Plans were unveiled Tuesday for the reopening of an historic local park.
The re-invented Lakemont Park is now slated to open to the public on Memorial Day Weekend 2019.
“We feel we’re going back to the roots of what Lakemont Park used to be when it was established almost 125 years ago,” said Andrea Cohen. “We’re going to be making it a place where the community will want to be.
Andrea Cohen, representing the Devorris family, co-owners of the park, said the new Lakemont Park will step away from theme park entertainment and instead will focus on outdoor recreation and special events.
The new design will offer two miniature golf courses, four new basketball courts, two sand volleyball courts, and state of the art go-carts.
“We have a lot of green space, we’ll have a lot of activities for families where they can pick what activities they want to do with their families. For example, we’ll have three open gates,” said Cohen.
It’ll be free to get into the park, but there will be a charge for golfing and to ride some of the old favorites.
“We’ll have roller coasters, we’ll have the Skyliner and the world’s oldest roller coaster, the Lead the Dips will still be there, we’ll have the Tin Lizzy’s,” said Cohen.
The water play area will also remain. Plans for the re-invented park, which by law, must remain a park for the community, gets the full endorsement of the Blair County Commissioners.
“I think they’ve taken a very innovative approach in the fact that they’re no longer going to be a competing amusement park. They’re going to look at different ways to make it a public park, a people-friendly park,” said Ted Beam, Blair County Commissioner.
The owners promise, when the new Lakemont Park opens, entry will be free and there will be something for everyone to enjoy.