BOO-LDER DASH BASH DATE ANNOUNCED
The date for this year's Boo-lder Dash Bash at Lake Compounce, Bristol, CT will be Saturday, October 23, 2004. More information will be annoucned as it becomes available.
PIRATES FUN PARK (SALISBURY BEACH, MA) ENDANGERED
On my way home from Funtown Fest Sunday afternoon, I made a stop a Salisbury Beach, MA. Since Pirates Fun Park is a free-admission park, I always take the opportunity to walk around the place and note any changes from my previous visit. This time, the changes were significant. Only the front 1/3 of the park was open--all kiddie rides. The back 2/3 was walled off. What I could see through the lattice work at the top of the wall was the remnants of a spinning ride in the back and lots of construction equipment and machines toward the front. I knowingly asked a ride op, "Didn't there used to be more park back there?" She said, "Yes, the rides back there were sold to some park in Georgia. They're building condos." Me: The park sold that portion to some developer, huh? Ride op: The park IS the developer. Me: So the dark ride was destroyed? Ride op: Yup, it was crushed (I presume she meant bulldozed.) Me: So they're only going to keep this little section as a park from now on? Ride op: We'll know after Labor Day (she didn't come right out and say it, but it was obvious that the implication was that the whole place might no longer exist as an amusement park by next year, instead being redeveloped into housing and such). So this park, which was once home to a Galaxi several years ago (and other, more important coasters many, many years ago) as well as a slightly above average dark ride appears to me to be in danger. If you had any special memories of the place, I recommend getting there to see what's left (and of course, to grab your souvenir ride ticket) before Labor Day.
FUNTOWN FEST INCLEMENT WEATHER ISSUES
I was contacted by Funtown today with an announcement that there is a possibility that the park may not open tomorrow due to rain in the forecast for the Saco area. I am doing everything in my power to convince them to open the park and go on with the event as scheduled, but it's ultimately their decision. If the park does not open at all, all Saturday activities will be cancelled (no night ERT or scavenger hunt). In this event, registration will be on Sunday morning, with Sunday morning ERT going on as planned. If the park decides to open Saturday and then ends up closing early, it will be up to the park as to whether Saturday night ERT will take place, and if so, when. If you call the park Saturday and hear an announcement on their voicemail that they have decided not to open due to inclement weather, the Saturday festivities will be cancelled. A sign will be posted near the registration area explaining the situation. The park will do their best to provide the scheduled events, but ultimately neither they nor ACE are responsible for any changes due to inclement weather, mechanical problems, etc. Hope for the best!
BOO-LDER DASH BASH IN PLANNING STAGES
Boo-lder Dash Bash at Lake Compounce will likely take place on October 23 or 30 this year. Peg has been in talks with the park about the event, but it's been slow-going (don't forget, we lost Richard Bisi as our primary contact, which may be causing things of this nature to develop more slowly than in the past). When a date is finalized (or in the unlikely instance that the event doesn't happen), that news will be posted here before it's anywhere else.
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FUNTOWN FEST ANNOUNCEMENTS
A) There will be a scavenger hunt at this year's Funtown Fest during the Saturday evening portion of the event, with winners announced and prizes awarded on Sunday morning. Bring your thinking caps and a No. 2 pencil (or other writing implement of your choice).
B) Someone will be needed to do a write-up of the event for The New England Dispatch and/or ACE News. If interested, please email jpytka@aceonline.org
and pbatchelder@aceonline.org. In the event that more than one person is interested, we'll let you know who's been selected to do the write-up. Meanwhile, everyone who takes pictures at Funtown (and Canobie, for that matter) this weekend, is welcome to share them for our newsletter. Please send pics to pbatchelder@aceonline.org. If you have traditional non-digital photos, contact Peg at the same address to work out how best to get them to her.
C) Don't forget to get your name badge requests in for Funtown Fest now or forever hold your peace.
FUNTOWN FEST NAME BADGES
If you plan to attend Funtown Fest, please email jpytka@aceonline.org with the name, city, and state of everyone in your party. Doing this will help to speed up the registration process by allowing us to pre-print your name badges. If there are any non-member guests in your party, please indicate who they are, as well as who their member sponsor is (with membership number). This will also help to move the registration line along a little faster.
