Lakemont Park changes

[thrillrider]

Fans of this small park are gonna be bummed. The park plans on reopining this fall for the holiday event. Read about it here....

 

https://www.facebook.com/LakemontPark/

 

LAKEMONT PARK TO UNDERGO RENOVATIONS DURING SUMMER OF 2017

 

Lakemont Park will be closed for renovations during the summer of 2017, but will reopen on Friday, November 17, 2017 for the 21st Annual Holiday Lights On The Lake. Due to the significant time it takes to set-up for Holiday Lights On The Lake in the fall and tear down in the late Winter-early Spring, any significant renovations that are necessary must be done during the summer season, so as not to interfere with this popular holiday tradition. For the safety of the Lakemont Park guests and staff, the Park will not be able to remain open during the renovations.

 

Changes planned for Lakemont Park include replacing some of the older amusement rides with a new miniature golf course, batting cages, playgrounds, basketball and sand volleyball courts, and expanded picnic areas, while keeping and enhancing attractions, such as the waterpark, paddle boats, train, roller coasters, antique cars, and go-karts.

 

These changes will give Lakemont Park the feel of a traditional community park, as well as a family entertainment center. It will also make the park affordable to all guests, as admission will be free and attractions will be available on a per use basis and in discounted packages. There will be food concessions, as well as picnic pavilions and catering for groups. Special events will be planned, such as basketball and volleyball tournaments, as well as July 4th fireworks and more. The Park will be open daily from late May through early September beginning in 2018.

 

Additional details will be made available throughout the renovation process.

Edited September 26, 2018 by larrygator

[coasterer]

AH! You're kidding. [Not a big deal at all, but] My wife is from Pittsburgh and we've been married for 3 and a half years, and we still have never been able to make it out there! This was going to be the year!!!! Hope the renovations go well I guess?

[DirkFunk]

The park needed a lot of work, but obviously I hope the wood coasters stick around. Leap The Dips is actually really insane now force wise and Skyliner has always had great airtime in a couple spots.

[Shavethewhales]

Wow, so the park is so unprofitable that the setup and take down for the Christmas lights is more important than the entire summer season...

 

And it sounds like they are going to downsize the amusement park aspect somewhat...

 

But this sounds a really good step in the right direction for them. It sounds like the new amenities will help keep the space more alive and viable as a municipal space. As long as they keep the classic wooden coasters around, I will plan on visiting in 2018.

 

I was originally planning a cross-Pennsylvania road trip for this summer, but this is yet another omen that I need to put it off for a year...

[SFOG1991]

That I disappointing as I really like their line up of weird classic rides, but I guess this improvement may help them in the long term, so for the sake of the remaining rides, this is probably a good thing. I just hope all the coasters stay!

 

It is weird for them to do this renovation during the summer. The article says they can't do it during the winter due to the holiday event and the time it takes to put up and remove lights. To me that is just an excuse and any truth to it just means the holiday event holds more value than the amusement park itself. Obviously they aren't doing well financially with the amusement park or else they wouldn't just close it for the year.

 

Anyways, I hope the majority of rides remain and the improvements are in the right places and done the right way.

[cparkes92]

That I disappointing as I really like their line up of weird classic rides, but I guess this improvement may help them in the long term, so for the sake of the remaining rides, this is probably a good thing. I just hope all the coasters stay!

 

It is weird for them to do this renovation during the summer. The article says they can't do it during the winter due to the holiday event and the time it takes to put up and remove lights. To me that is just an excuse and any truth to it just means the holiday event holds more value than the amusement park itself. Obviously they aren't doing well financially with the amusement park or else they wouldn't just close it for the year.

 

Anyways, I hope the majority of rides remain and the improvements are in the right places and done the right way.

They do get a boat load of snow during the winter

[coasterbill]

This place is such a sh*t hole. Just move Leap the Dips to Knoebels and turn it into condos or something.

