Conneaut Lake Park TR: 5/17/08 - End of an era?

[Philrad71]

On Saturday - 5/17/08, Michael and I stopped and visited Conneaut Lake Park for a little break after we cut our Pittsburgh trip short because of the rain. At first, I did not think that the weather was going to allow it, but the weather cleared just enough for a quick stop. However, after getting some good shots of the Blue Streak and other rides, the thunder started to rumble and the rain came once again.

 

It was very sad to see the state of this little park. While I only have memories of being to the park once when I was very young, one never likes to see a demise of a traditional amusement park. I still remember the old Hell Hole, ghetto wild mouse, and the Devil's Den. I was too young to ride any of them, but remember thinking how anyone would have ever dared riding Hell Hole...that thing just plain looked freaky!

 

The park has been hurting now for years and as some other TPR members can attest, the recent February fire to the ballroom and the roof collapse of the old bowling alley just may have been the final nail in the coffin. While it would be nice to see the place restored, many feel that it may never re-open. Truly sad...

 

The park itself was not gated as there are still people living in the community. It was very creepy once the thunderheads started rolling in and the rain poured down. Other than two people smoking near the Bumper Cars and some kids playing and riding their bikes, the place was mostly a ghost town.

 

I wish that I could see the park live for at least another season, as I never got to ride the Blue Streak. The coaster itself looks like perhaps the scariest looking, rickety coaster on the planet! Throw in the depressing atmosphere along with the weather and it was the perfect backdrop for a bleak, albeit somewhat disturbing trip report.

I leave you with one of the creatures of the old Fairyland Forest - Jonah the Whale. Thanks for viewing!

The sign for the park and parking lot. In the background, you can see the windmill and housing of the old 'Fairyland Forest' that used to be across the street. Now it is a campground.

Whew! The storm has blown over!

Hail, wind and rain greeted us. The Chance Toboggan beckoned us to dare to come back and ride someday!

The front lawn of the hotel had a nice Chance Toboggan in it. Quite charming, if you ask me!

Then the hail came down around this point - I think that we had overstepped our boundaries at this place!

The Hotel Conneaut. Word has it that this place is haunted - go figure.

Loop-O-Plane still remains. I used to love these things...they kick almost as much arse as the Rock-O-Plane!

The roof was not made of cement or bricks.

They had actually built the "newer" buildings with brick and cement because so many had caught on fire. I think this is the old bowling alley and used to house an indoor scrambler called, 'The Ultimate Trip'. Catch the video on Google video - I am now convinced the park was either built on an ancient Indian burial ground or owned by Satanists!

This is where the ballroom stood until February 2008 when it was torched by an arson. Feed him to the witches, I say!

I think that this used to be the park office, complete with a jail cell for kiddies that acted up while at the park.

OMG! WTF is that???? (Cue Blair Witch Project) I started running down the street because it started pouring and I did not want the camera to get soaked. Also, I felt like spirits of witches were chasing me away!

Witches Stew - I have no idea what the hell this ride does, but just the name alone is awesome! I think that the Hell Hole used to be around here somewhere. Didn't there also be a dark ride called 'Pit of Death'? I think that todays theme parks are way too vanilla! Bring back cool sh%t like this!

But I want to see the wall 'o' gum!!!!

There were bats, skeletons and more thunder...warning me to stay away!

Devil's Den - the classic gravity pretzel ride. The witch in the window looks extremely creepy! This is when the thunder started rolling - I was starting to get a little freaked out at this point!

Bumper Cars - One of two places that I encountered human life form. Two kids smoking and just staring at me. The other was a little girl riding her bike stopped and asked if I had seen any dogs? She said that she didn't like dogs. I told her that I read at the admission gate that pets were not allowed in the park.

Music Express - think it goes backwards?

One of the two original Tumble Bugs - ref other post (Turtle Bug) in my previous report from Kennywood. I didn't get to ride either of them.

While it might not be 17 and 18 at the TPC, Tiger and Sergio may still have a problem two-putting on these greens!

Plenty of hazards could intimidate the lowest of handicappers!

Mini-golf course by the Blue Streak.

Michael - waitin' on a train. It might be a while!

Train tracks to nowhere?

I asked Michael if he would pull me around the circuit, but he declined!

Inside the train house.

Train house.

Probably would be the scariest coaster on the planet if it ever were to re-open in it's current state.

Picnic pavilions and coaster turn-around.

Blue Streak or Brown Streak? You decide!

Coaster hills in the forest. I would imagine that this would have given quite the air time back in the day!

Under the lift hill.

First drop.

Leaving the station.

The Blue Streak's loading station.

Lift hill of the ACE endorsed, Blue Streak.

Karaoke venue - No cussin' or booze allowed on stage!!!

Empty lazy river complete with historical remnant - one lone inner tube.

Waterslides - I think they were called Cliffhanger Falls

Paratrooper.

