Kennywood Announces It's Retiring 4 Rides
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) - Four Kennywood rides are being retired.
The park announced on Facebook Tuesday that it's retiring the Kangaroo, Paratrooper, Bayern Kurve and Volcano.
"While these attractions have created countless special memories for our Guests and Team Members over the years, we have determined the best path forward at this time is to say goodbye," the post reads.
The park, designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1987, says that part of its evolution involves examining the sustainability, capacity and popularity of its attraction lineup.
"While 2020 was a challenging season for Steelers Country, 2019's Best New Roller Coaster and the unprecedented partnership between team and park hold great potential for the future," the post reads in part.
"We hope you will join us in cherishing the memories with these rides, and we look forward to adding new attractions that create new moments to treasure in future seasons."
Two days ago, a Pittsburgher created a petition to save the rides after being upset about their removal. Now, close to 7,000 people have signed the petition.
Kennywood released a statement, saying:
We understand people's disappointment and regret we had to make this announcement. It was not easy by any means, as we know what these attractions mean to the park and our fans. There are a variety of factors that played into these decisions, from the ever-growing challenge of maintaining older rides to the major difficulties created by the pandemic. We have to balance history and tradition with economic realities, and the reality is the park has to make some hard decisions right now, like so many other businesses and families. We remain committed to providing fun experiences for all members of the family, regardless of thrill-seeking level, and will look to add rides that have a broad appeal and fit within Kennywood's established character as conditions improve.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Kennywood pushed back its opening multiple times and eventually decided to close for the 2020 season after Labor Day.
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