New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC

Whalom Event Series

2010-03-07T21:52:00.002-05:00

Whalom Event Series
"For a Whale of a Time"

Written by: Michael Coutermarsh

For more then 100 years Whalom was a destination for family entertainment for New Englanders, especially the people of North Central Massachusetts who called Whalom their home park. So many families built memories but as the century came to a close so did the entertainment offered by Whalom. When the New Whalom Park Ownership Program was started it was built on the objective of returning entertainment to North Central Mass. While our main goal is to build a park in the memory and atmosphere of Whalom Park we wanted to get the entertainment going wile we continue our efforts to rebuild Whalom. After participating in events in the past and sponsoring a roller skating event last October we wanted to move forward. From those small outings, the Whalom Event Series was born. Family fun will return to the region in the form of Dance Nights sponsored by DJ Mike Campbell’s Platinum Productions, a summer fair, as well as other events cooperating with local businesses. The New Whalom Park Ownership Program is thrilled to offer our Event Series for 2010. It will without a doubt be a whale of a time.

View Whalom Events Series Schedule on the Official web-page

Discuss This news on our Forums

2009-12-26T21:51:00.003-05:00

New Whalom Park “A Good Thing”

Written by: Michael Coutermarsh

New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC is working to rebuild the Joy and memories of the Amusement park. Whalom Park was built off of the history and memories that are equally as strong as the goal we have set for our company. Using Whalom as an established brand, we feel we can rebuild the classic attraction while incorporating a newer level of technology. Whalom will, most importantly, be family friendly, family priced, and green.

The original park employed 300 during the peak summer season, New Whalom Park would employ more then that to support a more diverse ride selection. We expect to hire up to 700 seasonal employees to support park operations with a portion of that consisting of year round positions. New Whalom Park would have an impact on local unemployment by hiring locals both seasonal and full time to handle park operations. Recent industry trends have also seen an increase in adults looking to the amusement industry for employment.

A return of Whalom Park would have a huge impact on the area. Local economies have reported profitable changes after the return of a local park. Some small parks with as little as 200 employees have reported paying salaries exceeding 2 million dollars. Maggie Valley, North Carolina has reported that over the last 2 years their reopened park has paid out $125,000 to the state and county in Sales and amusement taxes. Since it’s reopening the area has seen an increase in occupancy rates along with the tax revenue associated with hotel and motel occupancy.
Attendance at the New Whalom Park would generate funds that would trickle into the local economy. Whalom had been generating an attendance of more then a quarter million guests a year. New Whalom can expect to see that and more. Tax revenue would be paid out to city and state in the form of income, property, sales and food taxes. By hiring our needed employees locally, we will in turn be building a stronger local economy.

Discus this news on our forums

Whalom Still Strong

2009-04-19T21:23:00.006-04:00

It’s been eight years since the gates of Whalom were locked shut and its future turned form bright and cheery to dark and uncertain. The rides sat idle without care or the accompaniment of a rider’s joy. The grounds, though overgrown, thrived to show the life that had been the foundation of the long standing Trolley Park. The memories and desire of Whalom lived on. What was obvious was the spirit of Whalom was thriving.

To bring Whalom back, and succeed, a group needed to be formed. The New Whalom Park Ownership Program grew from the roots of smaller projects that were started to support the park. The foundation was built with local Enthusiasts with one thing in common, a love for amusement parks, and especially a love for Whalom. A Board of Directors was brought together adding to include professionals with the experience to help the project Succeed. Quickly the New Whalom Park Ownership program took the steps to be declared an LLC, Limited Liability Company. The group continues to move forward becoming a member of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. The program has also taken other steps in order to resurrect Whalom Park.

Interest in the park is as strong as ever. Bring up Whalom park to a local and you are likely to be showered with stories of joyful days and rides on the seemingly Dangerous, but safe, Comet Roller coaster. Grandparents and parents who visited Whalom look forward to introducing the next generation to their memories. The Program has opened Forums which continues to see many new member requests. The fan page opened on the Community site facebook has grown to more then 2,500 fans and counting. It stands as one of the most popular amusement park fan pages on the site. The support shown for the program and Whalom Park stands as a reminder of the task at hand and the rewards that will come when Whalom reopens its gates.

Discuse this news on our forums.

Board of Directors

2009-01-03T22:54:00.012-05:00

Board of Directors: Get to know who is running the New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC and what they do for the company.

New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC

Board of Directors

Scott A. Lanciani
Chairman/CEO
Media Contact

David Belliveau
Vice Chairman/CFO
Investor Relations

Andrew Probert
Conceptual Artist
Theme, Design Director
www.probertdesigns.com

Dan Evans Jr.
Human Resources
Marketing Director

Dean Defrancisco
Amusement Entertainment
Facilities Director

Michael Coutermarsh
Amusement Entertainment
Research Director
Web Site & Forum Administrator

NWPOP Discused on In The Loop Podcast

2008-12-21T10:59:00.004-05:00

NWPOP's CEO Scoot Lanciani talkes with the Coaster Crew on In The Loop.

The New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC is always looking for a way to spread the word on our efforts. Recently Scott Lanciani took some time to talk with the Coaster Crew on their In The Loop podcast. The interview is at the end of the December 17th podcast. The discussion talked about current plans for the web site along with the former Whalom property.

CoasterCrew.com (In The Loop Podcast)

Discus this topic on our forums

A Brief Overview of the Program

2008-11-17T02:46:00.001-05:00

The closing of Whalom Park on Rt. 13 in Lunenburg Massachusetts saddens many people in the community. For 108 years generations went to the amusement park for old-time non-commercial fun. Families could go for the day and unwind from the long work week, while couples once went there for roller skating and dancing. Whalom was never a Disney World or Six Flags, but that's what made it home for so many.

Employees who worked there felt like they were at home away from home; now all the community has to look forward to are possible townhouses. People are upset that there is no place for families, children or people of all ages.

Portions of the community want to get involved but don't know how. Some think that Whalom Park is too far gone. However, there are many people with a small shimmer of hope, and united in the right way they could make Whalom Park shine again. A local man, Scott A. Lanciani has developed a plan for the community to get involved. Through a public ownership, called the Whalom Park Ownership Program, People can invest in the park by purchasing shares. This would be a way to win back the people in the surrounding communites; Everyone can and would be heard. Local people would own the park. Local people would run the park - A true family environment!

This community based program involves buying investment shares, and owning a piece of the park. This is not a donation program. We are a for-profit organization. All shares are voting shares, and all share holders will receive season passes to the park for as long as they own their shares. Help bring back beloved Whalom Park, for generations of today and tomorrow to enjoy!!!

If you have any questions or comments or would like more information on this program, please contact Scott A. Lanciani at (978) 697- 0289 or send us an email: whalompark at gmail dot com

'The New Whalom Park Ownership Program,LLC' : Keeping the memory of Whalom Park alive!

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New Whalom Park ,
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Lunenburg ,
Lunenburg Mass.

Whalom Roller skaters reunion slated (13 Sept. 2008)

2008-08-24T08:01:00.005-04:00

The Whalom Roller Skating Reunion Committee announces a get-together will be held Saturday, Sept. 13 2008 at the Eastwood Club, 389 Townsend St., Fitchburg. A social with appetizers will be held at 7 p.m. A program featuring DJ and comedian Sheila Van Dyke will be presented at 8 p.m.

Roller skaters from the early days at the Whalom Rink up to the time it closed are invited to attend.

Anyone with pictures or other mementos from days gone by are welcome to bring them for display; label them for identification. All will be returned. Tickets are $10. Tickets are limited and are available until Sept. 8.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call Nancine Brooks at (978) 549-4653, Bill and Maryann Franklin at (978) 345-4672 or Frank Vargo at (978) 343-0029.

(source)

Scott Lanciani, Chairman and CEO of the New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC (whalom.org) will be there to answer questions and share information about plans for the park and how to become a shareholder.

Discus this news at:
NWPOP, LLC Forums

SEE THE STARS AT WHALOM – MERV GRIFFIN!

2007-08-18T04:48:00.000-04:00

For over 100 years Fitchburg, Massachusetts has been home to Stage and Theater.
From the mid 1880's up until the mid 1980's there were as many as Ten Theaters all serving an important social role within the neighborhoods and communities.

The oldest of the Theaters, and perhaps the most popular, was at Lake Whalom in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, on the grounds of the Whalom Amusement Park, the tenth oldest family amusement park in America at the time of its closing in 2000.

In its various incarnations, the Whalom Theater, dating back to a rustic rough hewn timber dwelling in the open air built in 1893, eventually became known as the Whalom Playhouse.

Whalom Playhouse advertising post card 1964, photo donated by Ron Toth, Jr. - Owner Time Passages Nostalgia Company.

MERV GRIFFIN AT THE LAKE WHALOM PLAYHOUSE

Talk show host, TV game show host and creator, media mogul and hotel magnate Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. was once a ‘B’ movie actor and occasional Broadway performer. In his first stint as talk show host with the Merv Griffin show, created for him by Jack Parr in 1962 (this show lasting only a year), Merv's show was rife with Broadway performers. One of his favorite guests over the ensuing years was musical theatre legend Ethel Merman.

MANY CAREERS, INCLUDING SUMMER THEATER

Somewhere in between Mr. Griffin’s many careers (his wife Julann sparked the idea for Jeopardy in 1964) he found time to appear in Summer Theater, most notably for us in the Fitchburg area, in the week of July 27, 1964.

When Guy Palmerton’s Lake Whalom Playhouse opened for the 1964 season on the 6th of July, the first two shows featured heavies Imogene Coca and Donald Woods.

The third show, advertised as “George Abbott's Great Comedy Songs - Dances - Jazz & Girls” was ‘Broadway’, and starred 39 year old Merv Griffin.

The show was described as:

"a comedy-melodrama of the 1920's about a small town hoofer in a nightclub when the bootleggers and the gangsters held sway in this thirsty land. Murder, mayhem and music!"