Flying scooters.

Park map.

Main gate to the community. Quite a few cars going in and out, but the park was pretty quiet and kinda creepy.

I think this might have been where they used to affix wristbands for company picnics and such?

Ummm...wait a sec. Something doesn't look right here.

Yay! No rides closed today!

The front entrance complete with Christmas theming.

Nice, colorful entrances on both sides of the main gate.

Welcome to Conneaut Lake Park - opened in 1892!

[DBru]

Wow, thank you for posting this.

 

It's really sad to see a park in that condition...

[spaceace12]

The park jail was in the ballroom, or so I have been told. Kidcoaster could comfirm this for me.

[Kennyweird]

Nice TR!

I'd be nice if someone could rescue that Tumble Bug.

[Kingbooba]

Wow. Does anyone really know if this place actually exists? (besides coaster enthusiants and locals)

 

It looks like it was great back in its day.

[FeelTheFORCE]

I miss CLP. The Blue Streak was an awesome coaster, it was scary ina fun way because you thought it was going to fall apart and it looked under-supported! Regarding Witch's Stew, each "vehicle" spun freely with the weight as the whole thing spun. It was a very fun ride! I only rode it once, though. Lastly, to explain why Blue Streak is only painted up to a certain point: they let volunteers do some painting a few years back, but they were only allowed to paint as high as they could reach.

[mrdmc]

Hey Philrad71, great pictures, i would love to add them to my webpage's photo album. I have been a CLP enthusiast since i was really little (even though that was only 8 years ago so i dont remember some of the really good days) but i was wondering if you would allow me to post your pictures to my website. Also, about half way down under the picture of the funhouse/bowling alley, i noticed you mentioned a video of the ultimate trip on google video, i had recorded that a few years back and though it would bring back some good memories of a place that we all miss. And on the note of the old jail cell, it was under the old ball room, it was located across from the park office on the corner of the building. If anyone would like to see the page its, http://www.myspace.com/conneaut_lake_park . any questions about the park, feel free to ask me

[ParkTrips]

sadly that probably only looks about 10% worse than when I visited in 05

 

Not a very good park even when open IMO

[andy_e219]

^I agree.

 

I do miss this place, that's for sure.

When did they get rid of the Ballroom remains, and who paid to get rid of them?

[spaceace12]

My bet would be that they used the money from the movie set rent that was there to remove them.

[Philrad71]

Hey Philrad71, great pictures, i would love to add them to my webpage's photo album. I have been a CLP enthusiast since i was really little (even though that was only 8 years ago so i dont remember some of the really good days) but i was wondering if you would allow me to post your pictures to my website.

 

Thanks for the comments! You are more than welcome to use the pix on your website as you wish. Also, thanks to those that explained where the jailhouse was located, as I was not positive if it was in the office, or not. I was sure that some of the more experienced park visitors would know and tell me.

 

I also checked out your Myspace and watched the video of 'Witches Stew'. Now all of a sudden, the Cosmic Chaos at Kennywood looks tame compared to this thing...holy disorientation!

 

It really was sad to see an amusement park in this condition. Granted, it is still early in the season, but things just didn't look good for this little park. Even though, I was joking around and poking fun at some of the stuff in the report, it really is a unique experience to see a park in this bad of shape. When you think about all the good times that kids and families spent here for well over one hundred years, it about brings tears to my eyes.

 

I wish that someone with a lot of money and a taste for the past would buy places like this and do their best to restore them. I hate to see this place torn down and turned into condos...that would be a shame. I checked out a bunch of websites and looked at lots of pictures of this park back in it's hey-day. It is just so unusual to see a park located literally in the middle of a community like that! Really cool!

[andy_e219]

My bet would be that they used the money from the movie set rent that was there to remove them.

 

That's what I thought also, there's no way the park had the money to do that.

[DBru]

Hey Philrad, would you please check your PM's?

 

Thanks!

[mrdmc]

the remains were removed shortly after filming at the beging of the month, and from what i hear (im not sure tho) they did use the money from the movie to clean up the remains

[packfanlv]

Thanks for the TR. I have heard a lot about this park but have never seen any pictures. I agree that it is quite sad to see a park with so much history end up like this.

[spaceace12]

I wish that someone with a lot of money and a taste for the past would buy places like this and do their best to restore them. I hate to see this place torn down and turned into condos...that would be a shame. I checked out a bunch of websites and looked at lots of pictures of this park back in it's hey-day. It is just so unusual to see a park located literally in the middle of a community like that! Really cool!

 

That is another problem also. The park is a public trust, it cannot be sold without dissolving it. Quite a few locals to that area have called or that, though. The other issue is that I don't know if anyone would have the money to buy and run it correctly. The park is 3 million in debt from what I heard. The last person to own it before it was a public trust got into IRS trouble and that is why it is a public trust.