[Canobie Coaster]

It'll be interesting to see what comes of Lakemont, but there are really only 3 rides I care about: the 2 wooden coasters and the Chance skydiver. Skyliner was pretty rough when I rode it but there were some nice spots of air.

 

During my one visit I wasn't overly impressed with the place. It's one thing to keep old rides like Knoebels, but it's another to not add anything new.

 

I went in thinking the $6-7 wristband was a steal. By the end of the day, it no longer felt like a steal.

[eddie200330]

From the sounds of the parks (the guy that runs their faceboook page who I believe is actually the GM or some title) replies on their facebook page the only rides staying are the coasters, antique cars, and train.

[SFOG1991]

That I disappointing as I really like their line up of weird classic rides, but I guess this improvement may help them in the long term, so for the sake of the remaining rides, this is probably a good thing. I just hope all the coasters stay!

 

It is weird for them to do this renovation during the summer. The article says they can't do it during the winter due to the holiday event and the time it takes to put up and remove lights. To me that is just an excuse and any truth to it just means the holiday event holds more value than the amusement park itself. Obviously they aren't doing well financially with the amusement park or else they wouldn't just close it for the year.

 

Anyways, I hope the majority of rides remain and the improvements are in the right places and done the right way.

They do get a boat load of snow during the winter

So do other parks in the north with longer operating seasons.

 

If the park was making money, they would make the renovations happen without closing down the park for an entire year. Whether that be over the winter or in conjunction with operations.

[SFOG1991]

It'll be interesting to see what comes of Lakemont, but there are really only 3 rides I care about: the 2 wooden coasters and the Chance skydiver. Skyliner was pretty rough when I rode it but there were some nice spots of air.

 

During my one visit I wasn't overly impressed with the place. It's one thing to keep old rides like Knoebels, but it's another to not add anything new.

 

I went in thinking the $6-7 wristband was a steal. By the end of the day, it no longer felt like a steal.

The park is obviously struggling severely. I doubt they just choose to not add rides or make the place nice.

 

I give them some credit just for their history and all their rare vintage rides. I feel like it is a tragedy to see the last of any classic rides disappear, and this park holds quite a few that it would be nice to see preserved long term. Skyliner is one of very few coasters remaining from its era, and the Toboggan is one of what, two, left operating?

 

I assume Leap the Dips will be safe so I'm not worried about it being removed.

[MisterBrow]

I was all set to trek from MD for a BaySox vs Altoona game this summer just to ride the Dips. I was a little less excited with the reviews. Maybe they will clean it up into something nice... less is more?

[coasterbill]

A few years ago we planned a day trip (about 4 hours) to Lakemont, DelGrossos and a Curve game. After 30 minutes at Lakemont we realized it was way too much of a sh*t hole to stick around for 4 hours until game time so we left and went to Knoebels. Don't make a special trip for this abortion of a park. Don't be like us.

[ericthewanderer]

While it does seem odd that Lakemont would close for the summer(especially since it's Leap The Dips' 115 anniversary),people are only missing out on Skyliner,LTD,and the miniature railway.

PS-It would be hilarious if Lakemont got Knott's Boomerang!!

[Philrad71]

A few years ago we planned a day trip (about 4 hours) to Lakemont, DelGrossos and a Curve game. After 30 minutes at Lakemont we realized it was way too much of a sh*t hole to stick around for 4 hours until game time so we left and went to Knoebels. Don't make a special trip for this abortion of a park. Don't be like us.

 

Well gee...now you're just starting to make this park sound like Conneaut Lake or something.

 

 

Seriously though, I hope that they can turn it into a nice family park, keep the classics and sell the other rides to DelGrosso's or Knoebels. And if they can't farm them out to either of those parks, well...they always have Dorney, Michigan's Adventure or Valleyfair as a last resort!

[Ccron10]

I visited twice last summer. The first was to get the credits but Leap the Dips ended up being closed and I ended up talking to the nice lady who worked in the gift shop and we talked a lot about the history of the park. The second was on my way back from Cedar Point and managed to take a lap on Leap the Dips. I tried to get on Skyliner as well, but a storm rolled in. I did manage to talk one of the managers during that visited and commented on the renovations to the Dips and he said that they planned these half-year renovations to it for several seasons and this year would've been the last until it would be good for awhile. I guess they'll now have a full season to work on it.