Evenings at 8:30, Matinees Wednesday and Saturday 2:30

WE MISS OUR PLAYHOUSE

Local residents of the Fitchburg-Leominster area have many fond memories of “Seeing the Stars at Whalom” on warm, romantic summer nights being entertained at the Whalom Playhouse or at the equally famous 70 year old Whalom Ballroom, where the masters of the Big Band such as Tommy and Jimmie Dorsey and even Bill Haley and the Comets played over the years.

Whalom Park also had a vintage 19th century wooden floor roller rink where an organ player provided live music for skating enthusiasts and the Rose Garden, where the roof opened up to the in the summer and patrons could ‘dance under the stars’.

THE FUTURE OF THE WHALOM THEATER

We were indeed lucky ‘once-upon-a-time’ of having the opportunity to see great Hollywood, Broadway, and Burlesque stars such as Merv Griffin and Mickey Rooney perform here, and to take in fantastic Operas, Musicals and Plays. After a few years’ hiatus, between the closing of Whalom Park and the opening of the New Whalom Park in Winchendon Massachusetts, people will once again thrill to enriching entertainment experiences so sorely missing from the area for so many years now.

The New Whalom Park Ownership program (Whalom.org) plans to bring back the best of the old era while incorporating the new. Mickey Rooney’s manager has asked when Mickey would be able to perform at Whalom Theater again, as Mickey and his wife are still touring. And let’s bring other acts into town. Built on a solid reputation firmly established and time tested since 1893, the residents of Central Massaschusetts have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

RIP Merv Griffin (1925 – 2007)

We gratefully acknowledge the following sources:

[1] http://www.buckscountyplayhouse.com/playhouse/bcphis64.html

[2] http://home.iprimus.com.au/metzke/Old.Fitchburg.Theaters.html

[3] http://www.leominsterchamp.com/news/2006/0317/opinion_editorial/017.html

[4] http://www.angelfire.com/nh/whalom/whalomnews.html

Toy Town on the short list (Winchendon Courier)

2007-08-02T11:09:00.002-04:00

LOGO CONTEST WINNERS

2007-07-31T16:54:00.001-04:00

Three winners have been selected by a combination of public vote and Board of Director judging.

They are:

WINNING LOGO

The winning logo was designed by Keith LaFerriere

runner up

The second place logo was designed by Candace LaBonte

third place

The third place logo was designed by Keith LaFerriere

The logos will represent the New Whalom Park on all company correspondence, official website, advertising and publications. A line of souvenir merchandise will be offered to the public and is likely to include caps, shirts, beachwear, keychains, and magnets.

We are looking for individuals with experience to help us put together a line of souvenir collectibles that will promote the New Whalom Park and draw support for the work that needs to be done to make it a reality.

To volunteer for souvenir merchandise please email us or call Scott Lanciani at (978) 697-0289.

Richard and Fran Curtis - 30 Years at Whalom

2007-07-29T18:33:00.001-04:00

Richard Curtis of Edgewater, Florida sent along a wonderful set of photos showing the same two boys (Richard and his brother Fran) sitting next to the famous Whalom Park clown. The photos were taken 30 years apart!

Like so many of us who grew up at Whalom Park, we sincerely thank Richard who took the time to piece together these memories - for there's a big piece of Whalom Park inside all of us. The park meant so much to so many. Like many, Richard is asking when the park will re-open. We can't answer that yet, but depending on the support of the community and Whalom-lovers everywhere it won't be too long.

Richard loved Whalom Park so much that he mentioned that he would be willing to make the trip up from Florida for the grand re-opening, and has asked how he can support the park in the meantime. This website is the right place to start. This is the only online community based preservation website for Whalom Park.

Once again, Richard - thank you SO MUCH for sharing and supporting the New Whalom Park. You are indeed an inspiration to us all!

Ted Whitten's Story

2007-07-29T18:10:00.001-04:00

Hi Scott

Do you have any pictures of the Haunted House ride (the one that
burned down in the early 80's)? That used to be my favorite.

I'd also love to have any pictures of Whalom Park from the summer of
1985, which was the year I worked there. I was only 16 years old,
and wasn't allowed to operate most of the good rides, but I worked
some of the Kiddie Land rides, and the Giant Slide, and did a lot of
general grounds work, like trash duty.

Sadly, I got myself fired, while working at the Giant Slide. It was
my responsibility to stand at the bottom and make sure kids didn't
run back up the stairs for a second go, after landing at the bottom.
A certain rascal of a kid kept ignoring my shouts, and running back
up again and again. After about the fifth time, out of frustration
and anger, I defiantly raised my arm with a certain rude finger
gesture (for purely my own satisfaction, mind you .. as his back was
turned to me and already running back up the stairs). It turned out,
his father was standing by watching, and reported me, so I was
summoned to the office soon after and fired. Ohhhh the shame of it
all! Of course, I understood it was wrong, and they were justified
in firing me .. it wasn't appropriate behavior for a park employee ..
but I was young and stupid. I sincerely regretted losing that job,
as that was one of the most fun and memorable summers of my life,
working there.

I made a good friend who I'm still in touch with (Heather Bulger, who
operated various rides from 1984-1985), met one of the long-term
loves of my life (Tracey Harmon, who worked at the front entrance
gates, taking tickets), attended some after-work 'Whalom Employee
Parties', broke the rules a few times and operated the 'grown up
rides' when people had to go to the bathroom bad enough to 'risk it'
by letting me take over, and basically... had a whale of a time!

;-)

Ted Whitten

www.myspace.com/ted_whitten

"The Illustrated Pro-Yo Trick Bible"
www.yoyo-tricks.com

"Let's Trade", CD-R Bootleg Trading
www.yoyo-tricks.com/LetsTrade.html

Transformation of Whalom - by Stu Sherman

2007-05-02T13:58:00.000-04:00

5prc.jpg, originally uploaded by scsherman.

Stu Sherman, http://www.stusherman.com/Galleries/ owner of Stu's Photography (17 Bow Street, Union Square, Somerville Ma.) is exhibiting Photographs of Liminal Spaces, (including Whalom Park) - at the Somerville Open Studios on May 5 and 6, 2007.

ABOUT STU'S WORK

I use a view camera (4x5) because I find it gives me the control with composition I am looking for as well as the fine detail for capturing structures during periods of growth and destruction. The sites in my photographs exist within communities and help create a space in which one is neither completely attached nor detached from culture. In focusing on such sites the images attempt to provide a ground for the viewers to reflect on their own world. The current project I am working on focuses on the physical transformation of Whalom Park.

WHALOM PARK PROJECT

This project started the summer before the demolition of Whalom Park. I really wanted to get inside and photograph the park before the demoltion, during it, and while the developers were building their new community. I figured the best way to do this was to talk with the developers and see if I could get permission to be inside. I spoke with some people at Global and they have allowed me to photograph Whalom and the upcoming construction. That is how I've been able to get access to take the photos I have posted.

Stu's dramatic photos of Whalom Park can be viewed at the Somerville Open Studios and very soon on his new website. Stay tuned for more announcements.

Man with a plan touts New Whalom Park

2007-04-29T05:09:00.001-04:00

Sunday, April 29, 2007

By Lynne Klaft CORRESPONDENT

Worcester Telegram & Gazette News

The New Whalom Park Ownership Program is looking for a home for its vision of a re-creation in Winchendon of the old Whalom Amusement Park.

Scott A. Lanciani of Leominster, the founder of the group, worked at the old park as a ride operator during the 1994 summer season.

“It was a summer job when I was in high school … I never though I’d be trying to bring back the old park,” he said.

“I read in the newspapers about the park being sold."

“It bothered me when the park was closed in 2000. It’s a huge loss for the area and for families. Now there is nothing for families to go to,” Mr. Lanciani said.

During a Leominster Lions Club presentation on the history of Whalom Park, he said he thought to himself, “How can we let this place go? Then I thought, maybe the person to do something about this is me.”

Mr. Lanciani talked it over with his family, who encouraged him. He bought a computer and through trial and error created a Web site.

One thing led to another and Mr. Lanciani now has a network of friends, old classmates, interested local people and contacts who share his vision of a new Whalom Park.

After the city of Leominster tabled discussions of allowing the new park within a commercially zoned area of town, Mr. Lanciani received a phone call from the town manager of Winchendon.

“I’m a Fitchburg boy, born and raised, and the park was near and dear to my heart,” said Town Manager James M. Kreidler Jr.

“I had been following the news and there did not seem to be overwhelming support from Leominster, so I made the call to Scott.

“Winchendon’s moniker is Toy Town,” he said, “and what better place to have an American heritage family park than in Toy Town?”

Winchendon received the nickname Toy Town when Morton Converse Toys, known for its wooden hobby horses, was a flourishing business around the turn of the century, he said.

Here’s an interesting tidbit of history.

In 1914 during the 150th anniversary celebration for the toy company, the owner dispatched carvers to Whalom Park to replicate an up-scaled version of one of the carousel horses: a 28-foot-high hobby horse.

“I expressed interest in seeing the group’s business plan, their finances and the phasing of the project,” Mr. Kreidler said.

“If all is in order, we would seriously contemplate engaging in a discussion of the prospect of the park coming to town.

“We have two state campgrounds that attract tens of thousands of visitors every year. What a great opportunity to draw on that population for this park,” Mr. Kreidler said.

The New Whalom Park Ownership Program group is looking for applications from the public for a board of directors.

“A lot of us involved now have the passion, but do not have any experience in land use, business management or finances,” Mr. Lanciani said.

Read the full story here.

Whalom trees get new life

2007-04-19T23:31:00.002-04:00

Thursday, April 12, 2007

By Elaine Thompson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

FITCHBURG— When tenants begin moving into the new Falls at Arden Mills condominiums later this month, they will see a little piece of the old Whalom Amusement Park.

