Saving Whalom Park? Again???

[robbalvey]

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/archives/ci_5331078

 

LEOMINSTER -- It will cost $15 million for members of The New Whalom Park Ownership Program to build a completed rendition of the former Lunenburg attraction, according to the group's chairman, Scott Lanciani.

 

The group, which is looking to rebuild Whalom Park in Leominster, hopes to get half of the money from individuals and the rest from corporate sponsorship, Lanciani said.

 

"We're not expecting to get the $15 million overnight," Lanciani said Wednesday. "We might have to do loans to begin." Lanciani said the group has 12 pledged shares -- and growing interest -- for the reconstruction of the park, which was torn down in 2000. Each share is $2,500.

 

"I'm actually pledging two shares," said Lanciani, a custodian in the Leominster school district.

 

But Lanciani said developing a business plan is key to getting sponsorship as well as Leominster officials' support.

 

Leominster Economic Development Coordinator Scott Amos said last week that city officials are interested in seeing a business plan. Mayor Dean Mazzarella also said last week that he is eager to help the group.

 

Ted Ollikkala, a marketing advisor in Singapore, has also taken an interest. Ollikkala is a former Lunenburg resident who used to work at the park.

 

"I will be meeting the group on March 17, 2007, and working intensively with (Amos) during the entire month of March," Ollikkala wrote in an e-mail to the Sentinel & Enterprise.

 

Ollikkala will offer marketing suggestions to the group, which will have a business plan professionally prepared. It will take about four months to finalize, according to Ollikkala.

 

And Ollikkala wants to invest money in the project as well.

 

"I will likely purchase several shares, depending on the limit set by the group at future meetings," he wrote.

 

One of the group's major obstacles is finding land to rebuild the park. A plot of land big enough for a park is scarce in the city, Amos said.

 

 

I just don't get it about this park. When I visited prior to the park closing, the place was a DUMP and it just seemed like a ghost town. It was only one step above Williams Grove.

 

Don't these people understand that the park closed for a REASON. If there was interest in a local park from the community, it would have been a thriving business in the first place.

 

Just doesn't make much sense to me....

 

--Robb

[Canobie Fan]

Yeah that has been going around for a few months now. People had been talking about it for some time over on my site as I have a subarea for whalom on CanobieFan.

 

And seeing how SFNE is the ONLY coasterful park in MA I would like to see a new park show up.

[verticalzero]

I agree with what you said Robb, it seems like a waste of $15 million to rebuild a park which closed due to not bringing in much money over the years or it could not compeate with the bigger parks.

 

Use that money to invest into the local area, new cinema, swimming pool complex, shops etc. Or:

 

Ask GG or GCI to re-built the Park's woodie "Flyer Comet", I read on "rcdb" the lift motor and some other mechanical portions of the woodie were removed, anyone know where they went.

 

The Flyer Comet seemed to have a good following from most locals and fan's.

[Movieguy]

Well, people have fond memories of the place...just like how Conneuat is the home of my very first roller coaster.

 

I've never been to Whalom, and I'm sure the place is very run down, but you kinda have to look at this from the Northeastern perspective...we don't enjoy the kind of prosperity that you californians, or you Southerners have enjoyed for the last few decades...we see very little in the way of new things and we've been losing so much of what we have now (Just look at the Pittsburgh Penguins, they're gonna be moving to Kansas City any day now). So, many of us feel compelled to hold on to the old things before they vanish too.

[Dailey Enterprizes]

Sounds like another episode of the Simpsons to me, "Why must we restore America's amusement parks..."

[ECZenith]

While it may be a risky venture I hope they do go for it... I'd love to see a remastered Whalom Park show up. Modern rides and attractions would surely bring in the demographic they are looking for. The place was just too outdated and got boring after a couple visits.

[snuggles]

Hopefully this can actually happen, and not turn into a "rebuild idora park" thing where everyone got scammed

[memphismass]

Well, people have fond memories of the place...just like how Conneuat is the home of my very first roller coaster.

