Lakemont Park

Lakemont Park

Skyliner rollercoaster
Slogan	Two Great Parks, Twice the Fun
Location	Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates	40°28′18″N 78°23′44″W / 40.4717632°N 78.3954871°WCoordinates: 40°28′18″N 78°23′44″W / 40.4717632°N 78.3954871°W
Opened	1894
Previous names	Boyertown USA
Operating season	May until Labor Day Altoona First Festival: September Holiday Lights on the Lake: Late November until first week of January
Area	51 acres (210,000 m^2)
Rides
Total	30
Roller coasters	4
Water rides	3
Website	http://www.lakemontparkfun.com

Lakemont Park, located in Altoona, Pennsylvania, houses the world's oldest-surviving roller coaster, the Leap-The-Dips. On June 19, 1996, the roller coaster was added to the list of National Historic Landmarks by the National Park Service. The park opened in 1894 as a trolley park and became an amusement park in the summer of 1899. It is the 8th oldest in the United States. The park was owned by the Boyer Candy Company from May 23, 1986 until July 1, 1988, when it was called Boyertown USA.

History

Lakemont Park opened in 1894, was donated to Blair County in 1937, privatized in 1986, and is still in operation in 2016.

Current rides

The Sky Diver in the background, with the German Swings in the front.

Lakemont has numerous rides.

Current roller coasters

Ride	Opened	Description	Ref(s)
Leap-The-Dips	1902	A wooden, figure-eight type ride with three, four-seat trains. Only two figure-eight type roller coasters still survive in the world. Leap-The-Dips is one of the few surviving roller coasters with side friction. It is a simple, gentle ride with 3/8 miles of track, or 1,980 feet (600 m).That ride was closed for all but two weeks in 2005, because of maintenance on an old-age roller coaster. The ride was also SBNO from 1986 to 1998. The ride costs an additional $2.50 to ride, in order to help support the maintenance of the ride.
Toboggan	1971	A portable Chance Rides Toboggan coaster. The ride features four single cars.
Skyliner	1987	The Skyliner was relocated from Roseland Park in Canandaigua, New York, where it was built in 1960. The move was to build up the park for the failed Boyertown USA project. This marks one of the few instances of a moved wooden roller coaster in the 80s. Skyliner today borders the outfield of Peoples Natural Gas Field, home of the Altoona Curve, next door.
Little Leaper	Unknown	A standard Allan Herschell Little Dipper kiddie coaster. The park currently does not allow adult riders on this coaster, or anyone over the age of 12.

Thrill/Family rides

• Skydiver^[1]
• German Swings^[1]
• Paddle Boats^[1]
• Twister^[1]
• Tin Lizzy's (Antique Car ride)^[1]
• Tilt-A-Whirl^[1]
• Monster MotorwayGo-Karts^[1]
• Round-Up^[1]
• Scrambler^[1]
• Octopus^[1]
• Bumper Cars^[1]
• Lakemont Park Railroad^[1]
• Ferris wheel^[1]
• Merry-Go-Round^[1]
• Wet Boats^[1]
• Starfighters^[1]

Kiddie rides

• Pony Carts^[1]
• Kiddie Wheel^[1]
• 4X4^[1]
• Kid's Mini Indy^[1]

Pay-extra rides

This list below does not include Leap-The-Dips since it is already listed above.

Ride	Additional cost (per person / round)	Description	Ref(s)
Tiger Belly Bounce	$2.00	Inflatable	[1]
Kid's Mini-Indy	$2.50	A 3-minute race around the kid's track.	[1]
Monster Motorway	$4.00	3 and a half minute ride around the Go-Karts track. Riders must abide by the rules of the track and must be at least 56inches and 10 years old to drive the go-kart alone, or they must ride with a parent in a double car. The track is located near the Skyliner.	[1]
Traintown Mini Golf	$3.00	This is a miniature golf course inside the park.	[1]
Paddle Boats	$2.50	Boating on the lake, riders are permitted one lap around it.	[1]

Water park

Ride	Opened	Description	Ref(s)
Three Water Slides	Unknown	Must be 42 inches to ride.	[1]
Pool	Unknown		[1]
Pirate's Cove	Unknown	Small Pirate Ship with Water Cannons and Palm Trees	[1]

Former attractions

Like any amusement park that has been open for many years, rides are removed for various reasons. Below is a list of some of these rides.

Former roller coasters

Ride	Manufacturer	Opened	Closed	Description	Ref(s)
Gravity Road	Amandus Sink	1894	1897	This was a switchback railroad-style roller coaster, owned and operated by Amandus Sink. The ride was torn down in 1897, likely because Sink went broke after losing a hotel business in a large fire.	[2][3][4]
Twister	Philadelphia Toboggan Company	1927	1935	Lakemont was once home to a Schmeck wooden roller coaster named "Twister" from 1927-1935. This ride was damaged in a flood on in March, 1936, before being removed a year later.
Mad Mouse	Allan Herschell Company	Unknown	2003	Closed in 2003 due to excessive maintenance.

Incidents at Lakemont Park

• On September 2, 1991, a seventeen-year-old ride operator for the Little Leaper Coaster got dragged away by the rollercoaster and lost his right leg after it got mangled between the train and its track/chain. The incident is featured on Rescue 911.

References

1. "Lakemont Park and The Island Water Park". Lakemontparkfun.com. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
2. "Lakemont Park Is 25 Years Old Tomorrow. Popular Resort was Formally Opened on July 4, 1893, by Logan Valley Railway.". Altoona Tribune. July 3, 1918. p. 12.
3. "Plenty of Work Goes on Now at Lakemont Summer Fun Spot.". Altoona Mirror. April 14, 1961. p. 16.
4. "July 4 To Mark 60th Birthday Of County's Lakemont Park.". Altoona Tribune. June 29, 1953. p. 12.

External links

• Park website
• Park Facebook page
• Lakemont Park at the Roller Coaster DataBase
• Rescue 911