Amusement parks gearing up for season
Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec
Chris Harpster, an assistant manager at Lakemont Park, gets the milk can game ready for the park’s opening on June 2.
May 4, 2012
By Walt Frank (wfrank@altoonamirror.com)
The Altoona Mirror
Guests at DelGrosso's Amusement Park will enjoy a new ride while those visiting Lakemont Park will enjoy some new food choices during the 2012 season.
DelGrosso's will kick off its 65th season with two hours of free rides from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Park officials are excited about the 2012 season.
"My grandfather [Fred DelGrosso] had a simple mission statement: Provide high quality food and entertainment in a clean, safe and friendly environment at a fair price. Sixty-five years later, we are still following that same mission," said Carl Crider Jr., general manager and park president.
Lakemont Park will open May 26 for the Memorial Day weekend. Lakemont switched to a late May opening in 2007.
"We found it works better for us. It takes us longer to get ready. We have to take down all of the Christmas lights and get the rides back up," said Melissa Vyborny, general manager. "May is questionable, weatherwise. People are not into the summer mindset yet, and it just works better for us."
Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec
Chris Harpster, an assistant manager at Lakemont Park, gets the milk can game ready for the park’s opening on June 2.
May 4, 2012
By Walt Frank (wfrank@altoonamirror.com)
The Altoona Mirror
Guests at DelGrosso's Amusement Park will enjoy a new ride while those visiting Lakemont Park will enjoy some new food choices during the 2012 season.
DelGrosso's will kick off its 65th season with two hours of free rides from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Park officials are excited about the 2012 season.
"My grandfather [Fred DelGrosso] had a simple mission statement: Provide high quality food and entertainment in a clean, safe and friendly environment at a fair price. Sixty-five years later, we are still following that same mission," said Carl Crider Jr., general manager and park president.
Lakemont Park will open May 26 for the Memorial Day weekend. Lakemont switched to a late May opening in 2007.
"We found it works better for us. It takes us longer to get ready. We have to take down all of the Christmas lights and get the rides back up," said Melissa Vyborny, general manager. "May is questionable, weatherwise. People are not into the summer mindset yet, and it just works better for us."
Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec
Randy Brumbaugh of Altoona, a mechanic at Lakemont Park, gets the kiddie coaster ride up and running Thursday.
What's new
DelGrosso's guests will enjoy a new ride - the "Swing Buggy" brought in from Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort in Utica, Ill., to replace the Flying Bobs.
"This is a great looking ride. I am excited to give the Swing Buggy a new home at our park. There is no doubt that it will soon become a guest favorite," said Scott Crider, vice president of operations.
DelGrosso's also "retired" the Space Odyssey ride.
"Space Odyssey was an older ride and needed to be retired. New rides are hard to find. Our operations guy, Scott Crider, is still searching for a ride. Scott is taking his time to find the best ride possible," said Amy Mearkle, DelGrosso's spokeswoman.
Meanwhile, Lakemont Park officials decided to take over their own food operations.
The new Bubba's Barbecue Shack will feature such items as pulled pork, pulled chicken and barbecued chicken, Vyborny said.
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