Comments on critically cocksure: holiday sands was like the amsterdam of summer wat...

Ah, I guess it's "River Lake 11" on Google Maps: h...

2009-08-24T08:54:32.104-04:00

Ah, I guess it's "River Lake 11" on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=5659+State+Route+14,+ravenna,+oh&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=61.669968,135.263672&ie=UTF8&ll=41.144725,-81.208148&spn=0.003644,0.008256&t=h&z=18

Wow, I only went there a few times but I still rem...

2009-08-24T08:50:43.737-04:00

Wow, I only went there a few times but I still remember it, especially the "may pole" swing with the chains. I really want one of those for my back yard (and I'm in my 30s), it was that much fun. We'd go there from our day camp (Story Book Day Camp in Kent) and get the camp counselors to push it as high as they could (much higher than any kids could), and yes, I remember digging sand out of blisters in my palms after a few times spinning at high speed (body horizontal, holding on as long as I could) after riding that thing. It was the best playground equipment ever, though I'm sure it would hardly qualify as "safe" by anyone's standards.
Anyone have any pictures, or even know the address of the place so I can check it out on Google Earth?

I loved holiday sands. we would get season passes...

2009-08-06T00:16:02.923-04:00

I loved holiday sands. we would get season passes every year. sometimes I would ride my bike with my friend on the handlebars five or six miles to the park. I learned how to swim thier, it was cold. I was great on the tops I would just sit at the top when people came and tipped it. the barrels were great id run everyone off then get four more. the swing out were you get the ring and swing was great id get the single ring start at the top and run as fast as i could. when i was all the way up in the air i would pull my self higher in the air and come crashing down. Crossing the rings was fun but it took alot out of me. when the break came it was off to the green machine. i liked to help wind it up as far as we could then in stead of just letting it go i would run with it it the other direction making it really scream. the people would be flying left and right lol good times. the slide was great at the top youd look out then going head first id throw my self out as far as i could pretty much just jump then come screamin down after the jarring thump then at the very bottom of the slide id do a front flip and crash into the water, one thing i learned the hard way was dont flip to soon youll hit your head. they had to close because some teenager was drunk swimming there and he drow. i remeber the day hell i swam over him at least twenty times they found him between the slide and the tops. well wish i could do it all over again good times.

Aw those were the days gone by with the great memo...

2009-05-11T16:51:00.000-04:00

Aw those were the days gone by with the great memories of Holiday Sands, remembering....

...The mushrooms -one of my favorites! I remember one time sliiiiding' across the mushroom - after finding out that my mom had baby oil on...NO WONDER no one could stay on!
...I'd feel SO nervous climbing step by step up THE slide, feeling it swaying in the wind at the very top. I'd sit down and nervously contemplate how I can get from point A to point B in a slower manner, trying to tightly hold onto the rusty slides thinking that maybe I could slow myself down just enough to take the edge of the speed! After my bravery down the what seemed like mile long slide, going 90 mph, you plunge into the water hoping no one would happen to venture in your way. I did notice some scratch marks on the sides of my legs from the rusty insides of the slides. Usually just one ride down the slide was my limit, per season.
...Then I'd venture over to the barrels. I hesitantly would step over to the end of the barrel, taking only 3 or 4 steps with the 'pros' (my sis), only to anxiously jump off before they'd easily kick my butt!

..."WATER SAFETY CHECK"

(after 15 min.) "GUARDS"

...The big rings...the only thing I really mastered! I waited every year for 'the challenge'! I'd wait until the end of the day (usually after dinner) until I'd get the courage up to try 'em - just leaning over to grab the first ring was enough to give you the jitters (why did they put that first one so far away from the ramp anyway?!) As long as your got momentum and a good grip, that's all it takes.
...The other side of the lake I would visit...to the 'big ramp. No big deal on the ground but once you climb up to the ramp, it is very intimidating. But loved it. As mentioned by someone else on this site, you did have to go down and fetch the ring at the bottom of the ramp and bring it up yourself, and make sure you're not goin to plop when you drop!

My family had been going to Holiday Sands since I was in elementary school, with my brother's basement league, up until 2000 I believe.

I see on the internet that there's another similar kind of waterpark with what looks like they have almost the same exact rings. They have barrelts, but are smaller and much less intimidating (now I can do those!!). You can probably stand in the water. It's at Clay's Park Resort in North Lawrence, Ohio.

It might come close (maybe) BUT nothing will ever compare to the great ol Holiday Sands!

WE MISS YOU!!

I don't remember the sign that read "No cameras".....

2009-05-11T12:44:00.000-04:00

I don't remember the sign that read "No cameras"... - probably too young to care. I'll be proud to say that after years of practicing on the 'baby' rings, I was able to manage to the 'big' rings! For some reason I'd wait until later in the day (usually after day) to work up the courage to do the rings - all 13 (?) of them! The barrels - I was a coward. Three or four steps - I'd jump off. (my sis was great on them). I did like the slide a lot - I was SO scared each time I'd go down that I would 'shimmy' down the first yard or two with my hands holding tight on the sides. But the last few years before it closed, I noticed little cuts on the outside of my thighs from the rust on the inside of the sides - NICE! The mushrooms were my FAVORITE - one year we wondered why is was SO slippy pgh. term)that you could hardly stay on - here my mom had oil on! It was great with 2 or 3 people until others would come and tilt ya - you either held on with it or slid right off. Wore you out fast! That 'contraption' in the playground was the greatest - I do remember many 'fly-off's.

