FlyingScooter

From the Erie Times. Conneaut Lake campers have summer of discontent BY JIM CARROLL jim.carroll@timesnews.com [more details] Published: July 01. 2007 6:00AM MEADVILLE -- Some of Conneaut Lake Park's most loyal fans are, quite literally, not happy campers. Most of the financially troubled amusement park has not opened for the season. One exception is Camperland -- an area directly across the road from the amusement park where a cadre of loyal seasonal campers live out of their RVs every weekend -- just as most of them have been doing year after year. They keep driving up for weekend or weeklong visits from places like Pittsburgh, Butler and New Castle, but this has clearly become the summer of their discontent. "We are paying good money to be here, and there is nothing to do -- nothing for the kids to do," said Frank Miller, a retiree from Butler, as he took a break from repairing a granddaughter's bicycle. "The place is empty. It is really sad," Miller said. "They don't have anything (stocked) in the store. Look at what they have for a playground. That is all there is for the kids." John Petrovich, a retiree from Pittsburgh who has been such a fixture at the park that fellow campers have kiddingly nicknamed him "the mayor," said campers have picked up the maintenance chores that the park staff is no longer around to do. "We have been mowing the grass. We have painted the fence. We are doing it all on our own," Petrovich said. "The campers have been taking care of the place," said Miller. "The thing is, we are all like family here." Miller brought classic cars up for the park's cruise-ins, but now that has ended as well. "I think they are sitting on a gold mine, and they don't know how to dig it," Miller said. Many of Conneaut Lake's seasonal campers have built porches and decks on the RVs and trailers that become their weekend homes. "We love it here. It's a great place," said Peggy Maglisco, a Pittsburgh-area resident whose family has been made the park their summer camp for 13 years. But nonetheless, a "For Sale" sign hangs on the font of her cottage. "With what's going on, it is tough to sell," she said. Maglisco said campers still boat and fish, "but now it's getting boring for younger people." Petrovich and his wife, Barb, said they would like to see the park separated from the campgrounds and their seasonal rents reinvested in the camping area. "They have just been taking our money and throwing it away in the park. We aren't getting anything for it," Barb Petrovich said. Barb Petrovich said campers are worried what happens when the park's liability insurance runs out later this week. "What happens then?" she asks. Campers say they hope the park's new board of trustees can right the park and restore the experience that has brought them back year after year. I sure hope someone has been taking care of the 'dump Station'...

I guess that depends on your eyesight. I've ridden it a few times and enjoyed it. I've often wondered why some people would say that it takes like chicken while exiting the ride.

Wow, there's actually a show on Discovery that isn't narrated by Mike Rowe!

Kings Island Proudly announces their New Parking Lot X-treme Sports arena: The Bam Magera X-perience!

Rumor has it that Geauga Lake might actually hit 17% of capacity this 4th of July, shattering its Memorial day record of 3%! "Cars in the parking lot don't lie..." said Nathaniel Yoder, an Amish cheese maker. "When you can count all the cars with your fingers and toes and don't have to borrow anyone elses, that's not many."

Okay, why wasn't THIS handled before.... Without insurance, parked will be marked off limits By Jane Smith 06/28/07 — “No Trespassing” signs will go up at Conneaut Lake Park come Friday morning unless its insurance company grants an extension for the park to pay its $28,000 liability insurance premium — or somebody comes up with the money to pay it. “We have no money to pay the premium,” said court-appointed overseer LeRoy Stearns. That means anybody who is not a homeowner at the park could be cited for defiant trespass and face criminal charges if they are on any park property. That will include groups of partiers who have reportedly used the park’s beach in recent weeks, as well as visitors who have freely roamed or driven through the property of the closed-down amusement park. Stearns said a call will be made to the insurance company this morning to determine if it would extend the payment due date until the new board of directors is named. A call wasn’t made earlier because there was some discussion being held by other parties which would have allowed the money to be raised to pay that bill. However, those discussions ended unsuccessful Wednesday, so George Deshner, director of operations at the park, will now make today’s phone call. The new board is expected to be named by Crawford County Court of Common Pleas Judge Anthony Vardaro on or before July 6. Stearns asked to have the overseer’s position terminated and to be removed from office after his attempt to sell 3.3 acres of land to pay down part of the debt and give the park money to open fell through. The park now is closed. The court approved the request and sought applications for appointment. Between 11 and 13 members are to be appointed; they then will assume control of the park’s operations. The insurance premium was due last month, but the park was given a 30-day extension with hopes that enough funds would be raised to pay it. However, that hasn’t happened. “I have to protect the trust,” said Stearns of his reason for posting the signs, particularly in response to recent activities at the park. Concerns were raised about people having parties on the beach and using alcohol last weekend. “As long as I am court custodian, I will not allow alcohol on the beach,” he said, citing the liability issues the park could face if problems occurred. “Once the new board takes over, that will be their decision.” In addition, Stearns has been advised of some reported vandalism at the park, and more security has been added. He is uncertain what will happen to campers at Camperland who now are at the recreational grounds, noting that property, like the amusement park across the road from it, will be posted “No Trespassing.” Should the insurance company grant an extension, there will be no need to post the signs because there will be liability insurance to cover any accidents. Stearns said that decision should be known by the end of today. While the trustees will be in charge of the daily operations, they still will have to go to Crawford County Court of Common Pleas for any approval regarding any changes such as leasing or selling park property because the park is a charitable trust. It was declared a charitable trust following a lawsuit filed in 1998 by Dana Watson against the former Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park. All i can say is: Wow....

