Conneaut Lake Park closed...

seedspreader · #1 05/23/07, 03:26 PM

That stinks. I loved that place.

Guess not enough people go places like that vs. Geauga Lake, Cedar Point, Six Flags, etc.

http://www.titusvilleherald.com/arti...ews/news02.txt

Quote:

Conneaut Lake Park won't open this summer

By Jane Smith
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 10:32 PM CDT

CONNEAUT LAKE - For all but a few hours, 115-year-old Conneaut Lake Park apparently will lie silent this summer, perhaps forever.

The amusement park will not open, officials announced Tuesday, and almost every event for 2007, including this weekend's DoWopp Festival, has been canceled.

The only exceptions to the canceled events are at Camperland, which will be open to honor reservations through Monday; and a wedding booked at Hotel Conneaut for June 2, according to court-appointed overseer LeRoy Stearns.

Stearns said the wedding will be catered, and the hotel has been cleaned and is ready for the 100 guests who have made reservations. “We will honor that wedding,” he said.

The closure affects all aspects of the park's operation, including public and privately-booked events at Hotel Conneaut, the Beach Club, picnics and all other activities.

Faced with three days until opening day, but with no money, Stearns announced the closing at 11 a.m. Tuesday - one day after park officials were told that a local businessman wanted to make an offer to help keep the park open.

Mike in Ohio · #2 05/23/07, 03:37 PM

Sad.

Question...where do things stand for the June get-together?

Mike

Michael W. Smith · #3 05/23/07, 03:47 PM

I've been reading for several years that Conneaut has been having financial difficulty. If memory serves right, somebody had bought them out a few years back and every year was struggling to keep it open.

Conneaut was a nice place, but has not been updated for years. New rides which gives newer thrills is what brings people back to Kennywood Park and other amusement parks.

But if you are already struggling just trying to stay afloat, building new rides is hard to do. I wonder what will eventually happen to the property and the history it has had?

tiffnzacsmom · #4 05/23/07, 07:57 PM

I want to cry, my grandfather went there as a boy, took my kids there nearly every summer so far. Heck, my kids perfer Conneaut to Kennywood or Idlewild because its so small you can ride again and again.

keljonma · #5 05/23/07, 09:34 PM

My parents grew up going to Kennywood but always took us to Conneaut Lake instead. We used to take our kids too. What a rush of good memories. How sad. http://www.conneautlakepark.com/

brownthumb · #6 05/23/07, 09:51 PM

I grew up about 10 miles south of the park and spent many days there as a youngster. I was there two years ago for a visit and was actually surprised that it was still open.That whole area in northwestern PA has been in an economic depression since the early 70's. All the mills and factories shut down. Most everyone I went to high school with left the area to find jobs or go to college. I am the oldest of 6. Only one sibling still resides in the area.
Conneaut Lake Park is a historic shrine but even the local governments are bankrupt and there is little chance it will be rescued. It is truly a shame.
Property taxes in the area are high with no income base to support basic services such as road maintenance, water supplies, and school systems.
They need help but you know the old saying, "It takes money to make money."

tammy from wv · #7 05/24/07, 05:55 PM

What a shame! I have many fond memories of the place from when I was a kid. I remember The Blue Streak was the first roller coaster I ever went on. What a thrill it was back then. I grew up not too far from there and remember the company picnics our family used to go to as a a child. What a shame they can't come up with the funding to keep it open somehow.

teresab · #8 05/25/07, 03:44 PM

It is so sad..they have tried so hard for so long to keep the place going. I always loved it there too. My dad used to work for Sylvania in Warren and they had their shop picnics there. That was our big treat for the summer. The "Wild Mouse" used to scare the heck out of me!!

Well if anyone needs a nice smaller park come up to Erie and visit Waldameer. http://www.waldameer.com/

Also Midway park near Jamestown,NY was very nice last time I was there and close to the goings on at the Chautauqua Institution, http://ciweb.org/

HomesteadBaker · #9 05/25/07, 10:42 PM

I didn't figure the park would open this year. Sad, I grew up going to CLP every summer. My high school even had field trips there... it was great.

ZYG.... are you close to Titusville, PA? Just curious, not many people would link to the Titusville Herald. I grew up near T'ville..... my Mom still lives there.

Kitty

seedspreader · #10 05/25/07, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomesteadBaker

I didn't figure the park would open this year. Sad, I grew up going to CLP every summer. My high school even had field trips there... it was great.

ZYG.... are you close to Titusville, PA? Just curious, not many people would link to the Titusville Herald. I grew up near T'ville..... my Mom still lives there.

Kitty

moving over to youngsville to start a church... been keeping up on the area with the herald and the times-observer

HomesteadBaker · #11 05/25/07, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZealYouthGuy

moving over to youngsville to start a church... been keeping up on the area with the herald and the times-observer

Small world! My maternal grandmother was born and raised in Youngsville. It is a nice quiet place to live. My cousin Colleen does all the ads for the Titusville Herald, so if you need anything she is the one to talk to, the newspaper also has a church listings page that you can list your church on. I believe it is free to the churches because it is sponsored by advertising.

Good luck with your church!

Kitty

seedspreader · #12 05/25/07, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomesteadBaker

Small world! My maternal grandmother was born and raised in Youngsville. It is a nice quiet place to live. My cousin Colleen does all the ads for the Titusville Herald, so if you need anything she is the one to talk to, the newspaper also has a church listings page that you can list your church on. I believe it is free to the churches because it is sponsored by advertising.

Good luck with your church!

Kitty

LOL, I've correspond via email with Colleen a bit. They (the herald) were a little confused when I began asking for weekly rates for advertising... LOL.

moosemaniac · #13 05/26/07, 04:49 AM

There is a group trying to raise funds to open, but it doesn't look hopeful. I guess there's always Waldameer. ;-)

Ruth

coryy · #14 05/26/07, 06:29 AM

awwwwwwww!
living in cleveland, we always went to geauga lake, until six flags bought it and ruined it. We'd been taking the kids with summer birthdays to CLP instead, it was so nice and small and old-fashioned. My mom especially loved it, she she grew up and raised us within a mile of Euclid Beach, and it reminded her of that. sigh. makes me feel old.

Pony · #15 05/26/07, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moosemaniac

There is a group trying to raise funds to open, but it doesn't look hopeful. I guess there's always Waldameer. ;-)

Ruth

Any idea on how to contact the group? Not that I'm from the area, or ever even went to the park, but we lost Riverview and Santa's Village here in the Chicago area, and I hate to see old relics fall.

I'm thinking, nationwide campaign, lots of internet exposure... asking anyone who ever went to the park to send in the price of admission from when they were kids or something... Dollars add up quickly when they're attached to good memories...

Hey! A dollar per memory?

Pony!