Latest news with #MotorWorld
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why the 'World's Most Dangerous Amusement Park' Continues to Fascinate, 47 Years After It Opened
Action Park was a New Jersey amusement park open from May 1978 to September 1996 The amusement park had a lot of thrill-chasing rides that weren't always safe for riders The rocky history of the park was the subject of the 2020 documentary, Class Action ParkIt's hard to believe it's been more than 45 years since one of the country's most talked-about amusement parks first opened its doors. Action Park, located on Route 94 in Vernon, N.J., was a destination for teenagers and families around the northern part of the state. While days at amusement parks were spent chasing thrills, guests of the notorious attraction have spent the years since its 1996 closing reflecting on just how dangerous some of its attractions could be. The amusement part was divided into the Alpine Center, Water World and Motor World. In each of those sections were rides that tested the limits of what was possible from amusement parks of the era. It left many guests with unforgettable stories, but also caused some truly shocking outcomes for people looking for a day of outdoor fun. The infamous location for summer fun was the subject of a 2020 documentary, Class Action Park. Created by filmmakers Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges, the film shares some of the more shocking stories in Action Park history and why it was still beloved despite so many dangerous incidents. Here are five of the most unbelievable revelations from the documentary. The enclosed tube water slide took guests downhill fast before bringing them up into a loop and shooting them into a landing pool. "The first couple people that came in came out and their mouths were all bloody. And that was before they had put sufficient padding in the top; there was a little bit. So they sent a couple of other people down, and when those people came down, they came down with lacerations. They couldn't figure out why these people had lacerations from a giant loop," Jim DeSaye, director of park security, recalled in the documentary. "Then they took the loop apart and found teeth stuck in the padding from the first couple of people that went down the slide and got their teeth knocked out. And these other people are going up and ripping into it." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While most amusement parks take a lot of considerations to make sure a ride is plausible and safe, at Action Park, all it took was an idea, former staffers allege. "A certain number of the Action Park rides were more or less designed in-house by people without engineering degrees, and I was certainly one of them," Ed Youmans, Park Operations Manager, said in the documentary. "The people who were kind of on the fringes of the ride-design world, people who Six Flags or Disney wanted nothing to do with, these guys would literally track Gene [Mulvihill, owner of Action Park] down at industry conventions," journalist Seth Porges claimed in the film. Gene was also interested in making rides "bigger, badder and more extreme," Porges said, leading him to tinker with designs, at time mid-construction. "Many of the rides were experimental, and on paper, the design looked good," said head lifeguard Bob Krahulik. "But in reality, once the ride was turned on, it was not fit for a safe ride by the average person in public." It wasn't unusual for a ride in Action Park to go off course. On more than on occasion, parts of attractions even ended up on Route 94, the highway that divided areas of the park. One ride "was this giant ball that we had with ball bearings inside it with another ball and you would open two doors and get in the ball to go down the mountain," Action Park CEO Andrew Mulvihill explained in the documentary, noting that the track was built with PVC pipe. The ball couldn't stay on track because of its size and shape. Additionally, the PVC track couldn't always hold up against the summer heat. "The day that we were gonna put a live man in it, it got really hot and he didn't realize that PVC expanded. So when we put the live man in the ball and tested it to go down the mountain, the ride just fell apart and the guy ended up going down the ski slope right over 94 into the swamp down below. It was unbelievable," Andrew said. Another incident occurred when employees figured out how to "override the speed governor" so go-karts known as LOLA cars could go up to 60 miles per hour. "I took a LOLA car on 94," confirmed Youmans. "It has a top speed of over 60 miles an hour. It was worth it." As Action Park built its controversial reputation, people wondered who insured the park. It came to light that the park was uninsured because, as Porges claimed, "Gene didn't believe in the concept of insurance." "He thought if you got hurt, you should be responsible. He shouldn't have to pay insurance companies. However, he needed insurance to stay in business. It was part of the terms for the lease, so he had a workaround." The workaround ended up being a fake insurance company that was made up by Gene himself on behalf of his parent company, Great American Recreation. According to a 1985 New York Times article, "Great American Recreation personnel, between 1977 and 1981, counterfeited paperwork and created a bogus insurance company to execute an elaborate self-insurance scheme that defrauded state agencies, Vernon Township and private companies and individuals." Gene was among the defendants ultimately charged with 110 counts of criminal conspiracy, fraud, forgery, theft and embezzlement