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Kaleidoscope: What will become of park property?

by Ken Lahmers

Editor

With the deadline for sealed bids having been extended, about six weeks remain before all interested parties must submit bids for the purchase of nearly 500 acres at Geauga Lake Park.

Ever since Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. announced last September that it would shutter the amusement park side of the park, speculation among area residents has run wild about what may become of the properties which straddle Aurora and Bainbridge Township.

Although the developers who have already submitted bids or plan to do so by the deadline have plans in mind for the land, area residents are still speculating.

Cedar Fair is keeping its water park -- now called Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom -- open on the south side of the lake. But other than that small acreage and an adjacent parking lot, the other land is up for grabs.

It includes the north side of the lake where the amusement park is situated, the large parking lot on the north side, parts of the former Sea World, parcels along Fairview Avenue, the campgrounds on Treat Road and the former Geauga Lake Hotel on Route 43.

Most people I've talked to point to two scenarios for the future of the property -- high-end residential housing around the lake or a retail center.

I've heard the idea of a Legacy Village-type retail complex or a Crocker Park-type retail-dining-residential development.

One former park which went the residential route was Meyers Lake in Canton, which I frequented as a youth. After it closed in 1974, condos eventually were built.

Right after the closing, though, the grounds fell into disrepair and the ballroom, where my folks attended big band shows, burned down in early 1979.

AFTER SILVER Lake Park closed in 1920, the property was developed into single-family housing, and the small village of Silver Lake grew up.

Advocate reporter Brent Hovey grew up there, and his father is currently mayor. The village boasts about 2,700 residents and is sandwiched between Stow and Cuyahoga Falls.

Right here in Portage County, Brady Lake Park operated in the first half of the 20th century and a resort village grew up around it. Today, it has 500-plus residents, but its resort-like setting has disappeared.

At Chippewa Lake in Medina County, a community also sprung up around a former park, which operated for 100 years -- 1878 to 1978.

Sadly, the property stands in ruins. Buildings have fallen down -- the ballroom was a target of arsonists a few years ago -- and remnants of an old wooden roller coaster remain.

Another recent casualty in Ohio's amusement park industry was Americana at Lesoundsville Lake between Middletown and Hamilton, which closed in 2002.

After a couple of years in which vandals rampaged over the grounds, its major rides were purchased and moved to other parks.

Idora Park in Youngstown closed in 1984, and not long after its premier coaster -- the Wildcat -- burned down, along with a handful of buildings. A series of fires destroyed other structures over the years, including the 1910-era ballroom in 2001.

One former park -- Wyandot Lake, which until 2006 was owned by Six Flags -- has gone the way of Wildwater Kingdom. It will open exclusively this year as a 22-acre water park called Zoombezi Bay adjacent to the Columbus Zoo.

In a story in the Advocate's April 2 edition, Carol Sanderson of the American Coaster Enthusiasts and Herschman Architects in Cleveland said those two entities plan to submit a proposal to purchase at least some of the Geauga Lake property.

ACE IS focusing particularly on preserving the Big Dipper, which dates to 1925, and the ballroom.

ACE wants to see the Big Dipper incorporated into a future development which could include an amusement park museum.

ACE's idea is commendable, but I wonder whether it can match the deep pockets that established residential and/or commercial developers have.

Since Cedar Fair apparently has no plans to move the Big Dipper, Raging Wolf Bobs or Villain and other park operators don't seem to be interested, their days could be numbered.

If an entity other than ACE is the successful bidder, those wooden coasters, the ballroom and the buildings on the amusement side of the park could fall to the wrecking ball.

Let's hope at least the property is put to good use, unlike what has happened at some of the other parks I mentioned.

Meanwhile, Norton Auctioneers is moving forward with an auction June 17-18 at the site. Rides and Geauga Lake memorabilia will be on the block.

The average citizen wouldn't have much interest in entire rides, but perhaps if pieces are sold someone might come up with a cherished treasure such as a roller coaster car.

I'd be interested in obtaining stuff such as ballcaps, T-shirts, games and signs, some of which are on the list of items to be auctioned. They could command a pretty penny.

One historic item which will not be sold or destroyed is the Marcus Illions carousel. It reportedly will be restored and moved to another Cedar Fair park. It's nice to know it will live on.

E-mail: klahmers@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3155