Dick Madonia, the project manager, hired a local company to transplant about three dozen Colorado spruce trees ranging in height from 16 feet to 35 feet from the former park 2-1/2 miles away to the property at the condominiums on Beamis Road. The four-story Flying Comet roller coaster, the carousel, ballroom and other facilities at Whalom Park were torn down last year to make way for Emerald Place, another 240-unit luxury town house development that Mr. Madonia is overseeing.

“It’s an exciting situation. We put our heads together to try to get a part of Whalom Park and try to save a lot of the bigger trees down there,” Mr. Madonia said recently, unable to conceal his enthusiasm. “This helped keep some part of Whalom Park alive.”

Mr. Madonia said if the trees were purchased at this size, they would have cost between $80,000 and $100,000. About 30 large rhododendrons, 6 to 7 feet high and 7 to 8 feet wide, were also brought from the old Whalom Park site.

Some town officials and local residents resisted the demolition of the amusement park, which was built in 1893. Each summer, thousands of people visited Whalom Park, which became known as the playground of central New England. The selectmen’s attempt to take the property by eminent domain failed at a 2005 town meeting. Several abutters also filed suit in Worcester Superior Court to try to block the development. Global Property Development Corp. of Bridgewater bought the 31.64-acre property from Whalom Amusement Co. for $4.5 million to develop Emerald Place condominiums on the site.

Mr. Madonia said the first of three phases of the Falls at Arden Mills along the Nashua River is complete, and tenants will begin moving in within the next two weeks. He said half of the first 48 units have been sold. The second phase of 78 units should begin in about three months and will take up to two years to complete. That set of units will be at the waterfall near Duck Mill Pond. Phase three, which will be 78 units along the Nashua River, will begin after the completion of the second phase.

The development will be a gated community with heated parking garages on the ground level. Three levels of town houses with 9-foot ceilings will be over the garage. The one- to two-bedroom units range from 1,000 square feet to 1,350 square feet. Prices start at $179,000 and go up to $304,100 for units overlooking the river. There is a walking path along the river, and by August, there will be a clubhouse with a swimming pool, a bathhouse and an exercise room, and a gazebo at Duck Mill Pond.

Mr. Madonia said energy-saving materials used in the construction will reduce the cost of heating and air conditioning for home owners by more than half. The 71-year-old Fitchburg native contacted Carl Pearson, vice president of Global Properties, to do the two local condo projects. Mr. Madonia and his family used to own a construction company that built several buildings in Fitchburg and Leominster. Among them are Fitchburg’s state police barracks, Wallace Civic Center, Wallace Towers, South Street and Reingold elementary schools, and the Carmelita Landry Ice Rink. His former company also built the police station, courthouse, and Southeast Elementary School in Leominster.

William E. Gleason, whose wife, Heather Heywood, owns Gleason Landscaping and Tree Transplanting, located around the corner from Whalom Park, said saving the large trees was a way to retain some of the fond memories of the park. Mr. Gleason grew up in Lowell, but his wife, a Townsend native, used to visit the amusement park.

“I guess a lot of people really loved Whalom Park. My wife used to go there all the time,” Mr. Gleason said. “The trees are beautiful, and I didn’t want to seem them go to waste. Plus, I know people would like to see some Whalom Park material being saved.”

The Gleasons said it took about a week to dig the trees out of the ground hydraulically, place each on the bed of a truck and transport them 2-1/2 miles to their new home. He said digging each tree out of the ground with a special machine only took about 10 minutes, compared to several days if done by hand. The biggest part of the job — which took about five hours for each tree — was climbing to the top and tying each branch upward like a packaged fresh Christmas tree. With the large, valuable cargo, he was only able to drive about 10 miles per hour. The trees were placed in holes at the entrance to the project on Beamis Road.

Mr. Madonia said Mr. Gleason will teach his workers how to care for the large transplanted trees and shrubbery. He said some of the bigger trees need up to 200 gallons of water a day.

“As soon as the weather breaks, he’s going to be training our staff. We’ve got our fingers crossed. We hope that they catch,” Mr. Madonia said. “The trees make the buildings look like they have been there a long time, but they’re brand new.”

Read the full story here.

Discus this story: Whalom Forums.

Putting a Price on Whalom Park

2007-04-19T18:45:00.001-04:00

The following is an excerpt from inparknews

http://www.inparkmagazine.com/images/5news.pdf

by Bill St.Yves

I can’t put a price on the value of Whalom Park. Unfortunately, a developer can.

Recently it was announced that the land Whalom Park is on has finally been sold after the park has sat abandoned since 2000. Condos will be built there, and there will be no more Whalom Park. I’ve watched so many smaller parks close – Miracle Strip most recently – and I can’t help but think, how can you put a price on these places? They are more than real estate. They are more than a bunch of rides and games and buildings. They are the history of this industry. Without the trolley parks and pleasure gardens of the 20’s & 30’s there would be no Disney, no Six Flags, no Universal Studios. I’m thankful for the traditional parks that have survived and thrived like Cedar Point and Kennywood. There are not that many traditional old parks left and many of them may be one high bid away from becoming another set of town homes.

Traditional old parks are of huge value to us as an industry. We can look to them for ideas and proven concepts that have worked longer than some other parks have been open. They are a training ground for tomorrow’s industry leaders. They bring us back to a time when you didn’t have to be the tallest and the fastest to still have a good time. But most importantly, they help us see where we have come from. The problem is the land these parks sit on is more valuable as real estate than as a safe place for families to go and spend some quality time together. If we don’t value (and visit) our old parks, someone else – someone with other intentions – will. - BILL ST. YVES

Letter from Kim

2007-04-19T18:40:00.000-04:00

Maybe this could actually work out for everyone. The town of Agawam's property taxes are fairly reasonable because Six Flags pays a huge tax rate. Sorry to sound so negative but this could be a big boom for towns in this area because lets face it Winchendon, Gardner, Athol etc. are all cities and towns that are "depressed" and Whalom Park would actually bring further business in to these areas, which would help everyone. We have sparse retail and even sparser resources for employment, so I would welcome Whalom Park. Traffic or no traffic.

ref: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/sentinelenterprise/5686257/#39425

Winchendon eyed for new Whalom Park

2007-04-17T18:20:00.001-04:00

By Malinda Govoni

Article Launched: 04/17/2007 10:49:07 AM EDT

Sentinel & Enterprise

Winchendon Town Manager James Kreidler hopes that Lunenburg's mostly demolished Whalom Park will be rebuilt on a piece of land off of Route 140, in the town where he works.

Read the entire article

here.

DevalPatrick.com - Save Whalom's Heritage

2007-04-02T01:20:00.001-04:00

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick ran a campaign about getting people to check back in to politics, to participate in shaping their community and government. This new website is intended to help carry on that mission by giving you the tools to communicate with the Governor and to organize your own community around the issues that are important to you.

Nathaniel Palmer, Cohasset has posted an issue on the governor's website for all of us to support:

'Whalom Park is the last 19th Century outdoor cultural center (or if you like "Amusement Park") which could be saved. This is a vital part of the Commonwealth's cultural heritage, and could be a valuable part of our future. The New Whalom Park Ownership Program provides an opportunity to save Massachusetts history, cultural heritage, and an invaluable resource for all citizens. The Massachusetts Legislature should act to make this a priority.'

Please go to http://devalpatrick.com/issue.php?issue_id=7613371 and support this issue!

Many thanks for your action, Mr.Palmer - we salute you!

Where are they now… Paul L’Ecuyer – Master Puppeteer

2007-03-18T14:57:00.000-04:00

Whalom Park Staff (1980 - 1989)

Drawbridge Puppet Productions; We catch up with the former Artist/Entertainment Director of Whalom Park in this interview:

1. Happy anniversary to Drawbridge Puppet Theater. How has business been in the first year?

Thank You! I am celebrating 25 years as a puppeteer this year, fifteen years of operating "Drawbridge Puppet Productions", and this is our first year operating the permanent Drawbridge Puppet Theater here in Lunenburg, and it is going quite well. More and more people are hearing about it and through word of mouth new folks are arriving all the time. We also have a constant stream of regular patrons, parents and children, that have become 'hooked' on the puppet shows.

The older folks (who bring their grandchildren) seem to enjoy the humor that my puppet partner Jeff Koslik writes into the scripts and original music especially for the grown-ups to enjoy. They really enjoy the quality time they get to spend with each other, and in our environment - it's a perfect place. We also do perform at the Lunenburg Primary school (right next door) as well as in surrounding cities and town schools, libraries etc. both with our travelling shows as well as field trips coming here to us.

2. How did the new Whalom Park DVD come about, Paul?

I had planned a video in the past, and put together lots of clips from the years that I worked at the park (1980-1989) as artist/entertainment director and puppeteer. But once computers came out, I soon learned that video was becoming obsolete and decided to learn what I could about the movie making software - which I did.

It is fantastic that anyone now can create their own media from computers! I certainly wish computers were around back in those Whalom Park years! Anyway, I took lots of the video clips and photos both that I had, and had acquired from others to create this one hour DVD - entitled "Whalom Park - For a Whale of a Time" A Personal View by Paul L'Ecuyer.

3. You have an extensive collection of WP memorabilia displayed on http://www.drawbridgepuppets.com. Do you have any items on display on site for visitors at Drawbridge Puppet Theater?

I have lots of 2D artwork which will eventually be matted and hung in our future museum. Things like b/w graphic art of the rides and signage, advertisements and even the fold out map of the park that was used in the park brochures for many years.

4. What media coverage have you and Drawbridge Puppet Theater received?

Several were done during my employment at the park, including a front page article by the Fitchburg Sentinel the year I left Whalom. I also appeared as 'Barnaby, the Puppet' on a Boston Television daily talk show called "Talk of the Town" which was hosted by Matt Lauer. Clips of this footage along with folks from Lunenburg are included on the DVD. Just recently an article was written by the Montachusett T&G in which I mentioned my past employment at Whalom and the soon to be released DVD.

