Ride discount coins for sale in effort to bankroll park opening

Local News

Discussion

April 24, 2007

By Jane Smith The Meadville Tribune Tue Apr 24, 2007, 11:16 PM EDT

4/25/07 — Conneaut Lake Park officials have come up with a new plan to raise the $300,000 they need to open the park this year: The sale of 60,000 commemorative tokens at $5 apiece.

The token will give the purchaser more than a brass memento. It can be exchanged any weekday the park is open for a wristband giving the holder the right to ride the amusement park’s rides all day.

This will be a savings of between $3.95 and $8.95. Children’s rides on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are $8.95 and adults, $13.95.

Announcing the sale at a press conference at the park Tuesday, court-appointed overseer LeRoy Stearns and director of operations George Deshner said they are hopeful people will get behind the idea.

The park had hoped to sell 3.3 acres of land at the park to Gregory Sutterlin to help pay down the debt and give the park the money it needs to open. That plan fizzled Monday when Crawford County Court of Common Pleas Judge Anthony Vardaro decided against the land sale, offering seven objections. Because it’s a charitable trust operating under court supervision, the park must get court approval for moves like selling land.

Stearns noted the judge “never said we can’t raise the money to open.”

If for some reason the park doesn’t open, the tokens would be a collectible item, said Deshner, who came up with the idea.

“We have got bags and bags and bags of gold-colored tokens,” he said.

The tokens were made in the 1990s and have a “Liberty Token” engraved on one side with a logo of Conneaut Lake Park. On the back is a tribute, “In memory of Don Guckert,” a former park employee who died in 1996.

It will only take the sale of 60,000 of them over the next three weeks to give the park the full $300,000 needed to open by Memorial Day Weekend.

The token, which is 70 percent copper and 30 percent brass, is worth 36 cents, Deshner said. But it may become a lot more valuable to the community — if 60,000 can be sold to open the park for another year.

“Let’s show the judge we can open this year,” said Stearns. He also suggested businesses may want to purchase the tokens in bulk to give to employees.

Tokens can be purchased at the park office or at the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau, by calling the park office. or by ordering at www.conneautlakepark.com. A $1 service fee will be charged for mailing orders.

Any business wishing to sell tokens on behalf of the park may call Deshner at 382-5115.

Get your token

Tokens can be purchased at the Conneaut Lake Park office or at the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau, by calling the park office, or by ordering at www.conneautlakepark.com. A $1 service fee will be charged for mail orders.

Text Only

Local News

Completion of $6.8M expansion marks C&J's 50th year
With its 50th year in business under way — and business continuing to boom — a local high-tech tooling and plastic parts manufacturer appears at the ready for an even higher-tech future.

February 4, 2012
Cochranton Carl says winter will be done soon
So here’s the deal. Some groundhogs — animals christened Marmota monax by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus in 1758 and also known colloquially as woodchucks, whistle-pigs and land-beavers — are remarkably high maintenance.

February 3, 2012
City council hears what applicants have to offer
Seven applicants for the vacant seat on Meadville City Council interviewed with council members during an extended public session. Council members have 30 days to select a replacement for Chandler Mason, who won a place on the November ballot in the May primary, won again in November, and then opted to not take the seat.

February 3, 2012
Second interviews set for two council hopefuls
Nine applications were received, seven applicants were interviewed and two have been asked to return for a second round of talks as the search for Meadville City Council’s tie-breaking fifth member swings into high gear.

February 2, 2012
Next stop Carnegie Hall for Maplewood singer
Michael Miller stands alone on the stage of Ford Chapel on the campus of Allegheny College. He draws in a breath, opens his mouth and, with no visible effort, fills the entire room with the sound of his voice.

February 2, 2012
Scholarships helping women get back in the classroom
“As long back as I can remember, there’s been this little voice inside me that says, ‘You can do more,’ ” Vanessa Shaffer recalled. “I’d done a brilliant job in ignoring that voice — and I was ready to give it an ear.”

February 1, 2012
Plan unveiled that could save more than $20 million
A citizens’ advisory committee recommends Crawford County split almost all of its courthouse functions among two sites — the former Talon Inc. Plant No. 5 on upper Arch Street and the present Crawford County Courthouse in downtown Meadville — and at a 40 percent lower cost than previously anticipated.

February 1, 2012
Cochranton Carl now on Facebook and ready to forecast
As the annual Groundhog Day gets near, one local weather-watching critter is starting to cause a stir on Facebook.

January 31, 2012
DA: Argument shows accused killer's ill will
A verbal argument related to a drug store robbery is what Crawford County District Attorney Francis Schultz alleges led a Linesville man to murder a Linesville-area couple almost two years ago.

January 31, 2012
Accident closes Route 322 in western Crawford County
Route 322 is closed from West State Road/Turnersville Road in West Shenango Township to Water Street in Jamestown Borough, Mercer County, due to an accident that downed utility lines at County Line Road in Jamestown. The road is expected to reopen by noon today, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

January 30, 2012
More Local News Headlines

Lunches provided in schools:

Local News

Search Results

Discussion

Ride discount coins for sale in effort to bankroll park opening

Lunches provided in schools:

Site Map

Contact Us