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Park Profile
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Wildwateer Adventure
And how different was it working your own park to
waterpark
working for Cedar Fair's park?
“I was able to start making decisions, more so
than I could with my dad when it was his park.
Cedar Fair listened to me and respected my ideas.”
The first order of business was to soften Michigan's
Adventure, as was evident when Camille gave me a
tour.
“My dad did everything himself, including pouring
the concrete, planting the lawns and flowers, there
was no way he was going to pay someone else, even
though a professional landscaper might have done
a, well, a more professional job. Even now we're still
changing Dad's backyard do-it-yourself look to more
Zach’s Zoomer, named after
of a softer, theme-park feel.”
Roger Jourden’s first grandchild
I pointed out the length of a split rail fence along
the walkway, which originally ran throughout the
construction. “They must have realised,” Camille entire park. I struggled with the right word to
said, “in that short period of time, that I did have the describe the use of split-rail fencing in a major park,
talent, that it wasn't just because my dad had owned other than perhaps as theming for an Old West
the park. During that summer, they sent me to Cedar section.
Point for a week of 'cross-training,' where I spent “'Cheap' is the word you're looking for!” Camille
one-half or a full day in each department, crash- laughed. “My dad put all his money in on the rides;
coursing on everything. Later that fall, I spent a week everything else he literally did himself.”
at Knott's Berry Farm during their Halloween Haunt, But Roger Jourden's hands-on, do-it-yourself, full-
doing the same thing. It was a dream come true. I speed-ahead, gutsy ambition paid off. In 40 years
used to ask my dad if I could go to some of the Michigan's Adventure has grown from Roger's dream,
other large parks for a season and absorb everything a train ride and a small herd of deer, to one of
I could, but how I could I leave our park during the America's largest and most successful amusement
season?” parks. With his daughter Camille still firmly at the
The big question, one many people had helm, and with Cedar Fair's impeccable guidance, the
wondered: Had Camille becoming general manager park continues to be an adventure in Michigan.
of Michigan's Adventure been part of the deal with
Cedar Fair? Gary Kyriazi is the author of The Great American
“A lot of people thought it was,” Camille smiled Amusement Parks, A Pictorial History, and has been a
with her usual candour, “but no, it never was. It just researcher and writer for the amusement industry for
all fell into place.” more than 30 years.
Arrow Corkscrew
The ride that kick-started it all:
The classic Arrow Log Flume
42
APRIL 2009
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