Midway State Park Prepares For Opening Day, Ceremony

Jamestown Post-Journal ^ | May 8, 2007 | Loren Kent

[jmyrlefuller]

A new era is about to begin at Midway ‘‘State’’ Park as the facility becomes the first historic amusement park in New York state following 108 years of private ownership.

A new sign will greet park visitors and passers-by along Route 430. The sign measures 24 by 12 feet and is comprised of 14 sections. The sign was designed by Tom Proctor, a state employee, at the Niagara Region Sign Shop located at the Whirlpool Maintenance Center in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

The hand-painted sign was lifted into place Monday by Ray Munson, Mike Heilman, Joe Gaughan and Andy Hillman, all Midway employees. The employees are busy preparing the park for its opening ceremony which will take place Friday, May 25, at 10:30 a.m. The park’s official first day will be May 26.

During the parks first century of operation, not that much changed. Family values and traditions remained at the heart of the parks focus in an attempt to attract young families and the pre-teen crowd.

Operating as a state facility, Midway Park will remain a small amusement facility with family values in mind. Family and shop picnics will continue to be welcomed, and special events will be scheduled that sustain the family atmosphere.

Later this month, park officials will hire another group of employees to staff the amusement parks concession stands and rides. Most of the people hired will be local students and retired adults who are looking for seasonal employment — just as it has been for the past century.

Following the Memorial Day weekend Grand Opening Ceremony, park visitors will find the 1958 Dodgem Ride, the 1946 Herschell carousel, the giant slide, and the children’s self-propelled railroad along with dozens of other attractions which many local residents will recall from their own childhood visits to Midway.

[jmyrlefuller]

The reason I post this is because this is another wonderful (note sarcasm) example of your New York State tax dollars at work-- funding amusement parks. You can bet that Bill Parment and Cathy Young, our two local lackeys to Sheldon Silver and Joe Bruno respectively, were raking in the pork on this one.

[BfloGuy]

Last year when Six Flags outside of Buffalo went up for sale, I jokingly remarked that New York State would buy it for us if no one made a bid. Not long after, I learned of the state's purchase of Midway.

You can't even joke about the government here anymore before it comes true.

[lafroste]

I remember Midway Park, I visited it several times during youthful summers. I hope the state doesn’t wreck the place. It had such charm, in a gritty way that only east coast amusement parks seem to be able to do. Ah youth.

[dinoparty]

Me too. I loved the bumper cars especially. My mom loved the roller rink when she was a kid.

But I agree that tax dollars should not be spent on this.

[rangers]

In 1973, at the Midway Park Roller Rink, I got to 1st base with a young lady named Karen. That alone qualifies the place as a historic site...in my mind anyway.