Volume 2, No. 5. March 8, 2002
Return visits
Ball
of fire
Allyson Bowen was hosting a dinner party Saturday
night when a roller coaster enthusiast, Mark Thompson, called her. He had heard
on a police scanner that firefighters were responding to a blaze at Whalom Park,
the shuttered amusement park in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, that the Bowen family
had long operated and is trying to save from sale to a developer and possible
destruction (THE LOOP
October 5, 2001; November
16, 2001; and January
11, 2002). By the time Bowen reached the park, its 1933-built Ballroom
was fully engulfed.
"It was definitely one of the most historic structures on the property," Bowen
said. "I would say the (1905) Skating Rink and the Ballroom, although they hadn't
been used recently, in their heyday were the anchors of the amusement park's
golden age."
Authorities suspect arson, noting vandalism to other structures in the park.
"There was a spate of vandalism just before the fire, but it wasn't systematic
vandalism," said Bowen, who frequently visits the grounds. She also noted that
Whalom has a history of fires, including two cases of arson in the past 25 years.
Though the ballroom was destroyed, no other structures were harmed, including
the wood Flyer Comet Roller Coaster standing just 25 feet from the burning
building. Firefighters from several surrounding communities responded to the
blaze, soaking down the coaster and other neighboring structures to keep the
fire contained. "The firefighters did such a great job," Bowen said. "I really
thank them for protecting Whalom."
That continues to be her mission. Although the Whalom Park Amusement Co., in
which the Bowens are minority shareholders, has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement
for the park, Bowen believes the sale could yet fall through for various reasons.
"That would give us a chance to step in," she said, prompting her current "Buy
a Whale for Whalom Park" campaign. Rather than deterring her, the fire has stiffened
her resolve, she said. "We need people to get on board before this happens to
the rest of the park, literally or figuratively."
