NEWS: Whalom Park Looks Like A Gonner...

[robbalvey]

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_2774628

 

Whalom Park sale can go forward

LUNENBURG -- The settlement of an ongoing lawsuit means the sale of the now-closed Whalom Park can go forward, according to one of the attorneys involved in the case.

 

Attorney Scott Fenton of Worcester, who represents the Whalom Park Amusement company, which owns the abandoned amusement park on Lake Front Avenue, said the closing date for the property is in early 2006.

 

"The parties came to a satisfactory agreement, and (the company) entered into a purchase and sale agreement with (developer) John Callahan of Bridgewater," Fenton said.

 

The purchase price and other details of the agreement were not available Tuesday, according to Callahan's attorney, Michael Crossen of Boston.

 

Callahan did not return messages on Tuesday.

 

But that hasn't stopped neighbors of the park from speculating about what may happen at Whalom Park.

 

Nearby bar owner Ken Ricker said he has heard about a possible plan for the park.

 

"The company has been in contact with us," said Ricker, an owner of the On the Rocks bar. "They let us know that they're planning on putting in 240 upscale condos."

 

Other area businesses said they had heard only rumors.

 

Bill Halkiadakis, owner of Lunenburg Liquors on Route 13, said he recently heard the land would be used for both residential and commercial development.

 

"I've gotten no official notification," Halkiadakis said.

 

Danielle Bettencourt, a bartender at Gene's Lakeview, said she has also just heard the rumblings.

 

"All I keep hearing is that they want to put up condos," Bettencourt said.

 

I have to be honest, I visited this park a couple of times and I'm not sure what the big deal about it was.

 

It was a dumpy little park without a real 'signature' ride. I know the preservationists will hate me for saying it, but I just couldn't see why someone would go through so much trouble to save this park.

 

If the plans were to save it, and built a bunch of really kick ass rides, that would be one thing. But I just kept hearing that people wanted to preserve it the way it was.

 

I'm all for preserving parks and coasters that DESERVE it, but this place just had nothing going for it, hence the reason I'm sure why it closed.

 

I felt the same way about Miracle Strip and Starliner, and that place and coaster was 100 times better than Whalom!

 

And just so everyone knows, I don't have anything against there being a campaign to save it, I just don't see the point in it.

 

--Robb "Rant over!" Alvey

[Meteornotes]

Well, I never made it to Whalom, but if you say that Miracle Strip was better, then I guess I missed nothing. I never understood the fuss over MS being shut down, when the park was there for years and no one really paid attention to it. I get the same feeling about Whalom, where only some of the locals cared about the place. After all, if it was making money, it would probably still be open...

 

dt

[Sir Clinksalot]

Never even heard of it ... guess I won't miss it ...

[CoasterFanatic]

This is the beautiful thing about capitalism. If you don't provide a valued product or service ... you are history.

 

Money talks .... preservation walks.

[Mind Eraser]

Remember when they tried to sell whales to save the park? LOL!

 

Save Whalom, Adopt A Whale!

 

 

-kip-

[FlyingScooter]

Sounds too much like Conneaut to me. (and they still don't have the Bug running...)

[Jeezus Juice]

From the article the locals sound like a buch of drunks anyway!

 

-Don "Seriously, read it" Garrison

 

PS. I guess this means we know what knoebels is getting next year