Please visit the web site: http://www.drawbridgepuppets.com and through the "ABOUT US" button, click on News to see and read some articles. There have been numerous articles written about the theater, as it is such a unique business and as it contains history from both Whalom Park and 'The Toy Cupboard Theater, in S.Lancaster, MA .

5. Tell us an anecdote about Whalom Park that nobody knows about.

Well… In the mid 1980's I hired a very talented young man, David Vendetti who was a graduate of the Ringling Brothers Clown College and truly a very professional clown. He entertained as a street type performer and allowed patrons waiting in long lines an avenue to be entertained while they waited for the ride.

Many times, "Chuby The Clown" as he was known would work in silence and his humor was seen as visual antics. Often he would walk normally and then suddenly his big clown pants would fall to the ground, leaving him standing with an embarrassed stupor on his very elastic face.

Of course it was used as part of his clown schtick to get a laugh from those who watched, and it always did. He had big colorful shorts on underneath of course, so there was never any indecency. However, one day I was told by the park managment to put a stop to his dropping of pants. They felt it inappropriate for the Park's family environment to be having such immoral behavior occur by a park employee.

I was seeing red and stood up for "Chuby" saying that if they felt it necessary to censor him, then they should tell him themself - as I would not, as I felt it was not indecent - and simply a clown thing to do! Nothing more was said, and David continued to drop his drawers every now and then - to lots of laughter too! Sadly, David Vendetti passed away in 1995.

6. Future Plans?

Our plans are to remain in Lunenburg. I am originally from this town (Lunenburg High School Class of 1977) and have always loved living here. What better place to operate a puppet theater? We're just one mile away from the center of town on Mass. Ave (Rte. 2A) and people find that our country setting with safe off-street parking is perfect for their visit here. The gardens that exist on the property are also wonderful in the spring and summer months and have had many comments on the beauty they possess.

Our theater also provides a meeting place for the town's "Garden Club" which hosts its monthly meeting from our space. It is our hope to continue in this same location for many years to come, including the eventual enlarging of theater space, and starting a school that will encompass the many elements of puppetry arts.

We are also planning to open our theater to anyone who has also made a film and wishes to share it in a public place. We feel that the ability to create film and produce DVD's through one's computer is a fantastic way of personal and artistic expression and hope to allow another avenue for those creative talents who may still lay undiscovered or unheard.

"Whalom Park - For a Whale of a Time" A Personal View by Paul L'Ecuyer.

It is available for immediate order at Drawbridge Puppet Productions.

ORDER YOURS NOW

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Technorati Tag(s):
Whalom ,

Whalom Park ,

amusement park ,

Emerald Place ,

Lunenburg ,
Lunenburg Mass ,

puppet ,

puppet theater ,

puppet theatre ,

marionette ,

Paul L'Ecuyer ,

DrawBridgePuppets.com ,

DrawBridge Puppets ,

DrawBridge Puppet Productions ,

Whalom DVD ,

Whalom Park DVD.

Article by: The New Whalom Park Ownership Program, whalompark.blogspot.com Leominster, MA.

Photos by: Paul L'Ecuyer, drawbridgepuppets.com, Lunenburg, MA.

Whalom DVD now available

2007-03-16T13:14:00.000-04:00

"Whalom Park: - For a Whale of a Time!" is available for purchase at Mr.C's Diner in Fitchburg at $19.95. Pictured: Catherine Perkins Dietz, owner

If your business would like to distribute the Whalom DVD, let us know! Call Scott Lanciani at 978 697 0289.

The Buzz on Whalom

2007-03-14T16:35:00.001-04:00

Folks in neighboring Winchendon are talking about Whalom Park:

Winchendon Backyard Fence

Winchendon News

As are theme park enthusiasts from all over the country!

Theme Park Review

And a huge community of Whalom-lovers at Facebook:

remember when Whalom Park was where it was at

Newspaper Interviews

2007-02-23T21:56:00.001-05:00

Scott was interviewed by two local newspapers this week (19-23 Feb 2007); the Leominster Champion and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise.

Leominster Champion Targeting a New Site for a Whale of a Time

Leominster Champion The Return of Whalom Park

Leominster Champion Remembering Whalom

Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise $15M would revive Whalom Park

Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise Leominster's Whalom Park?

Online Museum of Whalom History

2007-02-21T18:28:00.000-05:00

Currently, the oldest piece of Whalom history in our growing collection of virtual, high-quality scans and photographs is a Whalom Theater Opera Program from August 1898. This rare piece was specially scanned for us by Janet of Tobyfarm Postcards and Paper. Thank you, Janet!

New Whalom Breeze (Monthly Publication)

2007-02-18T01:05:00.000-05:00

Keeping People Informed

We plan on creating and publishing a special newsletter for residents of North Central Massachusetts, called 'The New Whalom Breeze'.

A monthly printed newsletter, (similar to the original Whalom Breeze , distributed to the residents of Fitchburg in the 1920's) consisting of news of coming meetings and development plans, etc., would be extremely helpful in keeping people informed and generating new and ongoing interest.

Mockup of Proposed publication

Each issue of this newsletter could also contain 1 or 2 reminiscences from people who frequented Whalom Park, a feature story or interview, and special promotional items for purchase. Again, this would increase people's interest in the newsletter, and in the project itself.

The newsletter should be free. It could be paid for through advertisements in the newsletter itself; and distributed through local businesses and sponsors who are eager to see this project succeed. Special discount coupons can be offered by local merchants just for mentioning New Whalom Park when they order.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO SERVE ON THE NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE OR HAVE CONTENT TO CONTRIBUTE OR WISH TO ADVERTISE (the rates are quite reasonable), PLEASE CONTACT TED OLLIKKALA at Teducation@gmail.com

Proposal submitted by Paul L'Ecuyer

Mockup and Map by Ted Ollikkala

STARS at the Whalom Playhouse 1960-1965

2007-01-20T15:21:00.000-05:00

Everyone remembers going to the Playhouse at least once at Whalom Park. But who can remember all of the famous * S T A R S * who came to Lunenburg Massachusetts to entertain us?

Shown in the photo below are 7 programs from Guy Palmerton's Lake Whalom Playhouse Theatre featuring the major stars who received top billing on the summer theatre circuit. The programs measure 6" x 9". Ticket stubs are shown taped or stapled to the covers. Can you name them?.

* * * * *

LAKE WHALOM PLAYHOUSE THEATRE PROGRAM COVERS

Whalom Playhouse Programs 1960-1965, photo donated by Ron Toth, Jr. - Owner Time Passages Nostalgia Company.

In order of appearance are the following:

STRICTLY DISHONORABLE : 1963 Starring Cesar Romero, Linda Fields, Lawrence Pressman, Leopold Badia, and Walter Flanagan. The back pictured Tab Hunter.

SUSAN SLEPT HERE : 1963 Starring Don DeFore, Sandra Church, Shirley Matson, Stratton Walling, Joe Hardy, Bruce Brighton, Geraldine Hanning, and Fran Bennett. The back pictured Gloria Swanson.

GOODBYE CHARLIE : 1960 Starring Eve Arden, Brooks West, Donna Pearson, Frank Roberts, Charles Welch, Gail Cramer, and Michael McAloney. The back advertised Tobacco Road.

MY FAIR LADY : 1964 Starring Craig Timberlake, Dran Seutz, Angus Cairns, Humphrey Davis, Eleanor Phelps, Lois Holmes, Houston Allred, and Ben Reed. The back pictured Imogene Coca.

A RAINY DAY IN NEWARK : 1964 Starring Imogene Coca, King Donovan, Gaylord Mason, Gertrude Kinnell, Barton Stone, John O'Leary and John Schuck. The back pictured Genevieve.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY : 1964 Starring Genevieve, Donald Woods, Ruth Manning, Janet Fox, Alice Yourman, Leo Lucker, Don Dickenson, and Peter Coffin. The back pictured Merv Griffin.

CAMELOT : 1965 Starring Robert Peterson, Peggy Robbins, Rene Miville, Alexander Clark, Brendan Burke, and Bill Story. The back pictured Dennis O'Keefe.

* * * * *

LAKE WHALOM PLAYHOUSE THEATRE SEASON 1964 POST CARD

Whalom Playhouse advertising post card 1964, photo donated by Ron Toth, Jr. - Owner Time Passages Nostalgia Company.

This is a photo of the advertising postcard for the 1964 Season at the playhouse. This item was found in an old scrap book that once belonged to a former member of the Nashua, New Hampshire ActorSingers theatre group.

Professional Touring Company

'MY FAIR LADY'

by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe

Celebrated TV Stage Star

Imogene Coca in

'A RAINY DAY IN NEWARK'

Jack Paar's Favorite French Star

Genevieve Co-Starring Donald Woods

'FOR LOVE OR MONEY'

Merv Griffin in

'BROADWAY'

George Abbott's Great Comedy
Songs - Dances - Jazz & Girls

Award Winning Musical By Rogers and Hammerstein

'THE SOUND OF MUSIC'

With Evelyn Wyckoff

3rd Fabulous Return Engagement

Martha Raye in

'SOLID GOLD CADILLAC'

NBC's $64,000 Star

Hal March and Marjorie Lord

Danny Thomas' Wife on TV in

'THE WAYWARD STORK'

Walter Pigeon

'TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE'

'STOP THE WORLD - I WANT TO GET OFF'

Great N.Y. Cast In This Sensational Musical Comedy

Many thanks to Ron Toth, Jr. - owner of Time Passages Nostalgia Company, www.timepassagesnostalgia.com for providing the photos of the playhouse memorabilia and content information.

HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESFUL THEME PARK

2007-01-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

By studying the Theme Park industry we can gain valuable insights into the design of our own new amusement park in North Central Massachusetts, created by us, the local residents. There is a lot of food for thought here.

LEARN FROM DISNEY

It difficult for a new organization to develop brand recognition, brand identification and product differentiation. We can learn a valuable lesson from Disney, who is the number one theme park operator in the world. Remember, even though a new Whalom Park would not be in the same league as Disney, most of the guidelines will still apply, and others need to be scaled down.

