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ParkHoppin’ with Paul Ruben


Swing Time


Have you ever heard of Venetian Swings? I hadn‘t until about 20 years ago when I first visited Crossroads Village in Flint, Michigan. Then I completely forgot about them, and even the fact I had been there. When I visited again this past summer the memories came flooding back.


Crossroads Village is an authentically recreated Great Lakes town from the turn of the last century, with more than 34 historic structures. Friendly villagers in period dress welcome visitors. Guests can ride the narrow gauge Huckleberry Railroad, take a 45-minute cruise aboard a paddle-wheel river boat, catch a show at the Colwell Opera House, or learn a trade from one of the local craftspeople. It’s a place out of history, but for me the best part was the collection of five antique rides.


They have a 1912 CW .Parker Carousel that formerly travelled the fair circuit in Canada before finding a home at Fairmont Park in Southern California. A 1910 CW Parker Superior Wheel is one of only nine ever made, and was rescued from now-defunct Rocky Springs Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The 1940 pony cart ride, manufactured by William F Mangels of Coney Island, New York, operated for years at the Cincinnati Zoo. The 1940s miniature train Ride from the Allen Herschell Company consists of an engine and three cars. It was located in Queens, New York, before finding a home at Crossroads Village.


But it’s the park’s Venetian Swings, pictured above, that fascinated me. They were built by Herschell in the late 1930s. I thought the ride might have come from one of the Italian ride manufacturers not far from Venice, but I was wrong. Swings like these have been reported since at least the early 1600s. They became popular in Europe during the Renaissance. Somewhere along the way the rides became shaped like boats, like the gondolas of Venice. I’m told similar rides, sometimes known as swing boats, are still in use in Europe and at smaller fairs and events in England. Venetian Swings work like this. Two riders sit in one of six gondolas, facing each other. There are two ropes dangling from the metal frame on which the gondolas hang. Each rider takes hold of one. The attendant starts things off by pushing the gondola into a swinging arc. On the descending part of each arc the rider who faces forward pulls on his or her rope, increasing the speed of the swing, while the rider facing backward does nothing. Then the roles are reversed as they alternate pumping the swing. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It is. Whoever thought to motorise the ride can be credited with paving the way for today’s swinging Pirate Ship, and even the Frisbee and other pendulum rides that have followed. But I loved this version. It was like a step back to a simpler era. It’s purely human-powered and the only limits to the ride are the riders’ muscle fatigue and ability to endure endless swinging. The attendant told my riding partner and I that we could ride as long as we wanted, possibly secure in the knowledge we could not, actually, ride all day in this. We rode for ... maybe one minute? I like to think the other guy wimped out.


6


The team behind the relaunch of the French theme park formerly known as Bioscope have confirmed that it will be known as Le Parc du Petit Prince when it bursts back into life this summer. As previously revealed in Park World, the park in Alsace was acquired recently by a group headed by Jérôme Giacomoni and Matthieu Gobbi of the tethered balloon specialist Aerophile. They will reopen the park in July, celebrating the 70th anniversary of Le Petit Prince, created by the late children’s author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, whose books have gone on to be translated into 275 languages. He was also a celebrated pilot with local links to the Alsace region, where the Aeropostale (airmail) service was founded. Visitors to Le Parc du Petit Prince will be able to take flight themselves on one of two balloons that will be added to the line-up together with an Aerobar attraction – creating the illusion of “three planets” floating over the park. Each balloon will travel up to 150 metres high, while the Aerobar (as debuted successfully last season at Futuroscope) will allow its seated guests to enjoy a drink at high altitude overlooking three countries: France, Switzerland and Germany.


On the ground, the park will comprise four themed zones. Space will be home to the 3D film Les aventures du Petit Prince and a quiz about astronomy. Aviation will host Wings of Courage, recounting the Aeropostale saga, the Vol de Nuit (Night Flight) simulator and Courrier Sud, where young aeronauts must carry the post to the right continent. In L’Eau sous toutes ses formes (Water in all its forms), guests can enjoy a fountain maze showcasing the adventures of the Little Prince, or travel under the sea on a scooter in the 4D attraction Voyage sous les Mers. The fourth zone is dedicated to Animals and Plants and will feature a butterfly farm plus two live shows, Danse avec les Moutons (Dance with the Sheep) and Rencontre avec les Renards (Meeting with the Foxes).


Parc du Petit Prince Balloons to fly over Bioscope


A rendering of the new look park


Bioscope before the transformation by Aerophile JANUARY 2014


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