Check out "Clay's Park Resort in North Lawrence, Ohio. It looks like they have the same kind of rings and they also have barrels, but aren't as large. An alternative to Holiday Sands!

It was a great place!

I was just telling my husband about Holiday Sands ...

2009-02-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

I was just telling my husband about Holiday Sands and he commented that I sound like I just went there yesterday. It's probably been 30 years since I've been there and I was too young to realize how dangerous it was. The memory came when my son was playing the song "Band on the Run" by Wings 1973 on Guitar Hero. Remember that song being played there? Our family went to Holiday Sands so many times and had a blast. I was saying that I can't believe my sister and I were allowed to run around together without our parents hovering over us. Our parents were there and we did spend time with them but I remember we were off on our own a lot. My kids will not have that privelege in today's world. I loved both the swings - the dragon (was that what it was) and the circular one you described here. But I don't remember people falling off much or getting hurt on either swing. But we were young. I just remember laughing and having so much fun everytime we went there. But I do remember a couple different times when the activities in the lake would stop and many many people would circle the lake and comb it looking for someone. That was eerie. I don't remember the outcome though. I just remember feeling scared and sad during that time. In hind sight, it's truly amazing that the place stayed in business all those years. I never knew anyone died there - if I did I'm sure I would have been much more cautious and fearful. I sure would love to see pictures to validate what my memory tells me. I never saw the signs that said "no cameras". Maybe that's why I don't remember seeing pictures of it in my mom's boxes of pictures. I'll have to ask her about it. She's the type of person that always had her camera. hmmm. I remember that really tall slide but not in great detail. Didn't it only have like 5" sides? Seems like it was a very tall version of a slide you'd see in the park in the 70s. Gosh it would be nice if someone had pictures!! Great memories.... Valerie

Holiday Sands is in my parents' backyard and every...

2008-12-13T23:31:00.000-05:00

Holiday Sands is in my parents' backyard and every time I go home to visit, I stare out the window at what it has become and I sigh. The barrels, the slide, the Green Machine, the Dragon, the Rocket, the mushrooms, the rings, the swings... I loved all of it. I loved "Boss" who owned the place, paid us less than minumum wage, and had us paint everything that horrible green color every summer before opening. I loved the soda machine that only dispensed Welch's grape soda. I loved the juke box that only played 5 or 6 songs, all of which sucked.
I miss that place more than I ever thought I would and I wish so much I could recapture whatever it was that made the summers of 1987-1993 so amazing and magical.

Awesome read. Remember the 2 giant barrels made o...

2008-11-22T11:52:00.000-05:00

Awesome read. Remember the 2 giant barrels made of concrete (I think) used for log-roll contests? I remember one particular Holiday Sands near-death experience when I dove head first off a swim platform into what turned out to be about 2 1/2 feet of water.

Looks like I'm a little late in replying, but your...

2008-11-19T14:18:00.000-05:00

Looks like I'm a little late in replying, but your piece on Holiday Sands had me in tears laughing. My family and I used to go there back in the 70's and it was exactly as you described it! My sisters and I would joke that the only reason our parents took us there is because they were tired of us and wanted us dead!!

I went to Holiday Sands in 1986 and you refreshed ...

2008-10-10T20:14:00.000-04:00

I went to Holiday Sands in 1986 and you refreshed my memory on how dangerous, but fun times were held there. I can't believe it stayed open as long as it did. I was unaware of any fatalities there, but I could understand fully. There were alot of safety issues that were overlooked. I still had a great time and I was disappointed that it was closed. Thanks for the summer memories. You included everything there!!

I went to Holiday Sands in 1986 and you summarized...

2008-10-10T20:08:00.000-04:00

I went to Holiday Sands in 1986 and you summarized everything I went through there very well. It scared the shit out of me and I couldn't believe it stayed open as long as it did. I couldn't remember everything there until I read your story. I did have a great time and I'm alive to tell so.

Awesome. I MISS this place!

2008-09-29T15:10:00.000-04:00

Awesome. I MISS this place!

Awesome commentary on that place. I have too many ...

2008-08-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

Awesome commentary on that place. I have too many fond memories to retell. I will say that a guy did die one day when I was there, so the rumors were true. That being true, I'd still give my right arm to have it back.

Left Ohio 22 years ago, but still think about Holi...

2008-07-06T23:31:00.000-04:00

Left Ohio 22 years ago, but still think about Holiday Sands and hot summer days.

My brother, two sisters and I life guarded at Holiday Sands from 1972 to 1984.

I loved the place, the water, the toys and the slide. After busy weekends, we would snorkle under the diving boards, the tops and the slide for coins and other flotsam.

I was a great place to learn how to work and how to treat people.

You should know that we had walkie talkies that would allow us to note where people were when they got kicked out.

Dave

I can't believe I survived probably 15 summers of ...

2008-06-19T21:58:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I survived probably 15 summers of Holiday Sands without any serious injury. I also can't believe how awesome that place was. Long live the Green Machine!