Things to do in Vancouver

[SpongeG]

they could move most of "playland" and keep the coaster and a couple rides - make it like those small parks in europe that are in the city that have a handful of rides - the grounds are free to wander around and you can pay per ride

something casual

paying to get into playland is a rip off

[Metro-One]

I have no problem with them turing Playland into a park that has a few basic ride attractions, such as the coaster, and it has no entrance fee and is simply a pay per ride, only if there are concrete plans to build a bigger better amusement park to replace the PNE elsewhere in the metro area that is more convenient for transit, maybe near Scott Road skytrain station in Surrey. And yes i would like such a facility to also have proper go-carts, a water park and other attractions.

[SpongeG]

seattle couldn't make a go of six flags

there just isn't enough population here to make a real amusement park work

toronto has millions of people within 2 hours of wonderland to make it viable

[vanlaw]

Originally Posted by vansky

if vancouver wants to become a global city, at least have a real waterpark.

lol.......uh oh. cue the ferris wheel debate!

[Metro-One]

Then how come every time i go to Playland on a weekend or during the summer or during fright nights it is pact? As i have said before i go every year, as do many people i know. it is especially popular for high school students as well. What i am saying is it is crazy to downgrade the PNE/Playland amusement park without re-building one of similar size somewhere else with maybe a few more rides. And also, people do like water parks, the do generate attendance, and having a year round water park component to a new theme park would also help boost attendance in my opinion. maybe 6-flags in Seattle failed because it is just roller coasters, maybe if they had more of a fair atmosphere like the PNE with other shows and events it would have worked. In fact, the more i think about it, the more i am against them changing that area. It is stupid to build a new park when we already have a good facility, it just needs to be expanded a little and have a decent renovation. It is great to have an area in a city of 2 million that has large fair grounds for public events, the PNE and even concerts within/beside a decent theme park with rides, a small stadium to host shows and sporting events during these fair events and a race track. The Hastings Park area could become a great centralized entertainment facility, but instead the city has plans to decommission it to a mediocre nature park in which we already have a thousand of. These are the decisions i don't understand being made in a city with a growing population and seeing growth on the international stage.

[LeftCoaster]

Yeah but Playland is small potatoes, it is literally 1/10th the size of a decent amusement park. The only way I could see a large 6 plags style amusement park working in the NW is if they built it on the Northern Fringes of Seattle, that way it would still be close enough to Seattle, but within easy driving distance of Vancouver.

Metro the other thing about Playland always being packed is the price. We are lucky with Playland cause it is dirt cheap. If we were to build a decent park it would have to charge much more for admission and therefore would lose alot of those high school students who have little disposable income.

I agree with the above posters that turning Hastings park into a public park with pay per ride rides would be ideal I've had that thought on my own so it is nice to see others have come up with the same idea.

[Metro-One]

Well vancouver does not need a massive amusement park but i do think we could use another small scale one if they do go through with changing Playland. There are a lot of rides there i will miss if they are taken down. As i said amusement parks do not need to be hollow, i would love to see a waterfront area that has a night market with a few pay per ride attractions (such as a decent roller coaster) along with some concerts and other shows/attractions. These you see in Europe often, but we all know there are some on this forum who will be disgusted by that idea!

[LeftCoaster]

No, I don't think anyone is against the idea... some of us just find it funny that some forumers seem to think that a development like that would propel us into the upper echelon of world class cities.

Something like that would actually be very cool, but with waterfront land at a premium I don't know where it could go in the city. The port already has much of the waterfront around Burrard Inlet gobbled up and the rest is help piecemeal privately. Maybe land could be assembled around the Fraser, but a riverfront park just doesn't have the same luster as an ocean front park, especially when it would be so far from downtown.

[Metro-One]

The only decent river spot would be in New West, for that area is easily accessible by transit and New West is a growing area and it is relatively central in the Metro area. But yes, Ocean front would be better, an area around False Creek could also work.

