it goes back into the Niagara for chemical content. That last tank is the most important one for from it we finally send the water back to the river. We regularly analyze our water from it.”
Frank told of deer and human bodies that have ended in the forebay. That’s not a pleasant story but you can see how it can occur. Gates on the river are opened to divert the water into the plant. Objects are drawn into the forebay.
Frank Flake is a technician and Ken Benner who has a strong mechanical aptitude could appreciate his description of this operation. Again I could only pick up bits and pieces on my little tape recorder. Still we all found the walk through very interesting and informative.
Repairs to the system was described by our guide and its involves quite some operations of blocking off the water flow in order to repair a column. Remember this isn’t a Sir Adam Beck power plant but Frank pointed out this, “At our discharge tunnel there was a lot of erosion and we had to have a big plate fabricated by Horton Steel of Fort Erie that reinforced that arch at the opening.” In fact we were given an over view of the entire
system. We saw how the system existed before the weir was put in. Ken Benner continued to ask many good questions and our host gladly supplied answers. We had spent well over three hours inside a place I thought I’d never see. Thanks Frank Flake of Canadian Niagara Power for a most thorough “slice” of our local history. It was well worth it.
Retired people continue to be curious about our local surroundings. Those still employed look for “slices” of local history and take advantage of your free time when you can.