originally posted on 3/12/2021 4:24:05 PM
Photo: Gary Slade. View full-sized image.
The closure of an amusement park is a harsh blow to any coaster and park enthusiast and even a sadder affair for the community in which it resides.
Having opened in 1907, Clementon Park (Clementon, New Jersey) has more than a century of history. Whether that history will be coming to a close remains to be seen. Like a cliché roller coaster analogy, the park has seen its up and downs. One such “down” was a 1998 incident on Jack Rabbit. Built by John Miller in 1919, it was a rare remaining example of a side-friction coaster. When allowed to roll through the station with no brakes, the coaster derailed on a curve approaching the lift hill. Three passengers were taken to the hospital. The intense scrutiny that followed was a dark cloud over the park. Combine that with a revolving door of owners and management, and the park seemed to lose the support of the local community. The most recent owner, Premier Park, LLC, closed the park oddly and abruptly in the fall of 2019 prior to a fall event that had been scheduled and for which tickets had been sold.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.
Clementon Park was one of the rare remaining trolley parks. This historic type of park was noted for being built at the ends of trolley lines. Amusement parks built in such locations encouraged ridership on the weekends. The park is 30 miles from downtown Philadelphia.
Shuttered for the last 15 months, the park and its assets will be going up for auction on March 23. Connecticut-based Capital Recovery Group (CRG) will be conducting the auction. It is listed as “Sale by Order of Howard Samuels – Receiver.”
There is a lot that interested parties might pursue. In addition to the park’s 52 acres — along with its liquor license — is a 23-acre spring-fed lake from which the park gets its original name.
Hell Cat was a rare wooden coaster built by S&S.
View full-sized image.
Photos: Richard Koppelman and Jeffrey Seifert. View full-sized image.
From a rides standpoint, the biggest ride is the most difficult to move: Hell Cat, one of the few wooden coasters built by S&S. The steel structure makes it slightly easier in any attempts to relocate, but the odds of someone opting to do so are not high, particularly when this wasn’t a highly regarded design. Its rollicking layout might be a bit too much for some customers, although hardcore fans found it wonderfully wicked.
Numerous flat rides are also available: a Scrambler, carousel, Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris wheel, drop tower, Larson loop and several kiddie rides.
Splash World was a water park included with admission to Clementon Park. Several slides and attractions from it will also be available.
Photo: Gary Slade. View full-sized image.
In addition to rides, the listing states: “All park furnishings and support equipment including over 300 assorted configuration picnic tables with attached benches, food prep and concession equipment, maintenance equipment and much more.”
While all this will be available in the auction, ACE members — and, most likely, many community residents — hope that a single buyer will step forward and attempt to reopen the park. This will be the first opportunity for a sole buyer since CRG became involved. CRG feels it is the last chance for such an opportunity to happen.
An inspection is set for Friday, March 19.
Although a sole bidder could reopen the park, such a move would require a lot of patience and investment to turn the park around. Fingers crossed.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor
Photo: Torrence Jenkins. View full-sized image.
#ACENews