to meet state lease requirements, per the Times. He "was fined $45,150 and put on probation for three years. State prosecutors said that the court also designated him as personally responsible for Great American Recreation's corporate fine of $250,000," the Times added. Those who visited the 2,700-ft. Alpine Slide rode in sleds that had a brake and accelerate control stick. The chutes were made of concrete and fiberglass, which could lead to serious road rash and other injuries for riders who might lose their sled amid the ride. "The area around the slide was just rock, so everything from broken bones to concussions. On an average day, you would have 50 to 100 people injured. On a weekend, you could double that," alleged security guard Mark Johnson. In one incident in 1980, a rider had a sled with a malfunctioning brake, which caused him to hit a turn wrong and be thrown from the cart. The rider, George Larsson Jr., hit his head on a rocky area around the ride after being thrown from the sled. He was in a coma for a week before he died, at just 19 years old. His death came just four days before he was supposed to be the best man in his brother's wedding. Gene made sure that accident wasn't reported to the state, the documentary states, claiming George wasn't a member of the general public but rather a former employee whose accident occurred in the rain after hours. The details were false and when the case went to litigation, Gene settled with the Larsson family for $100,000. Gene died on Oct. 27, 2012, at the age of 78. Class Action Park is streaming on HBO Max. Read the original article on People
Pembrokeshire Herald
04-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Milford Haven flat scheme under fire as unit cost tops £270,000
£6.7m council project draws criticism amid questions over value for money A £6.7 MILLION scheme to build 24 mostly one-bedroom flats for over-55s on Charles Street, Milford Haven, is facing mounting scrutiny — with each unit costing more than many three-bedroom houses in the area. The development, led by Pembrokeshire County Council and earmarked for social housing, is being built on the former Motor World site. At an average of £270,000 per flat, critics say the price tag is out of step with both local property values and national building cost benchmarks. Rising costs and delays The project was first approved in 2020 with a plan for 15 flats. However, it stalled when the original contractor, WRW Construction, collapsed into administration in 2021. The scheme was later re-tendered and expanded to 24 units. In April 2025, the council awarded the new £6.7 million contract to W B Griffiths & Sons Ltd. Each flat measures around 51 square metres. While ground-level parking is included, there are fewer spaces than units — meaning not all residents will have access to a bay. 'You could get a house for that' Asking questions: Cllr Mike Stoddart County councillor Mike Stoddart welcomed the long-delayed scheme finally moving forward, but raised serious concerns about its cost. 'I'm pleased that, after more than ten years of delays, this development is finally going ahead,' he told The Herald. 'But £270,000 per small flat is eye-watering — you could get a three-bedroom house for that. Persimmon Homes would build you one, including the land, roads, and a profit.' A resident on nearby Hamilton Terrace added: 'My house was recently valued at £249,000. It's a large, property — far bigger than any of these flats.' Part of the cost increase is linked to stricter building regulations introduced by the Welsh Government. Under the Welsh Development Quality Requirements 2021 (WDQR), all publicly funded housing must meet enhanced standards for energy efficiency, accessibility, and space. These include banning gas boilers, ensuring digital connectivity, and making homes adaptable for future needs — all of which add to construction costs. Audit Wales estimates these standards could increase build costs by around 13%. But taking this into account would still put the cost per unit at around £240,000 before the estimated cost of the project meeting the new Welsh Government standards for publicly funded housing developments. The motorworld building being demolished in july 2018 (video: herald) Benchmark costs tell a stark story The average build cost for a three-bedroom house in Wales in 2024 is £276,478, with construction-only estimates ranging from £253,439 (low benchmark) to £299,518 (high benchmark). By contrast, the Charles Street flats come in at approximately £5,300 per square metre — more than double the Welsh mid-benchmark of £2,513/m². Property analyst Tom Rees and others have raised concerns over the failure to consider alternative solutions. More than 750 long-term empty homes sit unused in Pembrokeshire — many of which could potentially be refurbished for a fraction of the Charles Street cost. Council defends project Pembrokeshire County Council says the high cost reflects several factors: Inflation in the construction sector Complexities of building on a constrained brownfield site Requirements to meet high environmental and energy standards The council also cites urgent housing need: more than 8,000 people are currently on the county's housing waiting list, with an annual shortfall of 475 affordable homes. While the need for more affordable housing is not in dispute, the cost of delivering it is. With unit prices outstripping local values and national averages, and with hundreds of empty homes lying idle across the county, questions are being asked about whether the Charles Street development offers value — or a costly lesson in council procurement.