 

This was the home of my first rollercoaster. I absolutely loved the Comet. As stated earlier, there just aren't a whole lot of amusement parks in this area. There is something very unique about northern new england in that everyone is usually so busy that they don't take the time to enjoy an amusement park - it is only now that I have moved to TN that I can really see this.

 

I can remember as a teenager going to Whalom park on field trips and when I got older, going with my friends. No it wasn't "Six Flags" or any caliber like that, but it was just FUN. That was the one place that I could go and relax and do something that is hard to find in that area.

 

I do admit that it was a dump at the end of its life, but I am fortunate enough to be able to remember when it was a pretty nice place to go.

 

I really wish the best of luck to these people but I really don't seeing it happen; especially now that land is a commodity and you are always about 2 hours from SFNE if you are in MA.

 

Of course this doesn't have any impact for me now that my home park is Dollywood!

[SoulessCorpse]

Our website is http://whalompark.blogspot.com/ if anyone is interested. If you have any questions feel free to ask. My email is Joe.Lemire@Verizon.net

[RollerC]

Well, people have fond memories of the place...just like how Conneuat is the home of my very first roller coaster.

 

I've never been to Whalom, and I'm sure the place is very run down, but you kinda have to look at this from the Northeastern perspective...we don't enjoy the kind of prosperity that you californians, or you Southerners have enjoyed for the last few decades...we see very little in the way of new things and we've been losing so much of what we have now (Just look at the Pittsburgh Penguins, they're gonna be moving to Kansas City any day now). So, many of us feel compelled to hold on to the old things before they vanish too.

You arn't loosing much. Why spend so much on a park that will close again in a year? We have Kennywood, Dorney, Hersheym SFGADV, SFNE, Canobie, Waldameer, Coney Island, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake. I say we have some more quality parks than the southern and californians.

[SoulessCorpse]

The reason Whalom closed had little to do with the amount of people comming, but the complete lack of managment and luneburg forcing the park out.

[Movieguy]

Well, Cedar Point's more midwestern to me, RollerC, but I see your point.

[mrceagle]

Well, people have fond memories of the place...just like how Conneuat is the home of my very first roller coaster.

 

I've never been to Whalom, and I'm sure the place is very run down, but you kinda have to look at this from the Northeastern perspective...we don't enjoy the kind of prosperity that you californians, or you Southerners have enjoyed for the last few decades...we see very little in the way of new things and we've been losing so much of what we have now (Just look at the Pittsburgh Penguins, they're gonna be moving to Kansas City any day now). So, many of us feel compelled to hold on to the old things before they vanish too.

You arn't loosing much. Why spend so much on a park that will close again in a year? We have Kennywood, Dorney, Hersheym SFGADV, SFNE, Canobie, Waldameer, Coney Island, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake. I say we have some more quality parks than the southern and californians.

 

Most of those parks aren't in The New England region and are not in any way reasonable parks to visit. Even SFGAdv is 5 hours From Boston. most of the parks mentioned are too fare away to bother with.

 

The goal is to offer a better prices amusement park option for eastern NE. Canobie lake park would be a larger competitor then SFNE since Boston would be the main audience. as for rides it will be a mix of old and new. Flying Scooters and a new whip ride are among some of the classic rides coming back.

[RollerC]

But how long do they expect it to stay open?

[pete4winds]

^ How long does ANY business owner "expect" to stay open when they're still in the early planning stages? I don't know if this can be answered this early in the process.

 

Personally, I'd love to see a new Whalom Park. The original is one of several parks I grew up with (the others being Paragon Park, Lincoln Park - still barely standing a few miles from my house, and King's Castle Land).

 

SFNE is my "home park" these days, and no doubt it's one of the better SF parks, at least in my opinion, but like many eastern New Englanders, I can't get there nearly as often. A new Whalom Park would be much easier for me to get to on a more regular basis.

 

I don't think there's any real risk of SFNE "running it out of business," any more than it risks putting Lake Compounce out of business. It was a combination of a complete lack of support from the town, poor upkeep, and poor management that closed Whalom in the first place, not necessarily SFNE taking all of its business.

[snuggles]

I say give it a shot. It looked like a really cool place too though.

[mrceagle]

A new Whalom Park would be much easier for me to get to on a more regular basis.

