It’s not often I post anything of a personal nature on here.  However, an event that happened over this past weekend really hit me with a sense of nostalgia, but also bittersweet.

When I was growing up, my aunts would always gather up myself, my younger brother, and my cousins to spend a week down in Ocean City, NJ during the summer.  It was always one of the most fun times of the year.  Sure, it was always hit the beach just after lunch, or maybe taking the bikes onto the boards in the morning, but it was always after dinner that was the most fun, and that was walking the boards doing various activities.

Every time we would hit the main section of the boardwalk, the first thing we would see is Gillian’s Wonderland Pier.  One could see the rides from about 3 blocks away, be it the old City Jet coaster, the now iconic ferris wheel, the skydiver, ride, or the mural on the northern wall facing the 6th street ramps.  It was always a sight to see, even from the perspective of a then 8 or 9 year old, and even into my teen years to a lesser extent.  I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been on that historic carousel, the skooters bumper cars, the skydiver, and so on.

There were so many different things to do.  Arcades, mini golf, shops, the music pier, the food, even just sitting on a bench facing the ocean and just listening.  Yet, as things changed on the boards, shops and arcades opening & closing, mini golf coursed changing, there were always 2 constants, Shrivers at 9th street, and Wonderland Pier.

Unfortunately, that has now changed.  The current mayor of the town, and a member of the Gillian family, announced that the pier would be closing at the end of this season, with the final curtain coming down yesterday at 6 PM.  My daughters have only ever been down to Ocean City a few times, and now I wish we had gone much more often.  Somewhere, I still have the pictures of Joanne on a few of the rides and on the carousel as well.   After nearly a century, the small amusement park that has been part of my family for nearly 4 generations is dark and silent.

I understand the decision to close.  Even going into 2020, I’m pretty certain the park was struggling financially.  Then the plan-demic hit, causing severe economic damage, and basically costing the pier a full season and then some.  Even after everything started opening back up, it just wasn’t the same.  Now that costs have skyrocketed, I’m sure the decision to close was not taken lightly.

What does the future hold?  We may not know that answer for 6 months, but I pray the the company that owns the land will find a way to reopen the park, and perhaps with a new and improved purpose.  Many of the residents want to see that, and perhaps their voices will be heard, since I also understand there are a few members of the city council who also wish this to be the case.

Thank you for all the memories, and I pray that this isn’t goodbye.  Perhaps, it’s “until we meet again”.