MOUNTAIN PARK FLYER roller coaster - Holyoke, MA

[mayormiket]

Great place for outdoor concerts these days! Owner is now Eric Suher of Iron Horse and Calvin in Northampton. Check out information on Wikipedia!

[s235343]

I don't know what exactly killed Moutain Park. I know that I grew up in northeastern CT and I was the ONLY kid I ever knew who trekked up to Mountain Park. Everyone else went to Riverside (now Six Flags New England). I think MP's proximity to Riverside hurt it - MP was perfect for families, but I can see how it might have sucked if you were 16 or 17 and looking for girls/boys. 

[cospadrovic]

It has little to do with right vs. left; it has to do with people's forgetting about the fun in their back yard and going to Six Flags and Disney instead. Small parks like Mountain and Revere Beach and Whalom were popular and packed back before the Internet and massive theme parks. Times, sadly, change.

Very few people support their local places anymore - it's all corporate this and corporate that.

[bedlambikes]

There's one reason why Holyoke went to hell. Liberal politicians and their desire to make Massachusetts into a welfare state. They did a good job in their eyes and it wins them plenty of votes. Why are the 5 poorest economic states in the entire USA with the least amount of federal capital per resident are ALSO the 5 most democratically run? Vote out ALL democrats for ANY hope of returning the USA back to a land of freedom and residents with moral values..However, it may be too late.

[MrLambru1]

Yes those were the days--Had so much fun there---I even met "Killer Kowalski!"

[jesusisbetter]

Funny, this on-ride footage looks familiar, very familiar, in fact. Swampfoxer, may I ask where you got the on-ride footage from?

[monarkman1957]

A great city at one time, a real piece of Americana. Sadly, all the industry has left and the brilliant politicians came up with a great plan to fill all the multi family homes with lazy welfare recipients who do not want to work and have no concept of any moral foundation whatsoever. Very SAD indeed. Thanks for posting this great video.

[TallRobby]

this was at the CNE

[lhndez]

This was the best time of Holyoke, before we created demons in our streets to end up shooting each other today.

[BIGGREENLEAF1]

@lhndez I couldn't agree with you more..I moved to Minnesota back in 1990 and recently returned back to Massachusetts and not knowing any better I bought a home in Holyoke. What I found out is at least 3 times a week around 3am we are treated to the sounds of gunshots, at least I hope they are killing each other and if we would stop giving them welfare like its candy then maybe they will get the hell out!

[RetroGirl85]

@BIGGREENLEAF1 Oh yeah holyoke has gotten far worse over the years and now the nicer areas of springfield seem to be going downhill too because of all the riff raff that has moved in to the area.. very disapointing to see it happen.

[panterajoey]

im glad i moved out of Holyoke to florida where the gun laws are better and no gang member stands a chance.

I remember mountain park from when i was a kid and i remember going there latter on in life when it was just burnt ruins. creepy.

[panterajoey]

it was cool when i was a teenager because when we used to go up there when i was around 13 there was still a lot of structures still standing. this was like in 94-97ish. Me and my friend went there to one of the old game stands and we messed around with buttons and switches and shit and the lights turned on. we freaked out because we were smoking weed and it just made it that much scarier. The park had been closed for something like ten years all ready at that point.

[Moose9105]

Great footage. Wish I had gone in the early 80's when I had a chance....

[bumblebeemoi]

I grew up on Hampden St in Holyoke and spend so many days there from the late 50's through working there in the early 70's. Some of managed to get free all day passes from the First National Graocery store on Rt 5, Northampton Street (just 75 yards from my home). I appreciate that you can still ride the merry-go-round downtown.

[jiga20001]

Wow great video!

I spent most of my summers as a child there.

I couldnt tell you how many times I rode that coaster.

Thanks for posting:)

[puggymae00]

i remember..when i first came here to the U.S. from P.R...the 1st park my aunt took me was in here..back in the 80's...even thou..i went one time only unfortunally..i still remeber it as if were today..i had a blast..and i agree with MASTRLINK..tehy should re-build it again.....ironically..im leaving off RT 5..where MT TOM is..literally from the back of my house you see the main highway and the mountain..i can even walk from my house...thanks for the videos and the good memories...^_^

[mastrlink]

i saw the concert that was there last week

[pineapplecircus]

Awesome! Love the "virtual ride"

[iggysrusforceten]

how sad. I ave many great memories of going there as a child and into my early 20's. It had a lot nicer feel to i than Rierside/6 flags....

[vanchi233]

what memories! I went there when I was small.... they should have left it there rather than creating that mess.

