I took a couple of trips this past month to the locations where two of Northeast Ohio’s classic kiddie parks once operated! Westlake Kiddie Park and Kiddie Playland are among the parks I hear about least often, but they were undoubtedly fun for youngsters who lived nearby in the 1950s and 60s! Here’s what I’ve recently learned about these two parks, and seen at their original locations:
Read moreI spent my teenage years with my friends at Six Flags World’s of Adventure/ Geauga Lake. We all had season passes, and our moms took turns dropping us off between 2003-2006, when we could finally drive. We used to absolutely lap the coasters there and had no idea how incredible of a coaster lineup we had in our own backyard.
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When I was young, my family would go to Cedar Point and Geauga Lake a few times each year. I remember being fascinated by the way rides like Mr. Hyde’s Nasty Fall, Top Thrill Dragster, and many others functioned.
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Summit Beach Park was a noteworthy attraction in Akron for over 40 years, quickly growing to absorb the neighboring Lakeside Park. I have personally seen very few surviving Summit Beach relics, but I’m excited to share that I’ve acquired a very nice souvenir paperweight from the park! Essentially an oversized penny, one side is nearly identical to a similar one I own from Euclid Beach, other than the park’s name. However, the other side of this one is completely different, featuring an embossed image of a Native American.
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I wrote this poem around 2011 to honor the legacy of Euclid Beach Park and everyone who was a part of its history. It also doubles as an expression of my commitment to keeping that legacy alive for current and future generations.
Read moreEven though I was only 14 years old when Euclid Beach Park closed, I still have wonderful memories of that special place. It had its own unique sounds, smells, and “feel.” When I told my brother of my involvement as a board member of Euclid Beach Park Now (EBPN), even he said, “That was your favorite place in the whole world!”
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During a recent visit to Euclid Beach, I took a walk into the nearby Wildwood Park (both properties are part of the Cleveland Metroparks’ Euclid Creek Reservation today) to get a look through the fence at the 3 concrete cottages from the original Euclid Beach Park campground which still stand on the present-day trailer park property (currently under redevelopment). The cottages are not in good condition, but I’m cautiously optimistic that they could possibly be restored or at least preserved. I’ve heard it suggested that one or more of these buildings should eventually become a small museum about Euclid Beach Park’s history, and while I’m not currently aware of any official decisions or plans for the cottages, I personally think that a permanent historical display there would be wonderful!
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