Every time I look at this, sometimes I can't believe that this place is gone. I liked it the way it was, your hometown amusement park filled with memories of spending the whole day going on all the rides with your friends and family, and having memories that will last a lifetime, it will always live in my heart and mind right till the end of my days. I'll always miss it, but I'll always remember that was my park, nothing will ever replace what was there.
I completely feel you, I came into the comments to say how watching this actually hurts me.. Seeing the Cyclone and those insane old water slides next to it.. sigh.. the park was just fine.
Ditto. Nothing comes close but Canobie Lake is quite close to it. It’s a trailer park that never gets old and they still have the Yankee Cannonball!
I hear you...I was from CT but made the trip many times to Agawam big part of my early years. Loved Riverside ! 💕
If I was a billionaire I would buy the property and bring the park back no problem!
I can't believe I still remember the clanking sound of the "River Rapids" ride, and the squeaking tires of the mechanism that spun the Colossus. Good times. Thanks for posting. I read the Colossus was torn down in late 2005 / early 2006 after it was deemed "unsafe" following an inspection. Sad that is was only around for 18 or so years, because it was a ride for all ages.
The claim was that the metal had micro fractures and couldn’t be repaired. But I think the removal of Colossus had more to do with the park’s increasing focus on teen thrill rides.
It's insane how much history is in this video. Glad I found it. To see those huge looking parking lots where now it's the water park and then looking at all the other older rides it's crazy. I remember crying my eyes out on Black Widow as a child, it scared the hell out of me.
at least it didn't suffer the same fate at Geauga Lake where after the park was artificially expanded in such a short time, and after several companies at the helm, it was left abandoned and a shell of its former self in 2007
Riverside was way better!! 💯
Riverside was the greatest. I remember the Wild Mouse, Laff In The Dark, Thunderbolt, Antique Cars, Monorail, Tilt-A-Whirl. Wack-A-Mole and so many others.
This is exactly as I remember it. Haven't been back there since and I don't think I can go back there without crying because it will just destroy all my memories.
When did the Roller Rink close down??? That was the place to go on the weekend.. GOD I MISS RIVERSIDE PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My parents used to take me every year for my birthday....I miss the colossus, now this place is like freaking disney land..... I also like the view of the old speedway.
You can see some of the old rides: Tri Star (Huss), Swiss Bob (Schwarzkopf)
Ahhh the good ol days. The Wild Cat was the first rollercoaster I ever went on at age 9 or 10.
Don't blame Six Flags on the original roller rink and the bowling alley. One got torn down, did not the other go down in a fire in the late 1970's? Also alot of memorabilia got destroyed in the fire too.
They built the new rollaway in 1978, that building now is still there, but as another business or entity.
the bobsled ride ohhh memories ;D
I miss Riverside. :( But I don't miss this horrible ferris wheel. I had my first panic attack on this behemoth.
damn this parked transformed a lot after six flags took over
Sornrasug yeah but not for the better. The quality of the park went down hill when they took over. Corporate takeovers aren't always the best thing. That's what I love about Canobie Lake Park. Small, but FAMILY OWNED. And the quality of their rides and everything else towers over Six Flags.
What is the place the Ferris wheel is located today? Or has it been scrapped after 2005?
Is it the one that was placed at Salitre Magico in Columbia? salitremagico.com.co/atracciones-familiares/
Thorsten Janke I don’t know what happened to it. Supposedly the metal had micro fractures and couldn’t be cost-effectively rehabbed. I assumed it was scrapped. That wasn’t the only model the company made, so there might be others around the world.
I will never forget the year I turned 48 inches and got to go on the Thunderbolt. It was about 1995. It was the most exciting day of my life. It was the closest thing to a "rite of passage" I ever experienced lol
agree
is the same jay ducharme who taught at HCC?
i used 2 love this ferris wheel, havent been on 1 sense this was taken down & i hate the Big E.
Now these were the times. When Riverside was just Riverside. No Six Flags corporation crap, no commercialized , spend more money than you had to nonsense. It went down hill when Six Flags took it over, and I will never go back there again unless by some strange miracle, the original owners took it back, cleaned up the park, and eliminated anything having to do with Six Flags , then I'd consider going back, but only if that happened which is a fat chance in a million.
I went twice after it became Six Flags. It's not the same experience. Riverside was a nice medium sized amusement park. It's now a giant park with lots of roller coasters, which I admit are great, but is lacking the smaller-park vibe.
@@andywolan I totally agree with you. If only Kennywood took that over and kept the traditional trailer park feel to Riverside Park because these are the parks that have more meaningful value. Now Canobie Lake is my favorite because it’s just a simple amusement park with really fun rides. It’s the only trailer park left in our neck of the woods and the only one to have a working band organ on their carousel. Six flags use’s prerecorded music on theirs. It’s not the same. And nothing comes close to the classic rattle of the wooden coaster, Yankee Cannonball. Six flags did themselves in when they took down the old wooden Cyclone and replaced it with a fabricated metal coaster. No not doing that, not happening. I’m a classic coaster fan.
@@sandrapanico6357 Ya, Canobie Lake is a nice park. I particularly enjoy it.
I never understood the reason why the Cyclone was torn down and replaced with a steal clone, more or less. I think it was having issues. From what I read, around the time Six Flags bought Riverside the original Cyclone had the height of the first drop reduced for some reason. I'm guessing to reduce wear and tear on the coaster. But you also needed all that energy to make it up the first hill. Not sure how they compensated for that.
I have not ridden the new Cyclone, but I see it has has serious twists. They say the old cyclone was not as popular anymore so the new one was created, but I think they tore it down because it was getting pricey to maintain.
They do still have the Thunderbolt coaster, which I believe is the oldest wooden coaster in Six Flag's portfolio.
I can't believe they replaced the organ music with pre-recorded music for SFNE's Merry-Go-Round. If you want the classic Merry-Go-round experience , visit Hermitage Park in Holyoke. They have a 1920's Merry-G-Round rescued from Mountain Park when they closed in 1987. And it's open year round.
@@andywolan that will have to be my next summer road trip. I went to Nantasket last summer, and to sandwich in September. And I understand that Salisbury Beach will have their carousel back up and running too this spring.
This is amazing! I was on this ride when it turned into Six Flags. So much change from up top there!