Rhyl Water Chute - bad news

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

The problem is that there is no agreement yet as to the ownership of that part of Dreamland which we want to see used as the site for the Heritage Park. If an agreement was in place, along with a business plan, then raising the money would not be a problem.

I hope the ride can be saved but most of all I hope agreement can be reached over the site before much longer. If there was such an agreement, I would be prepared to risk my own money in it.

[EAS]

I think the ownership of the rides in store is a big question also.

[porterm]

Hi all,

This is what I posted just now to the European Coaster Club email message list to try to aid this appeal. I sincerely hope something can happen here. We just need some imaginative inspiration I guess.

Martin

Hi all,

This is indeed very sad news potentially to salvage the last remaining example of this classic side friction Water Chute ride. As a long-time member of the Save Dreamland Campaign I have known about this situation for a while now, but as many things were happening behind the scenes I could not say anything.

I would love to have been able to announce that my luck had come up on last night's National Lottery, however such is life. (The nearest I came recently was with a much smaller win on the on-line Play Monday lottery). That still would have been nowhere near what the Campaign required to secure the survival of the aforementioned ride. The cost of dismantling and transit was quite shocking to me really, but then I guess it's no simple operation.

I can't really think of too many last ditch alternatives to raise the necessary cash, however maybe some showman or fairground operators could possibly either club together or singly financially support such a project. Otherwise maybe Sir Richard Branson might consider moving in a slightly different direction and be able to offer some assistance. Although after his unfortunate recent Stateside budget airline launch antics maybe he's not in the mood for any more stunts just yet. However perhaps it could somehow be used within his recently launched Virgin 1 TV channel somewhere.

If all else fails, rather ironically, I have had a personal loan with Northern Rock for some time now and could possibly seek some kind of advance there. Seriously though, if anyone can think of any inspirational ways to help this historic cause maybe they could come forward.

(I did suggest an appeal to all club members to pool money together for this cause, or maybe Save Dreamland members could equally conduct this. I for one would not hesitate to "put my money where my mouth is" and donate some cash. If each person could offer a minimum £50-£100 I reckon we could just about raise the necessary capital. Then at least we could all say we all had an instrumental part to play in the resiting of this great ride to the new envisaged historic Dreamland Park in Margate. One would only have to forgo a few lattes or Subway foot longs to support this in real terms for a week or so. Think about it.

As David said I'm sure any ideas/financial help offers would be greatly appreciated by Nick Laister of the Campaign at this time. Email nick@joylandbooks.com

Martin Porter

Member # 3172

PS Maybe those attending Chessington later today can have a brainstorming session on this

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

I'd chip in something.
I'm not sure how many people actually would, though. Being a member of a campaign is one thing, coughing up dough is another.

[EAS]

I cough up plenty for things I believe in, but this is some huge amount.

It's all late to try to raise it from individual donations (returnable if the deal falls through).

[zamfir]

Has anybody heard anymore news about the Water Chute?

I know you're all thinking I should just wait for news on the website, but this is the ride I was most excited about the Campaign acquiring (besides the wild mouse).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ds60OGigcw - found our very own David Ellis's clip of the ride in action on Youtube!

Would a showman/business sponsoring the ride be feasible? Maybe a call to Mr Bembom or the owner of Adventure Island?

[DaveD]

It seems ridiculous that the local council in Rhyl are quite happy for a piece of local history to be needlessly destroyed when there is an established campaign such as ours, happy to move it and find a new home but not in the proposed timescales.

I would gladly chip in a £100 but without the necessary time extension, we don't have any hope of raising the money but this is how property developers operate sadly; acting quickly before anybody has a chance to do anything about it.

Dave D

[EAS]

I don't think the local council has much to say in the matter really - not its ride as far as I know?

[porterm]

DaveD et al,

Just wondered if there was still enough time to attempt to "pool together" some cash from Campaign members to aid this ride's saviour. It might seem like a pretty tall order but then if we don't try we'll never really know as they say. I can appreciate individual reluctance to partake in such an affair but maybe this could be a fighting possibility.

Any more news on this matter other than the above?

