The End of an Era
In 1983, the park went into receivership and the carousel was sold in 1984. Hope was still high that the park would survive and flourish. In 1985, a renovation plan was announced. It was planned that the park would be renovated for a gala 100th anniversary. This didn't happen. The park did survive to see its 100th anniversary, but the renovations had not taken place and the end was in sight.
The gates closed on Labour Day of 1989. Some of the problems that contributed to its demise were rising costs, high taxes, and competition other parks such as Fantasy Island in the United States and Canada's Wonderland.
An auction was held and the Comet was sold to Charles Wood, the owner of Great Escape Amusement Park in the United States. Residents of Crystal Beach were hopeful that the land would not be used to build residences, but they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to stop developers.
A black and white photograph doesn't seem like the right way to end a story about Crystal Beach. It seems more appropriate to end with the colourful memory of childhood and excitement that was shared across borders for over a century.