[stashnyc]

Awesome video...My parents took me to Mt. Park frequently in the 70's and 80's

[viewstew]

Thanks for posting! I lived on Saybrook Circle in South Hadley in the early 1960's, and vividly remember sitting on the front step on a summer night and seeing the lights of the roller coaster over the top of the holyoke range...and if you were really quiet, you could hear the people screaming on their way down! Miss those days...anyone remember the Green Pine Ice Cream place?

[popilo34]

i live in holyoke and all my dad has to say about this place is that it was great.he use to work there when he was a teenager

[mastrlink]

we should start a petition to rebuild it

[Chaoko7]

wow this was in holyoke

[glori1994]

i wish it never closed or that atleast they would rebuild it cause well hate to admit it holyoke is getting more and more less great by the day .. and why is this .. because some people of holyoke dont know how to take care of such a place... i mean i love holyoke but at times it gets frustrating and boring because you look around and it looks like a dumpster...no fun things to do... like water parks .. uh no .. theaters.. uh no... etc if we could do something about it why dont we?

[WorldSceneEmoKids]

i mean there is stuff to do if your a teen like the mall, six flags, going to crochure field or friendlys cuz thats wat lots of ppl do

just dont go in the dingles thats where the pot heads are

[glori1994]

haha ur funny! yeah i guess your right..... oh and i never heard of crochure field.. what is that?

[monarkman1957]

@glori1994 Even if they were to be able to rebuild it, it would never be the same. The morals, values and world view of people have changed so much in the past 25+ years. We as a nation have turned our backs on the Bible and God's Word and the morals and values that Christianity taught, that is all gone now and it could never be the same, it would just be trouble and problems for those wanting to enjoy it.

[LuigiGodzillaGirl]

Why did this park close?

[abigllama]

Park closed because of competition from nearby Riverside, which is now Six Flags, and an unfortunate accident with the train that resulted in a death.

This place was great, you could start at Mt. Tom and get some Alpine Slide rides in, then head to Mountain Park for night rides on the Flyer. Shame they're all gone.

[thespotteddog]

I guess compared to today's brain-damaging thrill (???) rides, the MP coaster was about as exciting as eating toast, but boy was it fun when I was a kid. Anybody remember WHYN day? Every year the station rented the whole park for a day and everything was free.

[ghostinvestigater]

I had to drag my little cousin around there..but it was soooo fun! There is NO place like mountain Park.... Lv it

[motored911]

i remember going there numerous times during my youth. the skyride always cost extra!! what i would do to have this place to go to with my kids. also remember winning big on the GROCERY GAME on a summer camp field trip.!!!! thanks for the memories mountain park...

[CairnTerrier69]

I made took plenty of rides on the Flyer back in the 70's and 80's. Still my favorite coaster of all time. Steep drops that were more like nosedives, and rough and tumble bunny hills that kicked you in the pants!Would love to see someone build a blueprint copy..(hello Six Flags New England and Lake Compounce)

[mjm4222]

I give to have Mt Park back!!! I need to buy them Power Ball tickets!!!

[mjm4222]

MP was the best. I was there a lot as a kid and wish my kids could go there!! Thank you very much for this. I miss this place.

[1970ironmaidenfan]

I grew up in Pittsfield MA and went to Mountain Park often as a kid. This video brought back a lot of memories. Love the Pink Floyd music as well.

[woodencoasterfan]

reat video and nicely done. Were those NAD (National Amusement Device) trains? Also very sad to see what's happening to our cherished old local amusement parks. On Nov 17th, Cypress Gardens here in Winter Haven, FL announced it was getting rid of all the amusement rides including the Starliner, my favorite woodie at the park. I just hope someone saves it before it's too late as were loosing too many of our favorite old rides and amusement parks. What killed this one by the way?

[makeshiftperfection]

That coaster looked great! Very nice video, I was pretty touched when the view of the park today came on. Just sad. =/

[fncz]

WOW

Great to see that....brought back alot of memories! All those great little parks in New England! That was one fun coaster, reminicent of Conneaut's BLUE STREAK!

[J0HN91]

I miss America

[abigllama]

I was always kind of hoping you'd get the Mountain Flyer up! This was a great park with a solid coaster and a bunch of dark rides. Also in the 80s you could drive about a half mile past the park and take a ride on the Mt. Tom Alpine Slide after the park!

[PHAEDRIDER]

the bottom of that first hill must've been something! thanks for the ride!

[CairnTerrier69]

One of the best first drops ever thought up on a wooden coaster. It defined "Air Time"!