Whalom Park has one BIG ADVANTAGE: it has been around much longer than Disney (107 years vs. 56 years) and already has a solid reputation in the minds of three or four generations. The task will be to reinvent the concept of the park and educate the public on why they should visit the New Whalom Park when it opens, and more importantly RIGHT NOW, why ordinary residents should get involved with the New Whalom Park Ownership Program to make it a reality!

Disney's main strength is in its resources and in the experience in the business. The company clearly has developed a very strong and well-known "brand-name" over many years. Disney has also been able to diversify its operations and products to hedge against decreasing sales in product lines.

In recent years it has diverted into Home Video, Film, merchandise, Radio broadcasting, Network television and of course in theme parks. It has also effectively globally diversified its operations from USA to Japan and Europe. The main strengths in internal resources refer to human resources and financial stability.

Employees in the Disney studios appear to be extremely innovative and in recent years they have produced several box-office productions. A Company without new ideas is doomed in today's competitive business environment. [2]

THEME PARKS AND TOURISM [1]

The relationship of theme parks to tourism is complex and highly dependent on the park’s scale, quality, and uniqueness.

Typically, residents (from within 1.5 to 2 hours) will account for 80 percent of traditional theme park visitation. Even the tourist visitors are often in the area for other reasons (such as visiting friends and relatives). Thus, just having a theme park does not automatically insure an influx of tourism. Rather, to impact destination tourism, a theme park must:

Be unique, a “must see” destination. This can be accomplished through character development (Mickey and his friends), architectural form, natural features, special events and programming (Opryland) or a combination thereof.

Have large scale and a critical mass of attractions. Investment levels to impact international tourism generally must exceed U.S. $150 million.

Combine high technology with human scale and quality service.

Investments in the thrill hardware must be combined with a high level of service from the “hosts and hostesses” so that a unique local culture and friendly human contact is balanced to the high technology.

Encourage overnight stays. The principal economic benefits of tourism come when overnight stays are generated. Day visitors or tourists who stay with friends and relatives generate only 20 percent of the economic impact of tourists staying in hotels and motels ($50 versus $250 per day).

Thus, in designing a theme park for tourism, a multiple attraction destination (with experiences that can occupy two or three days) is more likely to have the desired impact. Tie-ups with the local Chamber of Commerce are very important in creating packages for tourists, networking with travel agents who market your destination to customers nationwide/worldwide, and

Have complementary destination activities. Tourist-oriented theme parks should be part of a mix of recreation and leisure activities. A true tourist destination would also have supporting recreation uses such as high quality hotels, convention and conference facilities, resorts, recreational shopping and dining experiences, and sports activities including golf, tennis, and water-related activities, and excursions into nearby local tourism areas.

Support media (TV) coverage and exposure. Like most other things in life, future theme parks must be designed for television. The use of theme parks and resorts as backdrops for variety programs, celebrity games, sports competition, and convention/conference broadcasting is increasing rapidly and the resultant TV exposure is very important in creating awareness in tourism markets.

Themed to country/region

New parks will have stronger theming tied to the country or local region. Theme parks are increasingly becoming a symbol and showcase for regional pride, culture, and technological achievement. The danger here, of course, is that by being too serious about “cultural” tourism the parks can cease to be fun. The primary purpose should be first and foremost; entertainment!

Part of larger mixed-use destination projects

In the urban/suburban context, we now see theme parks and large scale attractions being designed into regional and specialty shopping complexes, mixed-use waterfront developments, and even some multi-use office buildings.

In more rural settings, additional components often include destination resorts, bungalow parks, shopping/restaurant villages, and special events centers/trade expositions.

Greater visitor participation and interaction

New attractions are being designed to provide greater participant control and encourage interplay between the visitor and his environment. This is a natural outgrowth of both available technology and the demonstrated appeal of such involvement at places like the San Francisco Exploratorium.

New thrill rides are being offered where the rider can individually control the experience and intensity of the ride. Future thematic concepts will be based more on participative activities (sports, music) that relate to the audience rather than comic book characterizations.

Use of simulation experiences and virtual reality

Perhaps one of the most exciting areas of development is in the area of simulation. Advances in technology have allowed attractions designers to realistically duplicate virtually any natural or special effects experience. By combining extremely high quality visual imagery with seats that are programmed to move with the action, visitors can realistically enjoy experiences that were previously unavailable in a theme park environment.

Greater water orientation

A greater use of water related activities, attractions and landscaping is occurring in theme park design as well as in nearly all forms of real estate development. Several parks (Ocean Park, Hong Kong; Dreamland, Australia; Walibi, Belgium) combine an active water park with more traditional themed rides and amusements.

Performance parks such as Sea World are still popular but future expansion will be limited by restrictions on capturing and displaying aquatic mammals. We see a continuing acceptance of new, high technology aquariums using acrylic tunnel concepts which combine a scuba diver’s view of the undersea world with a ride experience. Some of these will be developed in the open ocean.

Design for all-weather operation/artificial environments

New theme parks are designed to have more covered attractions as well as climate controlled walkways and rest areas. This allows for shorter amortization of high capital investment and fixed cost components. New theme parks are being designed with a greater degree of weather protection in order to enable a longer operating season and longer operating hours per day.

* * * * *
Now let's move on to more specific recommendations, keeping in mind the demographics, local culture, economy and climate of North Central Massachusetts.

MARKET AREA

Key to a successful theme park is an adequate market within 100 to 200 miles, consisting of a population with adequate disposable income to afford the required expenditures. The bulk of the attendees at theme parks are day-trippers and, in fact, successful theme parks require repeat business, which is most likely to come from day-trippers. Disneyland and Disneyworld are exceptions to this distance requirement in that each has either broad regional or national and in the case of Disneyworld, international--appeal.

SITE

An adequate site is critical. A site of 100 acres or more (smaller for a new Whalom) is necessary to provide not only the attraction itself, but also parking, buffer zones and expansion. (If a resort is planned, of course, more land is required.) The land should be rolling to permit attractive landscaping and changes in elevation to mask exhibits and rides, although level sites, with proper inward-looking design, can work as well.

SITE ACCESS

Access to the site is important because of the need to tap markets from which attendees can arrive by express highways, with minimum delay to arrive at the site. Some attractions (e.g., Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Six Flags over Georgia in Atlanta and Opryland, U.S.A.) have been able to acquire direct access from the highway, thus alleviating traffic congestion.

ZONING

Appropriate zoning of the site is critical. A long drawn-out battle to change zoning classification is highly undesirable. The theme park developer has no interest in becoming involved in a battle for zoning change.

PART-TIME LABOR POOL

The availability of a large pool of part-time labor is a real asset for a locality hoping to land a destination attraction. College students, spouses of military personnel, and housewives seeking temporary or part-time employment are key sources. Location near a college or a military base is particularly desirable.

WEATHER

Weather has a direct bearing on the number of days a theme park can operate and, hence, on its potential profitability. Initially theme parks were designed to operate year round, but now many can be successful with 140-150 days of operation. Warm, rain-free weather is most desirable, particularly during the period April 1 to November 1.

[1] http://www.hotel-online.com/Trends/ERA/ERARoleThemeParks.html
[2] http://iir-hp.wu-wien.ac.at/neurus/braun.pdf

EVOLUTION OF AMUSEMENT PARKS IN AMERICA

2007-01-18T04:00:00.005-05:00

If you know park history, you will realise that Lunenburg's WHALOM PARK is a 'classic amusement park' that followed the emerging trends in America from the very beginning; from the birth of picnic parks up through various additions and sophistications of the times and lasted right up through the Disney era, when all the rules suddenly changed.

DAWN OF THE AMUSEMENT PARK (late 1800's) [1]

Following the American Civil War in the late 1800’s, increased urbanization
gave rise to electric traction (trolley) companies. In Whalom's case, it was the 'Fitchburg and Leominster Street Railway Company'. At that time, utility
companies charged the trolley companies a flat fee for the use of their
electricity. As a result, the transportation companies looked for a way to
stimulate weekend use, or weekend ridership.

"THE TERMINUS" - Whalom was at the end of the electric trolley line beginning in 1893. From a rare book by the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway Co. entitled "Whalom Lake and Park" circa 1910. Donated by Charles Kimball

This resulted in the amusement park. Typically built at the end of the trolley
line, amusement parks initially were simple operations consisting of picnic
facilities, dance halls, restaurants, games, and a few amusement rides often
located on the shores of a lake or river. These parks were immediately
successful and soon opened across America [2].

"THE FIRST BOAT HOUSE - On the same site the present boat house was built ". From a rare book by the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway Co. entitled "Whalom Lake and Park" circa 1910. Donated by Charles Kimball.

THE MIDWAY AND CONEY ISLAND

The amusement park entered its golden era with the 1893 World's Colombian
Exposition in Chicago. This World's Fair introduced the Ferris Wheel and the
amusement midway to the world. The midway, with its wide array of rides and
concessions, was a huge success and dictated amusement park design for the
next sixty years. The following year, Capt. Paul Boynton borrowed the midway
concept and opened the world's first modern amusement park - Paul Boyton's
Water Chutes on Chicago's South side.

Unlike the primitive trolley parks, the Water Chutes was the first amusement
park to charge admission and use rides as its main draw rather than picnic
facilities or a lake. The success of his Chicago park inspired him to open a
similar facility at the fledgling Coney Island resort in New York in 1895 [2].

GROWTH CYCLES

The amusement park industry grew tremendously over the next three decades. The
center of the industry was Coney Island in New York, which at its peak was
home to three of America's most elaborate amusement parks along with dozens of
smaller attractions.

Around the world, hundreds of new amusement parks opened, while many early
trolley parks expanded by adding new rides and attractions. New innovations
provided greater and more intense thrills to the growing crowds. By 1919, over
1,500 amusement parks were in operation in the United States.

