Playland (Fresno) facts for kids
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The entrance and ticket booth for Playland in 2022
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| Location | 890 W. Belmont Avenue, Fresno, CA, United States |
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| Coordinates | 36°45′06″N 119°49′25″W / 36.751689°N 119.823531°W |
| Opened | 1955 |
| Closed | 2025 |
| Owner | Fresno Rotary Clubs |
| Operated by | Playland and Storyland Board |
| Theme | Carnival and Circus |
| Operating season | Year-round |
Playland was a fun amusement park located inside Roeding Park in Fresno, California. It first opened in 1955. Playland shared its space with Storyland, another park, and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. For many years, Playland and Storyland tried to attract more visitors than the Zoo.
However, after a long time of not having many guests, and as the Chaffee Zoo became very popular, Playland and Storyland got a big makeover in 2015. The Fresno Rotary Clubs, which owned both parks, decided to work with the group that runs the Chaffee Zoo. They offered special deals to encourage people to visit all three parks.
Even with these efforts, Playland closed its doors for good on March 23, 2025.
History of Playland
How Playland Started and Grew
Playland first opened in 1955, just six weeks before Disneyland opened in Anaheim. Local Rotary Clubs, which are community service groups, worked together to raise money and build the park. On its very first day, 14,000 ride tickets were sold. Each ticket cost only 10 cents! The park quickly paid off its building costs within three years.
Playland was smaller than Disneyland, but it offered a cheaper option for families. Because of this, it attracted over 250,000 visitors in its first year.
Playland was built in the southwest part of Roeding Park. The California State Route 99 highway was to its west. At that time, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo was small but well-liked. Building an amusement park seemed like a great idea to use the zoo's popularity. It also helped add to the city's culture and raise money for public projects.
When it first opened, Playland had a merry-go-round, a small roller coaster, and a miniature diesel train. The train traveled around Lake Washington, which was an artificial pond where people could swim. Seven years later, Storyland was built on the other side of Lake Washington. The train system was then connected with a second station, so visitors could travel easily between both parks.
Playland Helps the Community
Since the Fresno Rotary Clubs owned and ran Playland, all the money the park made went back into the community. The Playland board of directors used these profits for many good causes. For example, in 1964, money from Playland helped buy 50 acres of land to create Woodward Park.
More money also went to the Zoo's reptile house and a new home for Nosey the elephant. Nosey was the zoo's first elephant and had previously lived in a small concrete cage. Playland's funds also helped buy land for Logan Park and the Shinzen Friendship Garden.
Playland and Storyland were located on the edge of Roeding Park, so they didn't have much room to expand. The zoo, however, had plenty of space to grow. This friendly competition between Playland and the Zoo led to a close working relationship between the Rotary Clubs. They created the Playland and Storyland Board to manage both parks better.
After many years, the Zoo grew much larger and more popular than Playland and Storyland. The amusement parks started losing money. The Fresno Rotary Clubs kept the parks open because they were an important part of Fresno's history, even though it cost them money.
Renovation and Reopening Efforts
After years of decline, Playland and Storyland did not open for their 2015 season. A board member, Daniel Leith, announced that the parks would stay closed. They needed to raise money to fix sidewalks damaged by trees, improve water systems, upgrade attractions and bathrooms, and cover operating costs. At the time, not many people were visiting the parks.
The group that runs the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Corp., said they were thinking about taking over Playland and Storyland. However, the Zoo was also being renovated and expanded. They could not use their special funding to help the neighboring parks.
When a local newspaper, The Fresno Bee, reported on Playland's closure in 2015, people in the community showed huge support. Many people wrote letters and made suggestions. One person suggested that local residents turning 60 years old donate $60 to a "Save Storyland" campaign. This was also Playland's 60th birthday. Another idea was to create a special "Storyland/Playland tax" to send money directly to the parks. The Fresno Bee also published an article asking for local donations.
In September 2015, Elaine Robles-McGraw, a volunteer director for Storyland, announced good news. Storyland and Playland had received enough money to reopen for the 2016 season! The Playland and Storyland Board also said they would now work with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. They planned to offer discounts and special events around holidays like Halloween and Christmas.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Playland, Storyland, and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo all closed. The zoo reopened on June 22, 2020. However, due to a special rule from Governor Gavin Newsom, only outdoor areas were open. All indoor facilities remained closed. Playland later reopened in 2023.
Playland's Operations
Park Closures
Playland closed its doors three times during its history:
- In 2015, after almost 60 years, the park closed to get money for renovations. Local people and the government quickly helped raise the funds, and the park reopened for the 2016 season.
- In 2020 and 2021, the park closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- In 2025, it was announced that Playland would close permanently. This was due to money problems and fewer visitors. The park was supposed to close on March 30, but it actually closed one week earlier, on March 23.
See also
External links
