Crystal Beach Amusement Park

History of Crystal Beach Amusement Park

The amusement park was located in Crystal Beach, Ontario, next to the town of Ridgeway. It was very close to Buffalo, NY, which is approximately 10 miles to the east of Crystal Beach.

Since there were no cars in 1888, steamboats were used to transport people from Buffalo to the park. This service continued until 1956.

What really put Crystal Beach Amusement Park on the map was the Crystal Beach Cyclone, a wooden roller coaster that opened in 1927. The ride was very intense and according to some people, was one of the greatest coasters ever made. It closed in 1946 and many of the parts went into making the Crystal Beach Comet, another wooden roller coaster that wasn’t as exciting. The Comet is now located at The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom in Lake George, New York.

The land where the park was located is now the Crystal Beach Tennis and Yacht Club.

The Rides

While it was operating, the park featured delightful rides all ages could enjoy, including:

• The Crystal Beach Cyclone. It was designed by Harry G. Traver as one of three “Terrifying Triplet” roller coasters. The track length was 2,953 feet and the maximum speed was somewhere between 50 and 60 miles per hour. Riders experienced up to four times the force of gravity during the ride. A nurse was on station at the ride to assist riders with any medical issues.
• Ferris Wheel. Crystal Beach had a Ferris wheel which is still in operation. It can be found at Centreville Amusement in Toronto.
• Laffs From The Beach. This was a dark ride which featured scary sights and sounds that likely made you laugh more than scare you.
• Flying Bobs. This ride was a small, circular coaster where you go up and down while going around the circle.
• Magic Palace. In this ride you would walk through the structure. Inside were crazy mirrors, spinning barrels and other fun diversions. At the end you would ride the magic carpet slide.
• Flume Ride. This was your standard log water ride. It was a later addition to the park in an attempt to help save the park from financial problems.

Remembering Crystal Beach

While the park is now just a memory, you can relive your memories or learn more about the park on the web. To view some old photos of the theme park, visit this gallery on PBase. It features 24 black and white photos of the park. Share your memories with other visitors by leaving a comment under each photo.

Crystal Beach DVD

Several websites offer DVDs featuring the theme park. The discs include home videos shot by visitors along with still photographs and appropriate commentary. For more information about the DVD, including purchase details, visit Crystal Beach Park.

There is also a documentary video about the park. It is available in DVD and VHS formats. Though now dated, you can also purchase historical calendars that feature photos of the park. For more information, visit Crystal Beach Memories.

It is unfortunate that some amusement parks must succumb to financial difficulties, declining attendance, rising maintenance concerns, and other problems that eventually may force them to close, but many of these parks, including the Crystal Beach amusement park, live on in the memories of guests who enjoyed the thrills they once offered as well as park enthusiasts with a keen thirst for history.