Bay Beach Amusement Park

Infobox Amusement park
name = Bay Beach Amusement Park


caption =
location = Green Bay, Wisconsin
address = 1313 Bay Beach Road
opening_date = 1892
closing_date =
previous_names = Bay View Beach (until approx. 1920)
season = May - September
area =
rides = 15
coasters = 0 (after 1936)
water_rides = 0
owner = City of Green Bay, Wisconsin
slogan =
homepage = http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/geninfo/baybeach_web/baybeachhome.htmlThe Bay Beach Amusement Park (Bay Beach) is a small amusement park near the mouth of the Fox River's east bank as it flows into the Bay of Green Bay in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It features a few rides, but no roller coasters. From the 1900's to the end of the 1930's it had a public beach (hence the Beach part of the name), but because of pollution of the bay and nearby Fox River, the beach was closed and ultimately replaced by large boulders to prevent beachfront erosion. From the 1930s to the early 1970s the Bay Beach Pavilion hosted numerous concerts, political rallies, dances, etc. Today the park is generally a family place. Scenic views abound. There are many rides for younger patrons including bumper cars, a small scale Wisconsin Central passenger train ride, a large slide and a Ferris wheel.

It is the center of the commercial outdoor recreational area of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Nearby is Kastle Park which features batting cages, paintball, bumper-boats, go-carts, and mini-golf. The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is considered to be part of the "Bay Beach" area and is just down the street from the amusement park.

Upgrades

As of January 2006, it has been announced that up to 46 acres of land west of the current Bay Beach boundary had been purchased and would now be used to upgrade and expand the park. According to Parks and Services leader Jim Lancaster, the original Ferris Wheel is to be torn down and replaced by a new one, the Scat is to be removed and replaced by a whole new ride, the train tracks would now span the width of the entire park, and that the works may be in to purchase a roller-coaster.

External links

* [http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/geninfo/baybeach_web/baybeachhome.html Bay Beach Amusement Park site]
* [http://www.baybeachwildlife.com/ Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary site]
* [http://www.themeparksonly.com/park.php?park=17 Bay Beach Amusement Park at ThemeparksOnly]