“Area’s Finest Tourist Centre Is Opened At Chippawa” boasted the headline in the Review newspaper of June 16, 1959. The large, comfortable resort was located on the Niagara Parkway, across from Kingsbridge Park and the Chippawa Creek. It featured modern motel facilities and included a restaurant (dine-in and curbside service), souvenir shop, dairy bar, swimming pool, mini golf and a games area. Units were air conditioned, with brick walls and autumn-toned draperies.
In 1989, Dino Dicienzo (the owner) applied for a zoning amendment to allow two 14-storey towers to be built on the four acre property. City council rejected the zoning change, and passed an interim bylaw blocking any building on the site for a year. The new bylaw was contested, and the zoning decision was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
Two years later, the OMB ruled in favour of the Mr. Dicienzo, but the tourism market had softened, and the Inn’s expansion was put on hold. Today (2018), the Inn on the Parkway is closed.