Lakeside Amusement Park (Virginia) facts for kids

Lakeside Amusement Park was a fun amusement park located in Salem, Virginia. It was right next to Roanoke, at a busy intersection of two main roads. The park got its name from a huge swimming pool, which was 300 feet long and 125 feet wide!

This big pool opened in 1920. It had a sandy beach around it and quickly became a favorite summer spot. People from Roanoke and Salem loved to cool off there. After a few years, exciting amusement park rides were added. The park also had a pavilion where famous country singers like Tom T. Hall and Conway Twitty performed concerts.

Even when the park was closed in winter, nearby Roanake College used it. Their men's lacrosse team would practice there.

The Park's End and What Happened Next

Why Lakeside Closed

Over time, the big swimming pool became less popular. More people started getting their own swimming pools at home. Also, new rules meant that everyone, no matter their background, could swim together. In 1967, the pool was filled in to make space for new attractions. A big new wooden roller coaster called the Wild Cat was built.

Lakeside stayed popular through the 1970s and early 1980s. However, bigger parks like Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens started to attract more visitors. In November 1985, a flood from Masons Creek covered the park. Surprisingly, the park fixed the damage and even added new rides for the 1986 season.

Sadly, in 1986, a maintenance worker was accidentally hit by the roller coaster during a test run. The noise from his weed trimmer kept him from hearing the coaster coming.

Even with new rides, fewer people were visiting, and the park wasn't making enough money. The land where the park stood was also very valuable. It was at a busy intersection, close to a major highway. So, Lakeside Amusement Park closed its gates for good on October 19, 1986.

What Replaced the Park

Within a few years, the old park site became a shopping center called Lakeside Plaza. It had a Kroger grocery store and many other shops and restaurants. Even today, people in Salem still call this area "Lakeside." Many local churches and businesses use the name too.

The closing of Lakeside Amusement Park led to a new event: the Salem Fair. This fair started in 1988 and is held every year. It runs for ten days in late June or early July and has free admission! About 300,000 people visit each year, making it the second largest fair in Virginia. Only the State Fair of Virginia is bigger.

Future Plans for Lakeside

Good news! In January 2015, a group was formed to rebuild Lakeside. This project is moving forward, and they have received over $5 million worth of rides and attractions as donations. The new park will be in the Roanoke Valley. It is expected to open in the next few years. You can find updates on their Facebook page, "Lakeside Reborn," which quickly gained many followers.

Rides at Lakeside (1985)

Here are some of the rides you could enjoy at Lakeside Amusement Park in 1985:

• Shooting Star – A big roller coaster.
• Astro Liner – A ride that made you feel like you were flying in space.
• Ferris wheel – A classic tall wheel ride.
• Western Railroad – A small narrow gauge steam train. This train is now at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
• Paratrooper – A ride that lifts and spins you.
• Monster – A spinning ride with arms.
• Mini Firetrucks – A fun ride for younger kids.
• Mini Cars – Another kiddie ride.
• Horse Carts – A gentle ride for little ones.
• Scooters – A kiddie ride.
• Rocket Ships – A kiddie ride that goes up and down.
• Carousel – A classic merry-go-round.
• Casino – A spinning ride called a Trabant.
• Scrambler – A ride with cars that spin in different directions.
• Tilt-A-Whirl – A ride that spins and tilts.
• Avalanche – A fast, spinning ride.
• Bumper Cars – Where you could crash into your friends!
• Flying Scooters – A ride where you control the height.
• Giant Slide – A tall slide.
• Paddle Boats – Boats you could pedal on the water.
• Junior Ferris wheel – A smaller Ferris wheel.
• Skyway – A ride that took you high above the park.
• Spider – A ride with spinning arms.
• Cloud Nine – A spinning ride.
• Umbrellas – A gentle spinning ride.
• The Whip – A ride that whips you around corners.

Rides That Were Once There (Before 1985)

These rides were at Lakeside but had closed before 1985:

• The Rebel Yell – A small ride that played the famous Billy Idol song.
• Miniature Train (CP Huntington) – Closed in 1983.
• Cloud Nine – A "Round Up" ride that closed in 1980.
• Flight Thru Space – A dark ride that closed in 1979. The Astro Liner replaced it.
• Wild Cat – The wooden roller coaster that closed in 1967.
• Skylift – A ride that went over the nearby highway and back into the park.
• Wild Mouse – A roller coaster that closed sometime before 1974.