If you ever wonder what Coney Island could be like it were to prosper like we would want it to? If you love the old character and spirit of Coney Island you know that it's not thriving in its full potential. Could it ever? Well, there is a place like that. A place that we could look upon and hope Coney emulate. At least, for some - or many...we see it that way.The place is called Blackpool. It's in England. And supposedly a few Coney officials have visited it along with the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, in order to gather inspiration for home here in Coney Island. In fact they have a huge skating rink at the foot of a huge Ferris wheel which was probably the inspiration for the skating rink in the new plan from the city announced last week.
So, here is the first of a few images and videos that will be presented here in Kinetic Carnival to get to know this place a little if you don't already know about it.
Let's begin the trip. To Blackpool! May the Blackpool Dreaming commence....
Aerial shot of the size and vastness of Blackpool.
Image courtesy of silyld (Flickr.com)
Even today new roller coasters are being built in Blackpool.
Image courtesy of Zoetnet (Flickr.com)
Here is a video which takes you around and on a tram.
BLACKPOOL, A REAL FUN PLACE!
Description:
A quick visit to the land of the KISS ME QUICK HAT, candy floss & fun in the sun.
Posted by RailMon on YouTube.
8 comments:
Sorry to disappoint, but we don't have an ice rink at the foot of a ferris wheel (or 'big wheel', as we like to call it, although we do have a big wheel and an ice rink. Not quite as grand as you were hoping, though, I suspect).
Blackpool is having something of a crisis at the moment, actually, with woeful visitor numbers and a lack of quality amenities and attractions. So much so, that until recently, Blackpool was looking to pin its regeneration hopes on a 'super casino' being built, looking to Atlantic City for inspiration.
Perhaps you'd be better off looking to Atlantic City rather than Blackpool for some hope?
One thing I have always wondered, though, is why the two towns aren't twinned.
If you delive a little deeper in to the histories of both amusement parks in Coney Island and Blackpool (the Pleasure Beach), the rollercoaster heritage is very similar. Not to mention the shared history and similarities in characteristics. Instead, we are twinned with a German industrial town that nobody's ever heard of, called 'Bottrop'. 'Go figure', as you Americans might say...
not quite -- sorry to hear all that disappointing stuff about blackpool. too bad.
Also, just for the record americans don't use the phrase "go figure," only the ny jews do. it's not used elsewhere, unless in comedy one is imitating a new york city resident.
Please don't think of Blackpool as some quant English seaside village with a few roller-coasters and a tram. The place is absolutely appalling.
I live an hour away in Manchester and - I'm guessing here - Blackpool must have quite a few similarities to Coney Island; an historical holiday destination pretty close to a major city which takes all the investment and the jobs and whose population would rather go on holiday anywhere other than there.
Blackpool is now a place either full of pensioners or of stag/bachelor parties and hen-nights. It varies from being soul-lessly empty during the week to being full of drunken idiots on the weekend.
It's a great shame as the area has plenty of natural beauty, some amazing countryside just ten minutes out of town and some of the best links golf courses in England.
If you're looking for a regeneration model, then Blackpool's not the best place.
This is a fairly old blog post however I assume Coney island is still there. I know Blackpool is still here.
There is a lot of negative opinion surrounding Blackpool at the moment however it is still known as the UK's best holiday destination and the town has had a lot of major developments happening in and around the town over the last couple of years.
All in all the town is pretty much being rebuilt.
I feel the negative points of Blackpool can be cast aside as the last few years have definitely seeing a turn fro the town.
Blackpool suffered greatly when the boom of cheap holidays and flights abroad kicked in over a decade ago.
The town suddenly seemed to die and was cast into the holiday-pastime-archives along with Pontins and Haven.
Not any more.
The town is in the middle of a 9 million sea front overhaul and there is estimated to be upto 100 million being splashed around the rest of the town.
Just browse around the web - look at reblackpool.com
The negativity surrounding Blackpool has been truly Justified but once the new Blackpool has been fully built (its already halfway there) it will be as modern as any town while STILL being completely dedicated to entertainment for all in the UK.
Don't write it off just yet.
Yeah this is my dream very nice and amazing.
Please don't think of Blackpool as some quant English seaside village with a few roller-coasters and a tram. The place is absolutely appalling.
I live an hour away in Manchester and - I'm guessing here - Blackpool must have quite a few similarities to Coney Island; an historical holiday destination pretty close to a major city which takes all the investment and the jobs and whose population would rather go on holiday anywhere other than there.
I live and work in blackpool on central pier and can confirm for you that there definatly is no ice scating rink at the base of it. there is however, the big wheel cafe :)
the ice scating is in the pleasere beack.
nicve revue. beauty is in teh eye of the beholder and all that.
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