THE DEPRESSION / WORLD WAR II

Unfortunately, this development did not last for long [2]. In
1929, America entered the economic depression, and by 1935 only 400 amusement
parks remained; many struggling to survive. World War II further hurt the
industry, when many parks closed and others refrained from adding new
attractions due to rationing.

With the end of World War II, America and the amusement park industry enjoyed
post war prosperity. Attendance and revenues grew to new records as new parks
opened across America.

BABY BOOMERS

A new concept, the Kiddieland, took advantage of the post-war baby boom,introducing a new generation to the joys of the amusement park in the rapidly
growing suburbs. Unfortunately, this resurgence was short lived [2].

As the 1950's dawned, television, urban decay, segregation, and suburban
growth beganto take a heavy toll on the aging urban amusement park. The
industry was again in distress as the public turned elsewhere for
entertainment. What was needed was a new concept and that new concept was
Disneyland.

BEYOND DISNEY - Diversification [1]

The U.S. theme park industry is diversifying into new smaller-scale targeted
products for “niche” markets which may not be covered by the large-scale theme
parks.

Some feel that this trend is being driven by market opportunities like those
which drove expansion of the theme park industry several decades ago. The
theme park development boom in the 1970s represented a massive, heavily
capitalized response to the need to provide baby boomers with family
entertainment. Theme parks fit into the urban fabric of America by being
located next to large, built-in metropolitan markets, and on relatively
inexpensive land.

1980’s

The 80s witnessed a narrowing of market and product focus with the smaller
investment waterparks. This was the first major diversification of the
industry. Waterparks appealed to a more narrow market, usually teens and young
families, and were suitable for smaller secondary markets.

1990’s

The new entertainment attractions of the 90s represent a furthering
diversification. These attractions narrow the niche appeal even more with
smaller capital investment and an appeal usually to very specific market
groups such as children, teens, young singles, etc. Many of these attractions
begin to tap the “baby boomlet”, and respond to the need to regenerate
under-performing suburban real estate properties by locating in shopping
centers.

Examples of the new entertainment attractions include the family entertainment
centers being developed in malls, the expansion of the outdoor family
recreation and mini-golf attractions, entertainment centers combined with
urban mixed use projects, sports bars, themed restaurants, children’s
attractions, mini-aquariums, and a host of others.

THE FUTURE

Diversification should continue as entrepreneurs attempt to seek out untapped
entertainment markets.

This article is excerpted from

[1] http://www.hotel-online.com/Trends/ERA/ERARoleThemeParks.html

[2] Kyriazi, Gary. The Great American Amusement Parks. Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press. 1976. 256p.

TOURISM : Good or Bad

2007-01-17T07:23:00.000-05:00

In general, increased tourism is economically beneficial to the residents of an area. However, there are some important factors to consider.

A HUGE INDUSTRY

According to Smith [2], travel and tourism is the largest industry in the world in terms of employment, and ranks in the top two or three industries in almost every country by nearly every measure.

For example:

• Travel and tourism employs 101 million people around the globe - one of every 16 workers.

• Travel and tourism employment, investment and value-added exceed those of such major industries as steel, automobiles, textiles, and electronics in virtually every country.

• Consumers in developed countries spend as much on travel and tourism as on clothing or health care.

BENEFITS OF INCREASED TOURISM

In well-developed areas, tourism enriches the community by providing additional shops, theaters and restaurants, and the permanent resident is offered options which were previously unavailable.

As a service industry, tourism is able to create a large number of jobs in a short period of time for little cost. The general logic behind local government initiatives to promote their region as a tourism center is lying on the assumption that local residents will benefit from the employment, income, and tax revenue generated from tourism.

TOO MUCH TOURISM

The other side of the coin is that too much tourism can have negative effects: over-commercialization might lead to frustration and resentment. There are limits to the tolerance of local residents to the negative externalities imposed by the tourism industry. Increased tourism may result in overcrowding and congestion on streets and highways, parking lots, public transit, shopping facilities, amusement, entertainment, and sports venues, and other attractions.

A PARK FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE / DESIGNED BY LOCAL PEOPLE

Successful tourism development must focus on balancing the level of tourism activity,
which produces maximum revenue against the costs (both financial and emotional) generated by the tourism effort.

In other words, we must design a park that satisfies the needs of the permanent residents while at the same time attracts the outside tourist dollar which, if it remains in the local economy, will act as a stimulant.

HOW OUTSIDE TOURISM APPLIED TO WHALOM IN THE PAST

When I worked at Whalom Park in the early 1980’s on a typical summer weekday my boss at the Penny Arcade, Roger Perkins, would go to the park office and enquire how many busses would be arriving that day for a company picnic, or just coming for a day trip from the Boston area (city kids on a summer program) for a recreational outing.

The park would be empty, but when the busses (usually between five and eight, but sometimes a record FOURTEEN!) began arriving, our arcade would suddenly experience a real rush. This was because they usually arrived before the rides opened and needed a place to spend their money (besides, the Penny Arcade was air-conditioned).

Most of the tourist dollars on these days came from outside of the local area. At the end of the day, the 'city kids' and company employees got back on the busses and left. They never did any local shopping, or interacted with the local residents.

Weekday evenings and weekends certainly were different; there were many more familiar faces from the area, and people would make the drive down from neighboring communities for a night at Whalom Park. Nobody stayed overnight, of course – but sometimes they would go to Searstown or a local restaurant; so they were injecting ‘foreign dollars’ into the local economy.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO SAY?

The point is: A new amusement park would benefit the residents of Central Massachusetts. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

References:

[1] The economic impact of theme parks on regions, 1999/2000, Michael Braun, Available [Online] http://iir-hp.wu-wien.ac.at/neurus/braun.pdf

[2] Smith, Alan D. (1998): “Tourism – The Underestimated World’s Industry”, published
by: Beckman Company, Chicago.

Ted Ollikkala

Amusement Parks vs. 'Theme Parks'

2007-01-17T05:20:00.000-05:00

Before we talk too much about creating a new Whalom Park in North Central Massachusetts, we must first ask ourselves "What type of park are we going to build?".

ALL PARKS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

The distinctions between the various types of parks may not be very obvious. Some people will automatically conjure up visions of California and Florida style parks that they have been to (Busch Gardens, Disneyworld, etc).

Let's look briefly at the background of the U.S. Theme Park industry and the current state of affairs.

The U.S. THEME PARK INDUSTRY[1]

The U.S. theme park industry is by far the largest in the world, and it dominates the world in respects to scale, product innovation, marketing savvy, and operating knowledge. The Theme park industry in the U.S. is mature. Growth has been steady for the past 15 years, with about half of it coming from the addition of new parks and not from attendance increases in existing parks.

The majority of U.S. markets capable of supporting large-scale, outdoor theme parks already have them. It is unlikely that a significant number of major regional theme parks will be developed in the future. Growth in this industry has stabilized, and there should not be any huge fluctuations in attendance or development activity.

However, there are opportunities for adjusting product to suit changing markets and to effectively compete with other entertainment for consumers' leisure time and expenditures.

Typical for a maturing industry, there have been numerous changes in theme park
ownership over the last several years. This indicates a strong consolidation trend. Now, major corporate owners in the industry consolidating control are found: Disney, Time Warner (Six Flags), Universal Studios, Anheuser-Busch (Sea World), Paramount (Kings Entertainment).

These major corporations control the dominant share of attendance and revenues in the industry. Re-investment is, of course, a key factor in the operation of a park.

Several current trends can be seen:

• The "Arms Race" continues whereby parks must build the biggest, highest, fastest,
steepest, most complicated roller coasters.

• Another factor is the aging of the population, which suggests the need for a more balanced entertainment offering, with emphasis on shows and lighter entertainment compared to hard rides.

• New technology will be a powerful force in the theme park industry. New products
will include high-definition film, ride simulators, and virtual reality. Not all these techniques are fully developed yet, but we can expect them to be important in the near future (ERA 1998a, p7).

TYPES OF PARKS

1. A Theme Park is a specialised type of amusement park. In fact, some theme parks are actually multiple parks; each having it's own theme (Adventureland, Fantasyland, etc). Theme Parks are an attraction unto themselves, with visitors coming worldwide to spend several days or a week on-site. Therefore, these parks usually try to be 'self-contained'; offering on-site shopping, accomodation, food, movie theatres, etc.

2. An Amusement Park is a park containing 'rides'; hard rides - like a rollercoaster, ferris wheel, carousel, etc. and 'soft rides', which are computer simulated, holographic, or multimedia enhanced. Also offers games, concessions, and entertainment. People usually visit on day trips and therefore no on-site lodging is offered, but there will certainly be nearby hotels and restaurants that cater to the park-goers.

3. A Resort is a special place in a natural setting, offering outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, skiing, scenic views, or water-sports. Resorts are usually in remote locations and therefore offer specially built 'on-site' accomodations (lodges or hotels). Special effort is required to balance the impact of visitors on the preservation of the environment.

4. The Zoological / Botanic Park features animals and plants in simulated natural habitats as the attraction.

COMBINATION PARKS:

Other specialty parks can be created by merging different types of parks:

• Resort Park with Amusements

• Zoological Park with Amusements (like the former Benson's Animal Farm)

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

The residents of North Central Massachusetts have the unique opportunity to create the best type of park that will:

• enhance the quality of life in our area for people of all ages and backgrounds

• provide us with a prestigious identity to attract more tourist dollars

• enrich the region economically; creating jobs and strengthening the local infrastructure without being a burden

I would like to acknowledge Michael Braun's outstandingly relevant report as inspiration for this article:

[1] The economic impact of theme parks on regions, 1999/2000, Michael Braun, Available [Online] http://iir-hp.wu-wien.ac.at/neurus/braun.pdf

Ted Ollikkala

The Original Whalom Theatre

2007-01-13T05:18:00.000-05:00

Many people are familiar with the Whalom Playhouse, which was popular during the 1940's and 50's. But did you know that there was an earlier theatre, called the Whalom Theatre and even a Whalom Opera Company?

