You heard, no doubt, to "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver. The other..gold". By good luck, I've connected to a friend from the old neighborhood. It is such fun to remember the old days. The neighborhood is much changed, but it remains the same in memory. We are all little kids again, riding bikes, roller skating on the street, writing on the sidewalk with chalk.
L. sent me this article from The Buffalo Evening News. The article was written 9/19/89 by Marge Theilman Hastreiter.
FOND MEMORIES REMAIN AMID POST MORTEMS ON CRYSTAL BEACH
THE SUCKERS--Cinnamon, lemon, butterscotch, nut, sticky, good, some for taking home.
THE WAFFLES--Hot, powdered sugar dropping onto our clothes.
THE LOGANBERRY--Cold, thirst-quenching, making a purple moustache.
THE FRENCH FRIES--Salty, soaked in vinegar, whetting our appetite for more.
THE MEMORIES--Many, good, leaving an indelible mark on our minds.
We were filled with anticipation for many days before our annual outing at Crystal Beach. A picnic basket would be packed and we would take a bus which dropped us off at a location with lots of old buildings and docks. We stood behind a big gate and waited anxiously for it to open. Finally, the crowd surged forward and we crossed the gangplank and you had to walk through one to get to the other with the water dark and deep below. Everybody jockeyed for the best seat from which to enjoy the cruise.
We disembarked at a huge concrete dock, the beach on the left and the amusements on the right. No one walked, everyone ran, it seemed, to the picnic area. We placed our baskets on the table and covered them with a table cloth. That was our spot and we would come back to that numbered area at a certain time.
Our money in hand, we stood impatiently at the ticket booths and then scattered to our favorite rides. Mine was the Merry-Go-Round. It was the most beautiful, white and gold with many lights, and besides the fancily garbed horses there were lions and tigers and wolves. Up and down, around and around.
Others headed for the Comet, a one-of-a-king roller coaster, descending, it seemed, into the lake itself. I was on it twice and no amount of coaxing could ever get me back on. Same for the yellow coaster.
I could always be talked into the Magic Carpet, although I disliked the dizzying mirrored and slanted rooms. The shot of air surprised us girls in skirts. The carpet ride at the end made the trek through worthwhile.
A laugh in the ark gave us Popeye, a spider, a locomotive heading right for the car. The sudden twists and turns and loud noises was a thrill.
There used to be a Tunnel of Love, although when I got old enough to appreciate it, it was replaced by drive-it-yourself cars.
I screamed until they let me off the Ferris Wheel. I don't know if it was the height or the swinging of the seats, but I definitely did not like the sensation.
The Bumper Cars were my all-time favorite, but I didn't realize it until I was there with my children and saw the looks on their faces as they came full speed ahead into Mom.
The Wild Mouse or the Black Spider or any spinning rides were not for me although I did try the Caterpillar once and even if the car did go around in a circle, the thrill was getting covered with the big green coiled cloth.
Kiddyland, brightly painted, with the little roller coaster, boats, motorcycles was perfect for the tiny tots. There were many smiles on parents' faces as they watched their children having fun.
The trees, the huge trees, stood in front of the concession stands, their roots breaking the concrete and blacktop around, shading those who chose to eat at the outside picnic tables. The big inside area meant many tables and benches, a refuge in a sudden rain storm, the condiment shelves attracting a few pesky flies.
Many enjoyed the day resting on the quiet beach and running against the gentle waves.
The Dance Hall, used in the day for roller skating, changed at night. All the big bands appeared and couples danced to their favorite tunes.
At the games of chance--break a balloon with a dart, pick the floating duck with the winning number, toss a ring around a bottle--the prize was small, inexpensive and the fun was in the trying.
Flowers were planted everywhere.
I'm not sure when the downfall began.
Was it when the beautiful Chrystal Beach boat stopped running? When someone stole my picnic basket that was placed in the numbered grove?
When they replaced the magic Carpet with stairs?
When they charged one price admission?
When they opened a bar on the quiet beach?
When the Wild Mouse disappeared?
When the bright painted colors in Kiddyland began to fade?
When they dismantled the beautiful gold and white Merry-Go-Round and sold the hand-cared, wooden horses, lion, tigers and wolves to the highest bidder?
I missed my annual trip to Crystal Beach this year, but the summer flew by so quickly.
"There's always next year," I thought.
I read the notice in the paper, "Crystal Beach is dead."
Someone, something killed it.
L. sent me this article from The Buffalo Evening News. The article was written 9/19/89 by Marge Theilman Hastreiter.
FOND MEMORIES REMAIN AMID POST MORTEMS ON CRYSTAL BEACH
THE SUCKERS--Cinnamon, lemon, butterscotch, nut, sticky, good, some for taking home.
