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W
ith the refurbishing wrong with water.”
done at breakneck “We've got great managers working for us.”
speed, the Berni's, “You get nervous when it rains, of course, but you
Captell's and Ulaky's now faced also get a lot of confidence with experience.”
the major rule of owning an “How do you bring this type of business into the
amusement park – add future? In a word: family.”
something new every year. “That “And Canobie Lake is known for its family feeling.”
was tough,” says Carl Berni, “It's not about the rides. It's about the family.”
“getting the money for something “There are four generations in this park.”
new, but it was always worth it, “And we were fortunate to be a family of innovators.
and we always did a little bit It's worked out beautifully.”
better each year.” To augment the “Rule Number One in this industry: Thou Shalt
existing Whip, Circle Swing, Reinvent.”
Dodgem, Carousel, Fun House, The park today, covered with a canopy of New
Dark Ride, Arcade and, to this England pine trees and laced with shady walkways
day what is one of America's and benches, is a breathtaking tour through a 106-
The Carousel smoothest and best out-and-back wooden year-old park that has maintained its relaxing, trolley
rollercoasters, the Yankee Cannonball, the families park feel, while offering the necessary thrills to keep
subsequently brought in the Scrambler, Calypso, Crazy the kids happy. Still evident among the rides is the
Cups, Wild Mouse, Tilt-A-Whirl and Flying Scooters, terminal of the trolley line, now within the park, and
the last two from the couples' former workplace of one of the huge stone pillars marking the park's
Palisades Park. original entrance.
What kept the three couples particularly busy was The 2008 season marked the 50th Anniversary of
food service and gifts, which before their ownership the Bernis, Captells and Ulakys leaving Palisades Park
were operated by concessionaires. Equally to purchase Canobie Lake Park, and after half a
challenging was the couples' decision to continue to century, it was still business as usual.
provide name entertainment for patrons, leaning “A couple of new flat rides, otherwise nothing too
particularly towards the increasingly lucrative rock- major this year,” Carl told me. “We're replacing our
and-roll market. Hrubetz Round-Up with the Zero Gravity from
Dartron, and replacing our Crazy Bus with the Fantasy
Rock ‘n’ Roll Boat from Satori. Also, we're putting more money into
“Booking name rock acts was always worth the our food stands.”
investment,” Carl Berni insists. “Once we got really I asked for some final words of wisdom from the
lucky, we'd booked Sonny and Cher in the fall when learned and experienced Carl Berni; in particular, is it
they'd only had one minor hit, but by the time summer enough just to be the best and most beautiful lakeside
rolled around I Got You Babe was number one in the amusement park in the nation?
nation. The park was overflowing.” Another “No, it's not,” he said. “We have to continue to
memorable booking was The Beach Boys. “They tried make it work. The public is very discerning, and it
to come in through the front gate for their gig, but the keeps us on our toes. With all there is to choose
ticket sellers didn't recognise them and wouldn't let from – megaplex movie theatres, indoor/outdoor
them in without a ticket. My father came out to settle sporting arenas, FECs – their expectations are very
the argument and they told him 'Hey, we're the Beach high.
Boys!' My dad said 'I don't care what beach you hang “We have to continue to 'wow'
out at, to get in here you have to buy a ticket!'” them.”
To listen to the survivors of the original three
couples – Carl Berni, his mother Laura, and Claude
Gary Kyriazi is the author of
and Stella Captell's son Ray – express their
The Great American Amusement
experiences and knowledge is like hearing a powerful,
Parks, A Pictorial History, and has
BELOW, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: vital, symphonic ode to the amusement industry:
been a researcher and writer for
The Frisbee, Corkscrew and Da Vinci “The lake has helped keep the park up all these
the amusement industry for more
Dream (Wave Swinger) decades. In the amusement industry, you can't go
than 30 years
40 JANUARY 2009
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