Memories of Action Park

Our trip to Mountain Creek brought back memories of my teenage summers when the park (then Action Park) was nicknamed "Traction Park" for its thrilling but extremely dangerous rides. The most notorious, the "Alpine Slide", involved riding the ski lift up the mountain and racing scooters down a concrete bobsled track. There were no helmets in those days, and the only deterrent to high speed derailment and skinned limbs was a teenage guard, who rarely paid attention. The park also had grass skiing, "Motor World" with go carts and motorized boats, and awesome water slides.

The Cannonball slide descended into a pitch black tube and emerged out the middle of a cliff dropping riders into an icy cold pond. The Loop, a vertical 360, required the proper combination of speed and weight otherwise riders stuck in the middle of the loop, necessitating the construction of an escape hatch. There was also a slide with a 90 degree vertical drop and a safety net to stop riders from falling face forward to the ground. The fearful could stand on the bridge half way and watch the riders come down. The Tidal Wave Pool, nicknamed "the Grave Pool", was known for its huge waves that could easily send an expert swimmer into a drowning panic. My favorite was the Tarzan Swing, a spectator spot where we judged our boyfriends' strengths and physiques.

Action Park closed in the mid-90s after many injuries but its memories live on in all of us who came of age in the 80's.