Clementon Lake: New wooden coaster/Jack Rabbit gon

I plan on going to park this year to try and speak with someone about the situation. Part of being able to do anything about this is to understand completely the parks position and attitude towards the ride. Now I've dealt with parks before and pretty much know when I'm getting a song and dance from them. (Theme/Corporate Parks are really good at that) But even though my efforts may not get the results I'd like to see, at least I tried to the best of my abilities.

It's not that I'll go there and throw hollow threats towards them and call them names either. Nothing gets accomplished that way, and it isn't the positive image I would want the park to see in other enthusiasts and our community in general. There just has to be a better solution to the situation with the coaster. Helping the park figure out what that may be is all I really want to accomplish.

The Wood Coaster Fan Club...coming soon to a park near you.

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Rob Ascough said:
You know who's on your side. Or someone at On Ride Central does, anyway.

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You're talking to him.

I figured that ;)

I think that a preservation effort would be a good idea. I'm not familiar with that kind of thing so I honestly don't know where to start, but there are plenty of people out there that feel the Jack Rabbit should be saved. That's a start, as far as I'm concerned.

There actually is already a Wooden Coaster Club. They are only just getting their start though.

http://woodencoasterclub.tripod.com/

As far as the JR, as much as I would love to save it, it was my very first coaster, it may not be worth saving. It may simply need too much work. The park is very difficult to work with as well, Mr. Baker is not one on the most friendly types from my understanding. Who knows though, this new coaster may mark a turning point in the park, time will tell.

I wish I could say the Jack Rabbit was staying......It will definitely stand for the 2004 season SBNO. But we can all hope and pray deep down inside that an incredible season with our new coaster may be the deciding factor. The Jack rabbit is in reall bad shape though. It would pretty much have to be stripped down and completely rebuilt to be saved. We'll just have to wait and see. I tell you one thing though, Ive been at Clementon now for 7 years and its very nice to see people talk good about things and want to do so much to save a historic ride

I wanted to add that it's awesome to have somebody here representing this park.

I live 10 minutes away from CLP and grew up here my entire life.(sad, I know) I've been going there through all of it's ups and downs and will always remember the JR and all of my fond memories growing up there.

I do understand though that sometimes it's just simply not economically feasible to fix something that is beyond repair.

Let us all hope and pray that this season is unlike any other and that the owners have a change of heart. Good weather would help also :)

Thanks for keeping us in the loop on things :)

I think that something could be done about the coaster. Leap-The-Dips was saved, and I believe that coaster was in a lot worse shape than the Jack Rabbit. Starting a campaign to save a coaster is one of the last things I'll pretend to know about, but if someone were to take the initiative to do so, I have numerous ways that I'd be able to help. I'd be more than willing!

Started a Save The Jack Rabbit preservation campaign, over at http://www.OnRideCentral.com
Check it out for more info, and to add your name to the list, if you support the preservation of this classic.

The park is not interested in saving the Jack Rabbit, regardless of it's historical value. Unless you can find a buyer who is willing to pay to move it, it's a goner. Sorry...I know that's harsh. I hate it, too.

I think that's the option that we now have to persue. I'm not sure how much interest there is in this ride when it comes to other parks, but we're going to find out. I think its a sad day when an operating park is willing to dispose of their classic wooden coaster without making an effort to keep it, but at least there is a little time left to see if anything can be done as far as a relocation is concerned.

If the Jack Rabbit is demolished, I at least want to know what we (as a group) tried our best to save it... keep it from vanishing without a little noise!

I just wanted to clarify that I think the "Save the JR" campaign is a good thing. I didn't mean to sound like no one should try. Anyone who has seen our 2004 calendar knows how important preservation is to Carrie and I.

mOOSH

After what happened down at the shore with Wizard's Cavern, I'm trying to remain hopeful that CLP's owners will see that there really IS the kind of support necessary to save a classic coaster (and there's no older woodie in the States that's in this kind of serious jeopardy)...

CLP, PLEASE talk to the folks at Conneaut about the lengths enthusiasts are willing to go to help...personally, I won't completely "give up" on JR until the bulldozers take the lifthill....

bill, making *at least* a LITTLE noise...;)

Bill, are you by any chance from NJ?

LOL....yep. Grew up "near Rutgers". Cities and township names in Jersey don't mean much if you live more than 20 miles away anyhow...;)

Ha! ain't that the truth! I have to say I grew up "near Parsippany" since everyone seems to have heard of it. I wonder if it's because it was mentioned on Sienfeld?

How many names ya got so far on the petition?

rollergator: I knew it, only someone from Jersey would say "down at the shore" and not "at the shore!" Actually, I think that millrace and I had that conversation not too long ago! Considering the fact that you are so concerned about the Jack Rabbit's fate, we should be talking about something mentioned in my signature.

And millrace, I can't help but wonder if Parsippany is known around here because it was home to Six Flags corporate offices years ago, somewhere in that huge complex off of Cherry Hill road.

Could be but it seems to be known by those outside the coaster community. Probably because it's corporate home of about 10 million companys. (does anybody actually *live* there?)

I haven't gone down the shore to see what's at the shore in a long time! Do people still say "benny?" *** Edited 3/25/2004 2:45:44 PM UTC by millrace***

The majority of Parsippany's population is Arab, believe it or not. At least the area by Route 46 where there are about a hundred apartment complexes. And yeah, there are about 10 million companies there... give or take one or two.

Benny? I've never heard that one. Care to elaborate?

I heard "benny" on the radio years ago. It was part of some sort of North Jersey vs South Jersey competition thing. I think benny is supposed to be some sort of derogatory local shore term for northeastern NJ and NYC people who flock to the shore on summer weekends getting in the way of all the locals (who apparently failed to realize that much of their economy depends on such "bennies."

I never knew about the Arab population but then I never really could think of much of a reason to spend much time in Parsippany. Whippany was/is the much cooler "ppany" town! After all, there is a steam engine there.

Is Frank Prior (sp?) still in jail?

Whippany does have that nice train museum on Route 10. They're always adding new cars, so it seems. That spot on Route 10 would actually make a good spot for a park if it weren't so overdeveloped as it is.