Minnie Driver: The Riches. currently but back when: Florence Henderson: Brady Bunch all the way.

Wow, the exact same thing happens to the employees at Disneyworld. But hardly anyone complains about them. It is their job to be professional, they are being paid to provide the best possible guest experience to the people who spent money to get in the park. Thanks Wes, I couldn't have said it better myself. Where I work, if a boss or a site mgr pull a call and you're not professional, or you get rude with a customer, you get fired. There's no grey area about it. Just as 'The Tape' can prove you're not lying customers, it can surely hang you as fast.

^Don't forget ExpoLand's and GL's Raging Wolf Bobs derailments.

I think it's too early in the season to jump to that. Last year we had the same discussion and someone pulled some stats showing there's been a marked decrease in incidents. But yeah, it isn't good. My thoughts and prayers go to her family.

That is a great pic! I like the guy in the front seat: Now Everyone repeat after me. OOOOHHHH MY NECK AND MY BACK!

^my question is: Do they get the Govt' money before they begin or after the jobs completed and inspected? If they get the money after it's completed, where will they get the money to build this facility? Per their own policy, they will not borrow any more money, for anything. This grant is for 500k , per http://www.meadvilletribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_160001421.html and Stearns hadn't signed... as of 06/09/2007

Why not. It requires team work, athletic ability, balance and strength. I'd consider that more of a sport that fishing or dog shows.

GL's Mind Eraser/Headspinoffyourshouderswithasplittingmigraine. Never again!

The differences between people will always keep threads like this interesting. Last weekend, my girlfriend and her son went to the Creation Museum in KY. They said it was great. Why didn't I go? Easy: there's no point to going on a four to five hour drive just to debate points from people that will not change their opinions. Had i gone to that museum, i would've disagreed with a lot of it. Doesn't mean I'm not a Christian. There's just certain parts of both Creationism and Evolution that, to me, make no sense.

I bet if the mother had checked the drink before the kid drank it, she'd have told the waitress to being her kid a double.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_pool Without proper safeguards, you can get sucked or in some cases, pinned to the grating by the inlet suction. A kid at Geauga Lake was killed in their wave pool a few years ago.

^Maybe they're throw G-trains on the Dipper like they did RWB. (I hope not, though. ) A friend of mine is 6'4" and he had problems with BD's seats.

I'll have to listen to O&A on the drive home. (that's when it airs in Cleveland)

People around here talk about rush hour traffic being bad. What I want to know is, about 50% of the people in cleveland don't work, so where is this traffic going to or coming from during rush hour?

Hey Joe: (i think that's the name) Jimi Hendrix.

^just curious, but how crowded was the park? Every time I drive by it, the lots aren't even 25% full, which is not good. Glad you had a good time there.

T-minus 7 more and counting.... 24 passengers injured, (ride accidents.com). Ouch. that's probably 1/3 of the total guests. We went by there Friday, 40-50 cars parked on ride side, 10-15 on wet side. This was at 3-4 pm.

I may never look at a woman in a white sweater again after seeing that... WTF???? Sort of makes rethink Pinocchio... a demonic Pinocchio....