Martin

PS Maybe each contributor could be awarded a further incentive of either having so many complimentary future rides on the attraction or have their name added to a kind of "hall of fame" plaque collage to signify their generosity. (I believe Eurotunnel's initial investors were granted free transport for life so a slightly similar thing might work here)

[kevinashe]

whats the latest on this situ,ive been away all week and was wondering if theres been any luck on the funding front

[jimlowe]

Hi Nick.

The news is bad at Rhyl Ocean Beach

A large section of the drop on the Water Chute has been removed so it could be getting demolished.

The Ghost Train has had some of it's fascia removed but otherwise seems to be intact.

The Jet Stream had been completely demolished for scrap with just the cars remaining.

The Pepsi Loop has been dismantled for removal and is neatly stacked in sections. Work is in progress to remove the rest of the portable rides off site.

[porterm]

Well, I guess Jim's dad photos on his last post here have sealed the Water Chute's fate then. Ironically, I did try to call Nick earlier today whilst at Thorpe Park with some coaster club(s) members. We discussed the plight of this ride, unaware of its current standing.

I found the feedback, or lack of, I got from certain people I spoke to in the coaster clubs rather unencouraging, when I banded about the prospect of monetary contributions towards a salvage operation to try to save this ride. I assumed that people from this vantage point would have maybe been slightly more reactionary to such an "eleventh hour" rescue bid for such an important rare attraction like this. Some expressed their concern for losing such an example as this, however most didn't appear to have the motivation to at least attempt a bid for the Chute's survival.

I realise that the current near future status of the Dreamland site is still quite "up in the air" but I reckon with some organisation we, and members of this Campaign could have collectively at least tried to raise the needed funds. Maybe I'm being somewhat naive, but I believe that if you do not at least try nothing will result. There were probably many variables playing behind the scenes here, but the sudden deadline for Rhyl's former park clearance no doubt did not assist matters. The issues here were possibly also considered too sensitive to make public beforehand, but in hindsight maybe that would have been more helpful to this cause. Assuming we have now lost another classic ride, hopefully some lessons can result from this.

Martin :(

PS I still didn't won last night's lotto sadly - just one number came up! (I somewhat think even a jackpot win would now be to late in our situation here though)

PPS I am in no way apportioning any blame on any Campaign efforts here, but just wanted to voice my personal viewpoint on the response I got from some so-called amusement park/coaster enthusiasts. I'm sure some feel just as disappointed, and helpless, as me with this saga though.

[Nick]

We were always aware of the 31 October deadline, which is the date on which the park had to be cleared. Everything had been organised to get the ride removed, even hotels booked for the contractors and tools transported on the ready. The problem we had, and that we could not overcome, was that the funder pulled out literally hours before dismantling commenced leaving us no time at all to make arrangements for saving the ride.

Susan Marsh and I spent a lot of time last week at the two-day Seaside Heritage Conference in Hastings asking senior directors of numerous organisations to help us. Thanet District Council also did all it could in the circumstances. But there was always one thing that prevented us from getting the money.

Had the plans for Dreamland been more advanced, and the Dreamland Heritage Amusement Park site transferred to a trust (or some other similar organisation that could guarantee its delivery) then the money would have been made available to us. More than one organisation told us that. The demolition of the Water Chute sadly came just a few months too soon and the money just wasn't there. In the limited time available, Susan and I (and Jason Wood, the heritage consultant who has been helping us) had to focus on the most likely sources of funding.

We aren't giving up, though. The Water Chute would have been a fantastic attraction, and it had genuine historic significance (being the last circular water chute in the world), but we have already saved some wonderful old rides, and I am sure that (unfortunately) more rides will need saving in the future.

[porterm]

Nick,

Thank you for your comments on this topic. I'm sure yourself and Susan Marsh were both very active recently fighting to save this attraction. Time is certainly the enemy of all mankind it seems these days. I can understand how frustrating it must have been to have come so far and yet so close to the saviour of this classic ride.

As has been pointed out before, developers normally wait for no-one and sadly "progression" dictates. I am sure we will all become ecstatic by the future prospect of a visit to the new Ocean Plaza. It would be a tragedy, in a kind of twisted way, I believe if this new development was stalled, particularly as we have now lost another historic park in the process.

Martin

[EAS]

I note there will be a new hotel on site.

Why? Who is going to rush to shop at Asda? Why visit Rhyl now?