[kidcoaster 2]

^^^ No a local scrap company offered to remove the remains and sell the scrap. They paid for their work by what was made by the sell of the scrap and the rest of the profit was give back to the park.

 

The park also received a check for $6,500 on Thursday from Meadville Metal, a local firm that partnered with Kebert Construction Co. of Meadville to clean up the Dreamland Ballroom site last week.

 

The 99-year-old ballroom and a series of connecting midway stands were destroyed in a February fire that the Pennsylvania State Police accused a Hartstown man of intentionally setting. Park officials had expected to pay at least $10,000 to clear away the remnants of the massive building until Norm Eaton of Meadville Metal and Larry Kebert of Kebert Construction offered to clean the site at their cost, Deshner said.

 

 

The business owners were paid with the proceeds from selling the building's scrap metal, and the $6,500 that was left over was given to the park as a donation, Deshner said.

 

Go-Erie

 

You took alot of photos from out of bounds areas. We have had a problem with people getting back there and vandalizing. Not saying anyone here would do that.

 

The park jail was in the ballroom, or so I have been told. Kidcoaster could comfirm this for me.

 

Yes the Jail was on the first floor of the ballroom. I heard that the jail survived the blaze. And it was removed and will be on display at the Historical Society in the future.

[mrdmc]

Heres some info that was in the meadville tribune around the time of the movie shooting, it mentions what they were intending to use the money for.

http://www.meadvilletribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_123232610.html

[larrygator]

Wow. Does anyone really know if this place actually exists? (besides coaster enthusiants and locals)

 

Probably not, but that tends to be the case with the majority of small regional parks.

[coaster05]

^the quote and response from Larry is why I always get irritated when you hear people constantly complain about a park or chain, then find out they have visited dozens of times. They could have spent some of that time and money at a small park and maybe we would have some more of these left to visit. This hobby is going to really teabag when we only have big chains left.

[Philrad71]

You took alot of photos from out of bounds areas. We have had a problem with people getting back there and vandalizing. Not saying anyone here would do that.

 

To be honest, I did look for any 'No Trespassing' or 'Keep out' signs from the offset and did not see any "out of bounds areas." If there were, someone opened the gates/barricades, or took them out.

 

I could easily see how vandals could plague this area because I was shocked that they did not really have anything to keep people away from the amusement areas and rides. There was a fence around a lot of the Blue Streak (which I did not cross) and the very few people and cars that I saw certainly did not seem to mind seeing an amusement park enthusiast (geek) walking around with a camera snapping photographs. In fact, one of the car drivers even waved to me as I was walking down the road!

 

There were two small barricades going down the road by the Bumper Cars and Devil's Den, but that was only to keep the automobiles out. Other than that, there really was nothing to prevent curious visitors or vandals. I would really hope that vandals would not do anything to further destroy the park. Nor do I hope that no one would be foolish enough to do anything to get themselves hurt (IE: Trying to climb up the coaster or something dumb like that)

 

The park has already been through too many rough times!!!!

[OldJJman]

Thanks for the pictures.

 

I remember visiting there in 2004. Strangely enough, aside from the taller grass and ballroom's demise, the park looks exactly the same as when I was there. We only stayed a couple of hours. We rode the Blue Streak about 6-7 times. Nothing spectacular. No real airtime, but it did cause the strucrure to sway a bit. It rode a lot more solid than it looked. IIRC it had 1 NAD train and 1 PTC. I think the PTC was the only one running that day.

 

The Toboggan actually looks EXACTLY the same as when I was there! SBNO! Though I do remember a rumor a couple of years ago that it had been removed. I guess that's not the case after all.

 

I went, because at the time the park was rumored to be on it's last legs, and unfortunately, it turned out to be true.

 

Thanks again for the pics!

 

 

JJ

[307]

Ah, so that's where the Toboggan is located! When Nikki and I spontaneously showed up to the park in '06, without knowing anything about it, we didn't even realize that we had missed a credit until we left and noticed that a Toboggan was listed on RCDB

[milst1]

Thanks for the great photo TR. I was there last in the late 1990's and just *loved* Blue Streak. The place wasn't exactly thriving then but you felt it had a future. I went into the old pavillion then and just marveled. I love those traditional music halls that all the parks used to have.

 

I guess the lesson is: Support your struggling local amusement park!

 

-Martin

[Philrad71]

I guess the lesson is: Support your struggling local amusement park!

 

Yeah, I agree...but unfortunately, I am just as guilty as most people of supporting the bigger/faster corporate parks in wanting to ride all of the latest and greatest thrill rides. I had forgotten mostly about this little park until I read about the Ballroom fire in February on this very site.

 

Even though I might never get to ride Blue Streak, I have done a bit better to try and support the smaller parks. I usually hit up Waldameer at least once or twice a year and plan to get to Martin's Fantasy Island, Darien Lake, and hopefully Sea Breeze in Rochester this summer.