That's right! But you have to go all the way back before the Hurricane of 1938 (which destroyed all of Whalom and from which it was completely rebuilt). In these photos, we go back to the turn-of-the-century (circa 1910) for a glimpse of what it meant for people in Fitchburg to 'go to the theatre'.

1

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AN INTERIOR VIEW OF THEATRE - from the auditorium to the stage, showing the rustic dressing rooms at

the right; also the foliage which makes under every condition such a beautiful background. From 1,000 to

4,000 electric lamps are used in producing the electric lighting effects (circa 1910).

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THE PRESENT THEATRE - INTERIOR : View of the auditorium from the stage. Seating Capacity, 3000. There

are only two posts in the auditorium and these are 82 feet from the stage. The sides are always open as

shown.

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THE NEW THEATRE - (note: the old theatre can be seen in the last photo of this set)

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A SCENE ON THE WALK TO THE THEATRE (left) and A BIT OF THE THEATRE (right)

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BITS OF THE THEATRE

title="click to enlarge/comment" src="http://static.flickr.com/142/355637871_98cb21fc49.jpg" />

SOME SCENIC EFFECTS USED IN OPERA PRODUCTIONS : "Olivette" (top),

"Fatinitza" (center), and "La Grande Duchesse" (bottom)

title="click to enlarge/comment" src="http://static.flickr.com/152/355637504_4e9c6fb9db.jpg" />

THE WHALOM OPERA COMPANY in "Three Black Cloaks".

title="click to enlarge/comment" src="http://static.flickr.com/156/355637182_eb905de4b7.jpg" />

A FINALE - SHOWING THE ELECTRICAL EFFECTS.

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THE WHALOM OPERA COMPANY in "Said Pasha".

title="click to enlarge/comment" src="http://static.flickr.com/131/355636731_f0ded70d05.jpg" />

THE WHALOM OPERA COMPANY in "Maritana".

title="click to enlarge/comment" src="http://static.flickr.com/127/355636555_4d92f0a9c5.jpg" />

THE WHALOM OPERA COMPANY in "Rip Van Winkle".

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THE OLD THEATRE - in which only a very few seats were reserved at five cents each. (note: this theatre was replaced by the more 'modern' theatre shown in the previous photos sometime prior to 1910).

We certainly hope you enjoyed these priceless rare photos. We have many more that we'll be posting soon, so please check back.

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Read the 1910 Whalom Breeze!

2007-01-12T12:06:00.000-05:00

The 'Whalom Breeze' was a small publication letting families know what was going on in any given week for entertainment and distributed by the Whalom Theater. This is the issue for the week of July 4-9, 1910. Donated by Charles Kimball

1910 Whalom Breeze : Week of July 4-9 - Cover

Here we are very pleased to present a rare issue of Whalom Breeze recently acquired on loan from Mr. Charlie Kimball, a former Whalom Park employee in the 1940's.

Charlie is such an enthusiast that he returned to work at the park after retirement! Each available page of this issue was scanned, catalogued, tagged with keywords, and a short description added. Then the photos were uploaded for permanent archiving and made available to worldwide search engines at the WhalomMemories archive on Flickr.

It is our hope that by freely sharing these materials, they will be of benefit to historians, geneologists, and researchers; thus helping to preserve the tremendously
rich cultural heritage created by Whalom Park 1893-2000. Please enjoy your visit into the past!

1910 Whalom Breeze : Week of July 4-9 - Pages 6/7

Local Merchants from Fitchburg Massachusetts advertised their services in this 1910 issue of the Whalom Breeze: Fitchburg Dry Goods Store, Ford and Lyon Garage, F.S. Hall (Jeweller and Optician), Nichols and Frost (Hair Goods).

1910 Whalom Breeze : Week of July 4-9 - Pages 8/9

The Whalom Opera Company presents a program sheet for "A Comic Opera in Three Parts: The Strollers".

1910 Whalom Breeze : Week of July 4-9 - Pages 10/11

Synopsis for The Strollers, a comic opera in three parts performed by the Whalom Opera Company at the Whalom Theatre.

1910 Whalom Breeze : Week of July 4-9 - Pages 14/15

Next week: Robin Hood at the Whalom Theatre. Whalom is the place for all healthful recreative sports.

1910 Whalom Breeze : Week of July 4-9 - Pages 16/Back Cover

Note the Scale of Prices:

Centre... 20 cents, Sides... 10 cents, Admission... 5 cents

Evening performances begin at 8 o'clock ; matinees at 3.

"The comfort of patrons requires the managment to request that parents attending evening performances leave at home young children, who are likely to talk or cry while the curtain is up."

"Plenty of [trolley] cars will be available at the end of all performances. Do not destroy the enjoyment of others by leaving before the curtain falls."

Local Merchants from Fitchburg Massachusetts advertising their services in this 1910 issue of the Whalom Breeze: Austin Furniture, Daniel Harley, and A.A. Little.

We certainly hope you enjoyed this issue of Whalom Breeze! We have several more that we'll be posting soon, so please check back.

Technorati Tag(s):
Whalom , Whalom Park , New Whalom , Whalom Theatre , Fitchburg , Lunenburg

F.A.Q. regarding SHARE PURCHASES

2006-12-29T03:45:00.003-05:00

The New Whalom Park Ownership Program and their shareholders are in the process of locating and purchasing a suitable site in central Massachusetts on which to plan, build, and manage an improved version of our beloved Whalom Park.

Local support is rapidly increasing and various special interest groups are already involved. Regular meetings are being held in the Fitchburg area. Shares are expected to sell quickly once the groundwork is finalised and this one-time only offering is made to the public.

We are pleased to present this FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for people in the community who are interested in purchasing shares in our for-profit company.

Q: How many shares are available?
A: The program is to sell three thousand ownership shares.

Q: How much does it cost to purchase a share?
A: The price will be announced when a price is set.

Q: How many shares can I buy?
A: A person can purchase more than one share. It still needs to be worked out what the maximum limit will be. The point is that no one person or developer would ever gain controlling interest, which is what essentially happened to the original Whalom Park.

Q: Will my share make any profit?
A: The share holders could receive a monetary return in the form of a dividend.

Q: What other reason is there for owning a share?
A: A person would technically own a piece of The New Whalom Park.
They could also include: voting rights on shares. People would have a say on mostly everything that goes on in the park. Each of the share holders could receive a season pass for one of more years.

Q: What happens when the initial sale of 3000 shares are sold out?
A: No further (new) shares will be created or offered. The ownership will be a fixed group of shareholders.

Q: Will I be able to transfer my shares?

A: It still needs to be worked out how transfer of a shareholder's shares would be accomplished; for example if someone wanted to pass his shares to his children.

IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SHARES THAT WERE NOT ANSWERED IN THIS FAQ, PLEASE WRITE TO US

thank you for reading!

Old Postcards

2006-12-28T12:37:00.000-05:00

Many people collect old postcards, but haven't seen them for years! It's time to get the shoebox out of the attic and look for some treasures from the past. Luckily, nowadays what with scanners, digital cameras and all - we can show you some original Whalom Park postcards right on this website.

You will note the lack of 'rides'. This is because in the early days, Whalom was indeed just a park. More like a picnic grove with nearby swimming and boating facilities. It later evolved into an 'amusement park'. Postcard photos graciously donated by W.Edwin Ollikkala.

click on any photo to read or leave comments and view full size

Old Postcards

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR OLD POSTCARDS DISPLAYED IN OUR GROWING COLLECTION, click here FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Carousel Proposal

2006-12-28T11:23:00.000-05:00

Installing an authentic classic carousel will serve as a key focus in this project of creating a new amusement park in Central Massachusetts. As you know, there are long-time carousel enthusiasts

who are instrumental in preserving whole carousels and siting them in suitable locations.

The 'New Whalom Park Ownership Program' is in touch with several individuals. Confirmed plans for obtaining a carousel will give the New Whalom Park Ownership Program an advantage in persuading local authorities to provide a location for the new Whalom Park.

A working carousel also provides fundraising possibilities and rouses the enthusiasm of residents who can be instrumental in forwarding the aims of this project.

FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING ACQUISITION OF THE CAROUSEL WILL BE POSTED IN THE 'NEWS' SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE

Support from WOODCOASTER

2006-12-28T10:58:00.000-05:00

The 'New Whalom Park Ownership Plan' has many forms of support. The Wood
Coaster Fan Club based in New Jersey is one of them. This influential organisation has 150 members, most of whom

are people in the amusement industry, including charter members who are wooden coaster engineers and designers responsible for some of today's most popular wooden coasters.

As it says on their website, Woodcoaster.org:

"We are a dedicated group of roller coaster enthusiasts who possess a specific passion for the classic wooden rollercoaster. We foster the promotion, education, and preservation of wooden rollercoasters for future generations to enjoy".

Who could have better friends than that!

Support from GLOBAL PROPERTY DEVELOPERS CORPORATION

2006-12-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

The New Whalom Park Ownership Program is working closely with Mr. Carl Pearson, Vice-President of Global Property Developers Corporation, Bridgewater Ma., the owners of the curent site in Lunenburg, Emerald Place.

Indeed, once a suitable site has been located and purchased, the saved artifacts from the original Whalom Park will be moved. We are very fortunate to have the support of Global Property Developers Corporation, who have been of great assistance in helping us with saving the artifacts.

A count has been taken of the supports and many photographs of the Flyer Comet and a saved portion of the track. These might possibly be used in a replicated version of the classic wooden roller coaster, the Flyer Comet someday! We have also contacted Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters Inc. of Hatfield PA., the original builders of the coaster about securing the blueprints.

We may have the Bouncer seats, and possibly the original Flyer Comet cars from the site. We have found the Tumble bug and may purchase it soon. A good start!

