Keansburg Amusement Park re-opens THIS SATURDAY!

http://www.gloucestercitynews.net/clearysnotebook/2013/05/keansburg-boardwalk-grand-reopening-may-18th.html

Miracles are afoot in Keansburg.  Months after being devastated by Hurricane Sandy, this stalwart little vintage park, the jewel of the town, is set to re-open to much fanfare this very Saturday.  I'm so excited for them and my heart aches that I can't be at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but I'm out in Chicago and can't make it there, so I'll be living vicariously through Facebook updates and news posts online.

Here are a few from my 2011 visit to the park.  This July, I'll be updating them when I finally get to re-visit this park that embodies the phrase "Jersey Strong".

Spook House vehicle sporting a groovy-scary paint job.

 

Arcade game.  Very "Danny and Sandy" from "Grease"

 

Caterpillar kiddie ride

 

The carousel.

Witness the miracle of Keansburg Amusement Park!!

http://eb.gmnews.com/news/2013-04-11/Front_Page/Superstorm_proves_no_match_for_Keansburg_Amusement.html

Never underestimate the power and drive of a little amusement park that won't stay down for the count!  Read this article and learn about what's NEW at Keansburg for the 2013 season!!

I'm so excited to announce that I'm planning to re-visit the park in July, adding some updates to my book.  The above article says there's a new spook house and a renovated game room.  I'll be curious to see them both; the originals, which I enjoyed in 2011, were my favorite parts of the park.  But also, the vintage kiddie rides.  And I hear they're back as well!

Keansburg's got a new coaster, too.  And improvements to their waterpark area.

Jersey Strong, indeed!!!

Keansburg Amusement Park springs back by Spring!!

http://www.nbcwashington.com/video/#!/video/clearchannel/Sandy-Revisited/190135491

If you want to be inspired, take a look at this video about how the Jersey shore is bouncing back from Hurricane Sandy.  It's a slow task, to be sure, but folks like the owner of Keansburg is determined to have the century-old park back up and running in a matter of months!

I visited Keansburg in 2011 and was delighted to thrill to what's considered to be the country's oldest spook house - I even got a look "backstage" to see how the ride's mechanisms work.  Although watching this video, and seeing the ride in a state of disrepair saddened me, the hopefulness and pluck of Mr. Gelhaus makes me certain that the spooks will live to see another day - so to speak.

Keansburg Amusement Park WILL Rebuild, God Bless 'Em!!

The rides were rocked by torturous winds and salt water, the antique arcade games left to float down the street, the park covered with mounds of sand and debris,  yet the Gehlhaus family vows to rebuild the historic amusement park by Easter


 Easter!  Of 2013!
http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2012/11/keansburg_amusement_park_owners_vow_we_will_be_open_by_easter.html

I'm barely able to wrap my head around the huge effort that lies ahead of them.  We're talking about rebuilding a vintage amusement park, many rides and games which many be very difficult to replace or repair due to the fragile quality of the housing, the rarity of spare parts.  Many a park has closed down for less of a blow, yet this park vows to carry on.  What drives someone to tackle such an Herculean task?  Dogged determination?  Pluckiness?  Desperation?  Out and out lunacy?

No, I believe, from reading the article and from learning what keeps folks like the Gehlhauses in this business, that it's a combination of courage and heart and wisdom (Huh.. In a way, like Dorothy's friends in "The Wizard of Oz", don'tcha know...).  It's a courageous thing to take on, against so many odds (according to the article, this isn't covered by insurance).  It takes enormous heart: they see that as Keansburg is an amusement park, it provides that elusive, etheric thing: amusement.  It creates memories and thrills and laughter; this is one of the main premises of my book, how much this matters in our fast-paced, digital world. And it takes wisdom, something I'm sure has been learned (and earned) over the years: that a place like this matters on so many levels.  The owners know that not only they but the locals depend on their park for income, and to bring visitors into the small seaside town of Keansburg.

An enormous Powerball lottery jackpot is in play tomorrow night.  I'll be playing it, and when I win, I'll donate a chunk of funds to this precious park, to help it thrive again, to allow it to continue to make the Jersey shore a special place to play at, to create wonderful memories at, for families to keep those traditions of "the first carousel ride", "the first cotton candy consumed" alive.