THE WAFFLES--Hot, powdered sugar dropping onto our clothes.
THE LOGANBERRY--Cold, thirst-quenching, making a purple moustache.
THE FRENCH FRIES--Salty, soaked in vinegar, whetting our appetite for more.
THE MEMORIES--Many, good, leaving an indelible mark on our minds.
We were filled with anticipation for many days before our annual outing at Crystal Beach. A picnic basket would be packed and we would take a bus which dropped us off at a location with lots of old buildings and docks. We stood behind a big gate and waited anxiously for it to open. Finally, the crowd surged forward and we crossed the gangplank and you had to walk through one to get to the other with the water dark and deep below. Everybody jockeyed for the best seat from which to enjoy the cruise.
We disembarked at a huge concrete dock, the beach on the left and the amusements on the right. No one walked, everyone ran, it seemed, to the picnic area. We placed our baskets on the table and covered them with a table cloth. That was our spot and we would come back to that numbered area at a certain time.
Our money in hand, we stood impatiently at the ticket booths and then scattered to our favorite rides. Mine was the Merry-Go-Round. It was the most beautiful, white and gold with many lights, and besides the fancily garbed horses there were lions and tigers and wolves. Up and down, around and around.
Others headed for the Comet, a one-of-a-king roller coaster, descending, it seemed, into the lake itself. I was on it twice and no amount of coaxing could ever get me back on. Same for the yellow coaster.
I could always be talked into the Magic Carpet, although I disliked the dizzying mirrored and slanted rooms. The shot of air surprised us girls in skirts. The carpet ride at the end made the trek through worthwhile.
A laugh in the ark gave us Popeye, a spider, a locomotive heading right for the car. The sudden twists and turns and loud noises was a thrill.
There used to be a Tunnel of Love, although when I got old enough to appreciate it, it was replaced by drive-it-yourself cars.
I screamed until they let me off the Ferris Wheel. I don't know if it was the height or the swinging of the seats, but I definitely did not like the sensation.
The Bumper Cars were my all-time favorite, but I didn't realize it until I was there with my children and saw the looks on their faces as they came full speed ahead into Mom.
The Wild Mouse or the Black Spider or any spinning rides were not for me although I did try the Caterpillar once and even if the car did go around in a circle, the thrill was getting covered with the big green coiled cloth.
Kiddyland, brightly painted, with the little roller coaster, boats, motorcycles was perfect for the tiny tots. There were many smiles on parents' faces as they watched their children having fun.
The trees, the huge trees, stood in front of the concession stands, their roots breaking the concrete and blacktop around, shading those who chose to eat at the outside picnic tables. The big inside area meant many tables and benches, a refuge in a sudden rain storm, the condiment shelves attracting a few pesky flies.
Many enjoyed the day resting on the quiet beach and running against the gentle waves.
The Dance Hall, used in the day for roller skating, changed at night. All the big bands appeared and couples danced to their favorite tunes.
At the games of chance--break a balloon with a dart, pick the floating duck with the winning number, toss a ring around a bottle--the prize was small, inexpensive and the fun was in the trying.
Flowers were planted everywhere.
I'm not sure when the downfall began.
Was it when the beautiful Chrystal Beach boat stopped running? When someone stole my picnic basket that was placed in the numbered grove?
When they replaced the magic Carpet with stairs?
When they charged one price admission?
When they opened a bar on the quiet beach?
When the Wild Mouse disappeared?
When the bright painted colors in Kiddyland began to fade?
When they dismantled the beautiful gold and white Merry-Go-Round and sold the hand-cared, wooden horses, lion, tigers and wolves to the highest bidder?
I missed my annual trip to Crystal Beach this year, but the summer flew by so quickly.
"There's always next year," I thought.
I read the notice in the paper, "Crystal Beach is dead."
Someone, something killed it.
posted by gardenbug at Thursday, March 20, 2008
2 Comments:
I've always loved amusement parks. Sadly, the small parks can no longer afford the liability insurance. There are still a couple left, though: Remember Storybook Land near Atlantic City in NJ? And The Enchanted Forest in Old Forge, NY (which has been changed into a water park? Oh well - I guess that's one way to stay alive.)
You have to take some chances if you want to live and grow. The liability attorneys have ruined a lot of good experiences in the name of keeping us safe. The magic carpet ride at the end of the fun house tour...some games in gym...cheer leader gymnastics...some art materials....scissors and paper...even children going outside to play without parents around. That is how kids learn to take turns, argue about the rules of the game, etc. It is my belief that parents should not shield children . Instead, they should show children how to handle some risky situations. This doesn't mean that kids should play with gasoline...I am talking about every day situations. Children learn by exploring. Some scraped knees should be expected in growing up...including fun at Crystal Beach.
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