 

Seeing the park do this kind of doesn't really surprise me considering the main midway seemed to be always vacant, the rides (except for Skyliner and Leap the Dips) never had any lines, and everything looked like it was on the verge of falling apart. I like the park and if downsizing to just the most popular rides will make it strive, I'm for it.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

The only time I went, Leap the Dips AND the rare Skydiver ride were closed. The park sucked ass, but they did have an old-school Octopus ride that was pretty wild (and sketchy), a weird old tilt-a-whirl-whip hybrid which was interesting, a round-up, and Skyliner was a lot of fun. It would be a dream come true if Lamemont closed and DelGrosso's bought up their few good rides (since that's a very enjoyable park super close by that could actually benefit from those.)

[boldikus]

Don't make a special trip for this abortion of a park.

[coasterbill]

^

Well gee...now you're just starting to make this park sound like Conneaut Lake or something.

 

While Conneaut is undoubtedly worse, it's a fair comparison. I would say this is easily the second worst park I've ever been to after Conneaut.

[Canobie Coaster]

Considering your hatred of La Ronde, that is impressive.

[coasterbill]

Yeah, La Ronde is awful for a corporate park but I'd much rather spend a few hours there than at a park like Lakemont or Conneaut. Unlike Conneaut, Lakemont has a few fun rides (the wood coasters and the Skydiver) but it's a complete, depressed disaster of a park.

[viking86]

We're already on page 3 and no one has suggested RMC Leap the Dips?? I'm shocked...

[JT325]

I love Lakemont. Those 2 classic coasters are something so different from what we get most of the time. Sure, they need a little work. We have so few classic coasters left (Kennywood being the best example of top-maintained classic rides). I hope the park pulls it together, it's a gem. Same goes for Conneaut. It needs plenty of work, but I can have more fun on those coasters than handfulls of B&M, RMC and Intamin rides (which I also love!)

 

Of course, if you're brought up with sterile and relatively plain B&M and corporate (CF) parks, I understand not seeing the value.

 

I've been a coaster/park enthusiast since I was a little kid. The older I get the more important these little parks and classic, unique rides mean to me. They do need a little clean up though!

[Rai Fox]

Lakemont is by far the worst park I've seen, just so worn out and run down. Most of the rides felt like deathtraps; everything there other than leap the dips felt like it was going to fall apart under me, just made of rust and rot. A friend and I survived a couple of the rides then both agreed it wasn't worth risking our lives on any more. I really can't be too upset that they're being removed. I do hope the rarer ones go somewhere that will refurbish and take care of them, though. Knoebels could probably use a Skydiver, right?

[coasterbill]

Of course, if you're brought up with sterile and relatively plain B&M and corporate (CF) parks, I understand some don't see the value.

 

This is a pretty condescending statement. As everyone knows, my favorite park anywhere, ever is Knoebels. I rank it ahead of the domestic Universal and Disney parks and major corporate thrill parks like Cedar Point. I love it's charm, I love the classic rides, I love the atmosphere, I love everything about it. There are plenty of classic parks that I absolutely love, but I also know a sh*thole when I see it and Lakemont and Conneaut are depressed sh*tholes. There are collapsing and abandoned buildings everywhere, the rides appear to be barely functional, there are empty ride pads everywhere and the parks have no charm or atmosphere to speak of.

 

There are plenty of valid reasons to think that these 2 parks are complete trash. I love classic parks and I absolutely see their value compared to corporate parks but just because a park is old doesn't mean it's good and not liking select classic parks doesn't mean that you're somehow "missing the value". Some parks don't have value, some parks just suck. In my opinion (aside from Leap the Dips) this is one of those parks. If someone bought Leap the Dips and they leveled everything else for condos I assure you that I wouldn't care at all.