LaRonde

I was at LaRonde last weekend, and got to thinking about all the rides that were there before. I figure if I am thinking about this, others must be as well, so here we go.


I know, I know, Laronde is still around, but many of the rides and attractions that were cool way back when, were probably deemed to unsafe by todays standards, and thus closed. These are what I will be focusing on for this blog.

First off, let's remember the non-rides. Waaayy back when, there was an Aquarium and a Dolphin Show at Laronde. Don't remember that, do you... When you walked in, the penguins were waiting to greet you, and when you left the aquarium, there was an electric eel that you could press a button and see how much electricity he was giving off. Then you made your way to the dolphin tank, where you were able to see a dolphin show in which acrobatic dolphins jumped, flipped and ate food out of the trainers hands.


Then they put in a WaterPark in the 1980s. I never went to it, so I can't comment too much on it, but I guess it wasn't such a big deal as it is now closed.

Here are some of the old rides that have closed down.

OVNI = Big Spaceship that locked you into a seat that went around the perimeter inside of the ride in a circle and each seat went up and down one after another.

The Rotor - a large tube, that you stood against the wall, and the whole inside of the tube started spinning, and you stuck to the wall (like a giant salad spinner). The floor then dropped from under you. People were always turning upside down on the walls, and I am sure that there was a few sick people on this ride.

The Enterprise - Like a sideways ferris wheel, that locked people into little cages, then started spinning really fast. Then the wheel started lifting, so that it was going closer to up and down than flat out spinning.

The Funicular (telerifique) - A ride that started at one end of LaRonde, and in a cable car, brought you over LaRonde, over the lake, and to the other side where it left you off. This was a great place to get a little privacy when on a date... Boomchickawowow.

There was a house of Glass aka (la Palais des Glaces) that was unbearably hot on a typical Montreal summer day.

There was a Haunted House ride, that was mediocore at best when it came to scaring people, but another great place for privacy...

There was the Maelstrom, a ride that put you in a car, and went around and around while going up and down















The Diablo - 3 arms with a wheel on the end of each of them, and cars attached to the wheel. The arms spun around, then the wheels started spinning.

The Astronef - a cage that hung down from a long arm. When you got in the cage and strapped in, the arm started rotating and stopped for a while at the top (you are upside down and losing all your change at this point).















There was a ride that was similiar to the Enterprise, except for being locked in a cage, you stood against the wall while the wheel started spinning, then the wheel rose. I can't remember the name.

There were Teacups, which you sat in and they started rotating while the platform you were in were spinning.

There were others, but i can't remember them all.

The ones that have been there from the beginning and are still there are...

The Pitoune (water ride)
The Merry Go Round
The Kiddy Train
The MiniRail
The Spirale
The Ferris Wheel (La Grande Roue)

If you remember any others, or want to comment, feel free. As always, click on the ads please.