[SpongeG]

its dirt cheap to get into Playland though like $20 or so isn't it?

and if they charged more no one would go cause it sucks - sucky rides, games that rip you off horrible mini golf

a real amusement park would charge like $50+ up plus once inside the food is crazy expensive

we need a mini golf like the one in parksville within Vancouver city limits


flickr www.flickr.com/photos/jdgemm


flickr www.flickr.com/photos/jdgemm


http://www.flickr.com/photos/townzell

now compare that to the pathetic course at playland


http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_long_and_winding_road

[Metro-One]

Yes, we do need a decent mini golf course deeper within the metro area, somewhere near skytrain. I love mini golf! We also need a decent go-cart track within the urban area as well, so people don't have to always drive out to Tswassen, Abbotsford or Chilliwak for such entertainment. Be nice to take transit to such services If we truly want to make Vancouver environmentally friendly and sustainable, then we have to encourage a much wider variety of entertainment venues within the urban area near decent mass transit. It is much more than just building apartments near transit, we also need to build where people work and where they have fun near transit as well!

[jlousa]

6 flags and disneyland have both looked at the Metro Vancouver area in the recent past and both have walked away because the market isn't there. That's why some of us older members laugh at the suggestion that it would work. The pros have come in they have run the numbers and they do not work. I'm not in the amusement park industry but I trust that they know how to do their job.

There is a reason that our waterparks, (splashdown,cultus lake, transcanada) are located where they are, the land is/was dirt cheap. You can't make a go of a waterpark in the city when it would be closed for at least half the year. The cost of land is too much, same goes for an amusement park. We are very lucky to have somewhat of an amusement park within city limits.

As for go-carting, there's an indoor track in Richmond, it's pretty cool as the polished concrete floors help you slide around and give you the feeling you're going faster then you actually are.

[Metro-One]

I never knew there was an indoor track in Richmond, sweet. As for mini golf i am sure a decent course could be built in one of our many parks by the city or GVRD. Maybe convert an old parking lot into mini golf! (The NE False Creek area destined to become a park would be a perfect location. It would work well with the city's idea of turning the area around the stadiums into an entertainment district)

As for water parks i was thinking more of an indoor facility than an outdoor so it could be used year round. Also all of what you said just gives greater reason to keep Playland as it is and not reduce it. Also i think some of the theme parks proposed were not shot down by economics but shot down by local politics.

[jlousa]

No they were shot down by economics and nothing else, heck the province flew them in and was offering them the land practically for free and they both turned it down after crunching the numbers.
I seem to recall universal studios also took a look and said no.

Wait to see what the city has planned with the PNE before being so against it, take a look at the Tivoli Gardens in Copehagen to get a good idea as what they are planning. I'm sure it won't be enough to satisfy someone that waits a full out amusement park, but it's a really good and better suited for the general population.

[Metro-One]

I have looked at all the plans that have been posted on these forums, and it is something we already have to much of. Lets keep Playland as it is so we have some variety in this city. We honestly do need some venues for the younger people. A stroll in the park isn't everyones idea of a fun saturday or evening. I love the entire PNE atmosphere, and what about great events such as Fright Nights? Having variety is what keeps a city fun and inventive. If we have a somewhat successful small theme park within urban boundaries which you said is a rare occurrence than why are we trying to dismantle that? Even the history associate with Playland is interesting.

[SpongeG]

well we have playland so why do we need another one?

[jlousa]

You should take a look at what Tivoli Gardens is before commenting, looking at the proposed renderings of Hastings Park I posted a while back doesn't give you a true idea of what it'll be like.
No need to visit it, although I recommend it, they have a website that should be able to give you a better gist of what's in store.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Also i think some of the theme parks proposed were not shot down by economics but shot down by local politics.

Totally correct. One company was on board to take over playland and greatly expand it to encompass the majority of the current PNE site and add elements to it which would turn it into a year-round entertainment destination. Unfortunately, the city in their infinite wisdom, chose instead to turn to turn the site into a half park with a giant man made moat that has turned into an ideal location to use the services of prostitutes and shoot up. The site in its heyday was a great moneymaker and now consistently loses money. The PNE draws less people now than it did DECADES ago. Wonder why that is?

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

well we have playland so why do we need another one?

because the current one is old, small and dilapadated and drew more people decades ago than it does today.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

seattle couldn't make a go of six flags

there just isn't enough population here to make a real amusement park work

toronto has millions of people within 2 hours of wonderland to make it viable

1). Six flags selling off their Seattle park has more to do with Six Flags the company being in rough financial shape. The actual park is still open and will continue to operate under new ownership.

2). 6 flags has a successful park located in Louisville Kentucky (with a fraction of the population of Vancouver) so the notion of not enough of a population is just plain not true. That's just more typical Vancouver "can't do" attitude.