 

This is great to hear! this is the reaction were hoping for.

 

I don't think there's any real risk of SFNE "running it out of business," any more than it risks putting Lake Compounce out of business. It was a combination of a complete lack of support from the town, poor upkeep, and poor management that closed Whalom in the first place, not necessarily SFNE taking all of its business.

 

This is very true. many outside of New England and some within don't realise that SFNE changeover was more of a fluke when it comes to Whilom then anything else. It did play a small park. Canobie saw a big drop in attendance in 99 do to SFNE opening but has seen it more then return.

 

The largest reasons were poor management, Local support, and a lose of local population.

Dev ins closing was a hug hit on the park. Thousands of workers and their families worked and lived on that Army base.

 

Another huge impact was that some family members sold there part of the park to members outside the family. That individual had a grudge against the park and When he got near majority of the company he pulled out and left the park standing with out the needed income to operate.

 

Management - Beth Bowen Should have never taken the rains of the park so soon. She apprenticed for only a few years before taking the park and didn't have the managerial experience needed. On top of this mismanagement some park planes were set forth fueled by here beliefs. She didn't like Weapons and offered free admission one day to anyone turning in a fake weapon. attendance was well past capacity that day but just about everyone got in free. Not a good business move. The prices stayed low when they really needed to be raised. at Closing A full day was around $18 dollars. While not much had been added with the price of other parks in the area a 19 or 20 dollar charge would have been more then acceptable to those who visited the park.

[verticalzero]

The Flyer Comet had a mind of its own,When it got to the top, it was like it said, 'If I want the brakes to work, they'll work. If not, everyone's getting another ride.'"

[SoulessCorpse]

Well the breaks were controlled by the operators, so if they didn't feel like pulling the levers, you got to go again

[jmicha]

I have to completely disagree with Robb on this issue. Whalom Park used to be my home park until about 10 years ago when I moved to Ohio. The park was obviously not a world-class place, but everyone in the area around the park absolutely loved it. I didn't know a single person that hadn't been to the park or had a fond memory of riding the Flyer Comet or going through the funhouse. The problem, as stated before, was the serious lack of any management abilities. Nearly all the rides in the front of the park were rented out and over the years, this cost the park a great deal of its profits (if you could even call them profits). When the news of the park's closing came, it upset everyone I knew from Leominster, including those that weren't even into amusement parks. The park was a fun place to go with your family or friends on a summer night and the beach and waterslides were very enjoyable on hot summer days. I only lived in Leominster until I was nine, and every summer before that, my mother would take us to the beach at least four times a week. My entire family had season passes, and it was a great place to just relax. In the years since the closing of the park, I have heard from several families that they would love it if the park came back. That area is lacking in the entertainment department and I honestly tihink that if the park was rebuilt, it would be relative success.

[coasterdude5]

Yeah, I'm all for saving parks, but I think it's time to let this one go, I remember when I first started looking up coaster stuff on the internet, I was 8 or 9. Save Whalom Park was one of the first stories I saw.

[kidcoaster]

Well one major thing that would make a community want to keep parks open is tourism.

 

Prime example is Conneaut: It brings in needed money to the community. When Conneaut failed to open in 1995 there was alot of business that closed for good, because they did not generate the income during the summer as they normally would. My neighboor owns a craft store down the road from CLP The Bears Pause and she said that if the park don't openthis summer she will have to sell the store.

 

Also jobs an amusement park can hire alot of people. Every year Conneaut hire about 250 people and if it closes that is 250 people with out jobs. I don't know the size of whalom but I guess they hire about 150 - 200 a year.

 

I can see the benifit of trying to keep the park open.

 

I know alot of you here are spoilled with big amusement parks but some people charish these simple pleasures.

[mrceagle]

The big thing is finding a balance. a well rounded park with reasonable prices. You'll likely see pay as you go with a all rides option to start out with. But all this is still in the planning stages. But the goal is to offer the park in the $18-20 range so it's a huge value compared to the rest of the parks in New England.

[SoulessCorpse]

We are in the process of saving the Carousel Building, among other things.