Latest news with #Waldameer
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Waldameer's Steel Dragon roller coaster is not running. When will it open this summer?
The Steel Dragon, a Waldameer Park & Water World roller coaster, turns 21 in July. Before park officials can celebrate the compact steel spinning roller coaster's milestone birthday, they'll have to await control panel updates. Steve Gorman, president of Waldameer and Water World, said the updates are taking longer than expected, which is why the ride has been idle to start the 2025 season. "Unfortunately, we thought we'd be on time for completion for early May, but we were really surprised that it was delayed," Gorman said. Gorman said that officials at Waldameer are just as surprised as the general public that updates are taking longer than expected. Roller coaster mechanics: The people who help keep Waldameer rides open "We agreed to do that in September and now it's been seven or eight months...," Gorman said. "They're just really far behind with electrical parts in the country with supply chain issues. Control panels are delayed a lot around the country." Gorman says the entire control panel, including electrical components and the cabinet that houses the software for the Steel Dragon are being repaired. "We decided that the control system for it was getting old and we wanted to update it," Gorman said. "Instead of using the German company for the controls, which we had issues with getting parts, we went with an American company to updates all of the controls on the Steel Dragon." Waldameer officials are hopeful that the steel roller coaster will be back up and operating soon. "We're supposed to have an update by Thursday (June 5)," Gorman said. "So we expect to have the ride open in about two weeks or so. Definitely by July 4; they said we should be good." The Steel Dragon debuted at the park 21 years ago on July 4. Contact Nicholas Sorensen at nsorensen@ This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Steel Dragon gets software updates, delaying ride's 2025 opening
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Splash Lagoon ranks 2nd on list of best indoor water parks nationwide
A popular indoor water park in Erie County has been ranked second in the nation. Splash Lagoon has welcomed 8 million guests since it opened in 2003. It's been nominated as part of USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards eight times. This year, it landed its highest ranking of number 2, just behind Kalahari Resorts. Waldameer's Ravine Flyer II ranks 4th among best coasters in US In addition to slides, Splash Lagoon features the biggest wave pool east of the Mississippi. Scott Enterprises' CEO Nick Scott Sr. said he's proud to help put Erie on the map for tourists. 'I always thought that somewhere between Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Buffalo, they're all equidistant. Erie was a great destination. It's such a big part of Erie's destination tourism, so we're really proud that we reached the number two in the entire country,' said Scott. Scott said Splash Lagoon also draws visitors from Rochester, Syracuse and Canada. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Line painting jobs in NWPA counties kick off
(WJET/WFXP)– PennDOT crews have once again started their work to repaint the lines on more than 8,000 miles of state roadways across all six northwest Pennsylvania counties. PennDOT's two crews will be repainting the lines in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren Counties, and they're asking drivers to stay back and stay patient. Photos being accepted for 2026 City of Erie Calendar Photo Contest While no exact date has been set for when the painting will be done, PennDOT said they expect it to be done in the coming months, with weather permitting. Should you come across painters, PennDOT said drivers should stay back at least 500 feet, not to drive on the wet paint or pass the truck or shadow vehicle and to stay patient as trucks will occasionally pull over to let traffic pass. Waldameer's Ravine Flyer II ranks 4th among best coasters in US They also said that as evening temperatures increase, line painting on the interstate will be done overnight. With ideal conditions, road paint tends to dry in about 90 to 120 seconds but could take longer depending on weather conditions and could take up to several more minutes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Millcreek, Red Cross installing free smoke alarms amid fatal fires
Already this year, Millcreek Township has had four fatal fires that took the lives of five people. Township officials said even one death is one too many, and now, they're taking steps to make sure township residents are better protected. Erie Insurance announces new $100 million charitable foundation Millcreek Township is working alongside the Red Cross to ensure that everyone in the township has working smoke alarms. Smoke detectors save lives. It's a proven fact and can seriously be the difference in you or your loved ones making it out of a burning home. 'Fires do evolve very quickly. First, you have that generation of smoke, and that's usually what will kill people, is smoke inhalation,' said Millcreek Township Supervisor Dan Ouellet. Since January, five people in Millcreek Township have died in four fires and smoke alarms have been a common denominator in several of these recent tragedies. Waldameer's Ravine Flyer II ranks 4th among best coasters in US In three of the four fatal fires so far in Millcreek, there has either been a smoke alarm that didn't work, or no smoke alarm all together. 'After the first fire, we started looking into opportunities for grants and funding to make a significant impact for getting smoke detectors into people's hands,' said Michael Cliff, chief of the Millcreek Township Fire Department. When a fire breaks out, you only have two to three minutes to get out of the house before you're trapped. And if you're not being woken up by a smoke alarm, that time is cut significantly leaving seconds for you to escape. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In response to these findings, the fire department, along with the Red Cross, will be going to people's homes and installing smoke detectors in people's homes free of charge. 'It's unique because of the frequency of how many fatal fires we've had in this first quarter. Pennsylvania, unfortunately, has the highest fire fatality rate in the United States. This program came about as a Red Cross initiative to try to reduce that by 20%, and we've been doing this since 2015,' said Red Cross community disaster program manager Geoffrey Domowicz. It's part of the 'Sound the Alarm Campaign,' which not only provides people with the alarms but also a thorough education on home fire safety. 'We are going on about five to six thousand calls per year now that we have the paid staff implemented. We really plan to have fliers made up for advertisement for the partnership with the Red Cross. We plan on distributing those when we're out on calls, out in the community. We're going to do some public campaigns as well and I do foresee us going into some of our higher-risk areas to pass them out,' Chief Cliff went on to say. ECGRA gives out nearly $200K to local organizations through Special Events Grants You can sign up for the program by calling 814-240-7667 or online here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Same fries, different name: Kennywood sale results in change for Waldameer food stand
Change remains a constant at Waldameer Park & Water World in Erie, which opened for business in 1896. One of the changes coming to the park's concessions in 2025 involves fries at the Potato Patch stand, which will be offered as always this year. But the Potato Patch sign won't be on display. That change was a product of the recent sale of Kennywood Amusement Park in West Mifflin to Herschend Family Entertainment, which also owns Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. What to know: Who just bought Kennywood, Idlewild and Dutch Wonderland? Kennywood not only operated a Potato Patch of its own, but held a copyright on the name. Former Waldameer owner Paul Nelson, who died in 2023, had been friends with previous Kennywood owners and had a longtime understanding that he was free to use the Potato Patch name, said Steve Gorman, president of the family-owned Erie amusement park. That agreement, however, ended with the recent sale of the Pittsburgh-area amusement park. Waldameer had to come up with a new name for the stand next to the Water World entrance, Gorman said. "We are keeping the same products. It's just a name," he said. And the new name, Gorman said, is "The Tasty Tater." From 2024: Ready to have a cheat day? What food and drinks there are at Waldameer Contact Jim Martin at jmartin@ This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Kennywood sale results in name change for Waldameer Potato Patch stand
