The last week of August has been a quiet one. What does everyone do? Are they buying back to school supplies? Are they going on small trips to squeeze in a little more vacation? We went to the CNE and spent our time between the food building with its free food and the roller coaster when we were little. What about Crystal Beach with its roller coaster? This very weekend we can go to Crystal Beach on Lake Erie for the parade marking the closing of the Crystal Beach Amusement Park 30 years ago. People are still mourning the closing and the loss of its great roller coaster.
Crystal Beach's best known attraction was the wooden roller coaster, known as the Cyclone, and later the Comet. When the park closed, the Cyclone was moved to The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom park in Queensbury, N.Y. It operates there today.
Here's the Crystal Beach version:
Here's the Queensbury NY version:
The Comet features a 2-minute ride over several hills. The first and largest hill contains a drop of 87 feet (27 m) and brings riders to a maximum speed of 55 mph (89 km/h). Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America because of its historical significance, elements of hills and drops, and terrific "air" time giving riders the sensation of floating out of their seats.
There is an association of American Coaster Enthusiasts. They keep track of the national and regional coaster events. Their list of ACE Coaster Classic status coasters does not include the Comet. But Canada's Wonderland Ghoster Coaster is included in the list.
We spent a lot of time on the Crystal Beach roller coaster when we were little. I found a dentist roller coaster joke:
Q What does a dentist do on a roller coaster? A He braces himself.
Here's a picture of a window box on the Toronto Islands. This beach community has its own sense of humour - there's a tiny statue of the waving Queen on the windowsill with the boat flower box below.
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