Pembrokeshire Herald
01-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
‘Eyesore' Milford Haven site to become 24 affordable homes
A £6.7m contract to build 24 affordable homes for the over-55s at the 'eyesore' site of the former Motor World building in Milford Haven has been backed by senior councillors. W B Griffiths & Sons Ltd, on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council, was given approval in November for the construction of a new residential redevelopment of 24 affordable apartments for over-55s at 70A-80A Charles Street. The former Motor World site, previously described as an 'eyesore,' was cleared in 2018 to enable redevelopment, with planning permission granted on the site for the development of 15 affordable apartments for over-55s in 2020 but the previous contractor was put into administration under what was described as, 'significant financial stress'. The 2024 application, submitted through agent DPP Planning, followed a public consultation last year. A report presented, and moved at the April 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council's Cabinet, by Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman sought approval for a fixed price contract with WB Griffiths & Son Ltd for £6,713,084.29 for the works. The report for members said: 'Having reviewed the final design and contract sum bid, the portfolio budget holders and lead project officers are satisfied and wish to commence the construction stage. 'Delegated authority to Director of Social Care & Housing for the award was previously obtained, however due to the change of procurement route, in design and increase in construction costs and the time elapsed since the prior approval, it has been deemed that for transparency and general awareness, a decision is brought back to Cabinet to award.' The project is supported by Welsh Government's Social Housing Grant, which provides up to 70 per cent funding. The move of approval was backed by local councillor Cllr Guy Woodham, who said: 'It's taken an awful long time to resolve what was happening at that site, to have affordable housing there seems to me to be an ideal opportunity.' Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said he was pleased there was 'a light at the end of the tunnel' after long delays, adding: 'Let's get on with it.' Cllr Rhys Sinnett, another Milford councillor, said of the delays and the 'eyesore' nature of what was left: 'It's a good result but it's taken a heck of a lot of time; it's upset a lot of people in Milford Haven,' adding: 'The whole setting of Charles Street has been a bit of an eyesore with it.' Members unanimously backed the recommendation.
Western Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
'Eyesore' Milford Haven site to become 24 affordable homes
W B Griffiths & Sons Ltd, on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council, was given approval in November for the construction of a new residential redevelopment of 24 affordable apartments for over-55s at 70A-80A Charles Street. The former Motor World site, previously described as an 'eyesore,' was cleared in 2018 to enable redevelopment, with planning permission granted on the site for the development of 15 affordable apartments for over-55s in 2020 but the previous contractor was put into administration under what was described as, 'significant financial stress'. The 2024 application, submitted through agent DPP Planning, followed a public consultation last year. A report presented, and moved at the April 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council's Cabinet, by Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman sought approval for a fixed price contract with WB Griffiths & Son Ltd for £6,713,084.29 for the works. The report for members said: 'Having reviewed the final design and contract sum bid, the portfolio budget holders and lead project officers are satisfied and wish to commence the construction stage. 'Delegated authority to Director of Social Care & Housing for the award was previously obtained, however due to the change of procurement route, in design and increase in construction costs and the time elapsed since the prior approval, it has been deemed that for transparency and general awareness, a decision is brought back to Cabinet to award.' The project is supported by Welsh Government's Social Housing Grant, which provides up to 70 per cent funding. The move of approval was backed by local councillor Cllr Guy Woodham, who said: 'It's taken an awful long time to resolve what was happening at that site, to have affordable housing there seems to me to be an ideal opportunity.' Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said he was pleased there was 'a light at the end of the tunnel' after long delays, adding: 'Let's get on with it.' Cllr Rhys Sinnett, another Milford councillor, said of the delays and the 'eyesore' nature of what was left: 'It's a good result but it's taken a heck of a lot of time; it's upset a lot of people in Milford Haven,' adding: 'The whole setting of Charles Street has been a bit of an eyesore with it.' Members unanimously backed the recommendation.