Check back for further updates as they happen (under NEWS)

Achieving Commercial Support

2006-12-27T03:43:00.000-05:00

COMMERCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM

The New Whalom Park Ownership Program has adopted a two-sided approach. In addition to establishing a core group of public shareholders who hold a deciding voice in the management and operation of the new park, the other side of the coin is catering to business and corporate funding, encouraging sponsorship support and leasing commercial space in the new park.

Prospective tenants for the new Whalom Park look at business plans with an eye for profit. They will quickly realize that this is a stable, low-risk venture – indeed it is completely unique because the ‘anchor tenants’ will have a hand in designing their commercial space themselves.

Prospective Commercial Tenents

There are several special interest groups that are the focus of this publicity and recruiting campaign and this is the most strategic part of the business plan.

Special Interest Groups:

Food and Beverage (concessions)

i) A national franchise such as Burger King or McDonald’s may want to operate a permanent outlet in the new park

ii) Other restaurants, snack bars

iii) Provide access to these food vendors outside of park hours as the park may not operate daily, depending on the season, or the weather (i.e. – the park is closed but the restaurants and shops are open)

iv) Encouraging local entrepreneurship – allow small concessionaires to operate booths, stalls, carts, tents to sell their food on a short lease (monthly or weekly, depending on the service needed). This will encourage small or personal enterprise to take on a low risk – if they don’t make a profit they are not committed

v) Is a liquor license available or even wanted? Would the new park allow bars and pubs, clubs, dancing and dining experience, etc.?

Merchandising (retail vendors, small business owners)

• Items (i – v) above also apply to commercial shops selling any variety of products who would be attracted by the type of patrons likely to visit the new Whalom Park

o Permanent, anchor shops

o Leased tenents

o Extended opening hours and public access

• Specialty shops

o Watersports, swimwear– if any water facilities are attractions are planned for the new park (waterslide, pool, boating)

o Bowling

o Clothing Outlets (seasonal non-Whalom branded clothing) – note: not considered souvenirs as this falls under a separate category

o Souvenir Company – One company to bid for exclusive rights to sell licensed Whalom Park products ranging from t-shirts, backpacks, hats, mugs, keychains, photos, etc. These products can also be offered for sale through select locations on a wholesale or commission basis. (example: Walmart)

o Flea Market on weekends (need available space and parking)

o other

• Whalom Museum and Souvenir Shop, includes small movie theater and gallery space that can be rented out to local artists

Entertainment

Attraction Operators

Corporate Sponsors (advertising clients)

AGREE? DISAGREE? WANT TO JOIN US?

Please post your comment or send us an email

Achieving Public Support

2006-12-27T03:41:00.000-05:00

PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM

As mentioned, the primary focus of the ‘New Whalom Park Ownership Program’ is to gain popular public support for the program and provide the public with tangible means of envisioning the new park and investing attention. The park will be a visible reality for them as ‘shareholders, as their status of holding ownership shares will grant them admission priviledges, season pass holder, etc. Indeed, these people will decide how the park is to be run and operated.

The first step is the establishment of The New Whalom Park Ownership Program’ website.

The purpose of this website is to provide:

a tangible means for the public to clearly see and accept the prospect of having a new park.

a showcase of design plans, concepts, proposals, and advance information for the planned attractions.

a regular flow of high-profile information of interest to the media as the park development unfolds in stages.

regular and timely announcements of meetings and noteworthy park related information such as: new shops, new rides, new entertainment, restaurants, etc.

Development Phases

2006-12-27T03:09:00.000-05:00

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEW WHALOM PARK

THE NEW PARK : DEVELOPMENT STAGES

The reality of opening a New Whalom Park in Central Massachusetts, cannot be achieved without successful completion of the following three phases of development:

The primary focus of the program is to raise funds, gain shareholder support, and generate public support with an eye for securing locally zoned commercial property.

The second phase will involve detailed planning, layout of the new park with sensitivity for safety, easing traffic congestion, and convenience. At the same, time sponsors and business partners will be invited to submit their proposals for space requirements and operation within the park.

Thirdly, a set of guidelines, operating procedures and standard regulations such as admission charges, hours of operation, seasonal changes, parking rates and season pass requirements will be drawn up by the representatives of the ‘New Whalom Park Ownership Program’ membership committee.

AGREE? DISAGREE? WANT TO JOIN US?

Please post your comment or send us an email

Merchandise: Souvenir Collectables

2006-12-26T13:27:00.001-05:00

We need to increase public awareness of the program. One of the best ways to do this is to distribute 'wearable' and 'loveable' souvenirs that people in the community would like to collect, treasure, and show off about town!

We envision a line of 'Whalom Park Ownership Program' collectibles;

key chains,

caps,

t-shirts,

wrist bands,

etc.

Each would come with a slogan and photo/logo:

Keeping Whalom Park Alive

Whalom Park : Treasure the Memories

For a Whale of a Time; We support a new Whalom Park

I was a Whalom Park employee!

My Mom and Dad took Me to Whalom Park!

Whalom Park Brat Pack

We are looking for someone, or someone who KNOWS someone - who can produce these items for us. We can supply the graphic designs and estimated volume.

Photos of The Hurricane of 1938

2006-12-26T12:06:00.000-05:00

The hurricane of September 21, 1938 hit Leominster at 4 p.m. 2,500 homes were damaged, church spires toppled, factory floors caved in. One third of the shade trees were uprooted. 800 electric and telephone poles were downed...(from http://members.aol.com/Leominster476/History.html)

IN THESE PHOTOS you can see that Whalom Park was not spared; in fact the damage was so extensive the park literally had to be rebuilt from scratch. Note that you can see the original 1924 'Shooting Star' wooden roller coaster that was replaced in 1939 by the Flyer Comet. Photos graciously donated by Catherine D. Perkins.

click on any photo to read or leave comments and view full size

The Hurricane of 1938

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR OLD PHOTOS OF WHALOM PARK DISPLAYED IN OUR GROWING COLLECTION, click here FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Farewell Flyer Comet (1939 - 2006)

2006-12-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

On Wed. October 18, 2006 the town of Lunenburg, Massachusetts lost their premiere landmark; the 66 year old Flyer Comet roller coaster at Whalom Park. The giant coaster was reduced to rubble in a mere two hours with a three story backhoe.

For one who grew up in the small town of Lunenburg, as I did, the sight of the coaster coming into view while driving around Whalom Lake was reassuring and familiar. For a rural town consisting basically of farms, orchards and a couple of excavation companies, we were proud of our three 'big' tourist attractions; Whalom Park, Whalom Drive-in Theater, and Tri-Town Drive-in.

The Flyer Coment in July 2005
Photo by kind permission of be-persnickety.

In the pre-Walmart era, Lunenburg was a somewhat of a sleepy town, which came to life in the summer with the seasonal opening of Whalom Park. For me, this was the beginning of my annual seasonal employment. Where? At Whalom Park of course! For six years, I spent 12 hour days working in the 'Penny Arcade', conveniently housed in the former bowling alley building. And for six years, the smells of popcorn, cotton candy, and the sounds of the calliope (the merry-go-round was next door) and the ever present clickety-clack of the Flyer Comet permeated my senses.

Eventually, I drifted away to California and mostly forgot all about good 'ole Whalom Park. Even when the park itself ceased operation in 2000, it was not so much of a shock. I mean, the buildings were still there, although in an embarrassing state of affairs. Long time residents of the entire Tri-town area (Fitchburg, Lunenburg, Leominster) were patriotically nostalgic about resurrecting the park and bravely hatched several plans, none of which came to fruition.

The final blow, as I said, occured just this fall with the physical demolition of the remaining buildings. 2006 will go down in local history as the year the park actually died; disappearing from view. Whalom Lake will not be the same without the familiar sight of the famous roller coaster, although its sounds and the screams of its passengers will reverberate in my head forever.

Farewell, Flyer Comet!

Ted Ollikkala

New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC

Whalom Event Series

Whalom Event Series "For a Whale of a Time"

New Whalom Park “A Good Thing”

Whalom Still Strong

Board of Directors

New Whalom Park Ownership Program, LLC

Board of Directors

NWPOP Discused on In The Loop Podcast

A Brief Overview of the Program

Whalom Roller skaters reunion slated (13 Sept. 2008)

SEE THE STARS AT WHALOM – MERV GRIFFIN!

Toy Town on the short list (Winchendon Courier)

LOGO CONTEST WINNERS

Richard and Fran Curtis - 30 Years at Whalom

Ted Whitten's Story

Transformation of Whalom - by Stu Sherman

Man with a plan touts New Whalom Park

Whalom trees get new life

Putting a Price on Whalom Park

Letter from Kim

Winchendon eyed for new Whalom Park

DevalPatrick.com - Save Whalom's Heritage

Where are they now… Paul L’Ecuyer – Master Puppeteer

Whalom DVD now available

The Buzz on Whalom

Newspaper Interviews

Online Museum of Whalom History

New Whalom Breeze (Monthly Publication)

*STARS* at the Whalom Playhouse 1960-1965

HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESFUL THEME PARK

EVOLUTION OF AMUSEMENT PARKS IN AMERICA

DAWN OF THE AMUSEMENT PARK (late 1800's) [1]

THE MIDWAY AND CONEY ISLAND

GROWTH CYCLES

THE DEPRESSION / WORLD WAR II

BABY BOOMERS

BEYOND DISNEY - Diversification [1]

1980’s

1990’s

THE FUTURE

TOURISM : Good or Bad

Amusement Parks vs. 'Theme Parks'

The Original Whalom Theatre

Read the 1910 Whalom Breeze!

F.A.Q. regarding SHARE PURCHASES

Old Postcards

Old Postcards

Carousel Proposal

Support from WOODCOASTER

Support from GLOBAL PROPERTY DEVELOPERS CORPORATION

Achieving Commercial Support

Achieving Public Support

Development Phases

Merchandise: Souvenir Collectables

Photos of The Hurricane of 1938

The Hurricane of 1938

Farewell Flyer Comet (1939 - 2006)

Whalom Event Series
"For a Whale of a Time"

STARS at the Whalom Playhouse 1960-1965