Classic Cleveland Summer: Memphis Kiddie Park celebrates 70 years of fun

CLEVELAND — When Russell Wintner walks round Memphis Kiddie Park, he takes a stroll down reminiscence lane.

“It is distinctive. You do not discover this actually wherever. I imply, we’re considered one of 5 [kiddie parks] left within the nation,” he mentioned of his longtime household enterprise. “It is one of many few locations you’ll be able to come and make the identical reminiscences along with your offspring that you just had your self. And that appears to be actually essential to folks.”

Russ says, the park has been like a sibling his total life. Began by his mother and father Stuart and Lanny seventy years in the past final month, he was fairly actually born into the household enterprise.

“My dad completed the merry-go-round… after which went to the hospital till I used to be born at roughly 3 o’clock within the morning and my father bought his first ticket that afternoon.”

And whereas Russ, and his personal sons grew up with the park, the expertise you get throughout these 5.5 acres on Memphis Avenue in Brooklyn, has touched numerous Northeast Ohio households.

“We have stored all the things trying the identical. You stroll in right here, it is like strolling into 1952,” Russ mentioned. “When folks come, you recognize, they got here as youngsters, then they introduced their kids, now they’re bringing the grandchildren, they’re all sharing the very same expertise.”

As Russ tells it, kiddie parks have been as soon as a highly regarded pastime of mid-century America, with the Cleveland space alone residence to 5 completely different venues. At the moment, Memphis Kiddie Park is the one one nonetheless standing in Northeast Ohio – and thru the years, it has remained true to its roots.

“They’re all classics,” he says of the park’s widespread rides. “We stored the entire rides of the Nineteen Fifties and we have, you recognize, made some security enhancements through the years, however they’re mainly the identical experience….We have a merry-go-round with 36 horses….our prepare experience may be very widespread and we’ve got a locomotive with two passenger vehicles and it goes spherical your complete park. The Ferris wheel is from an organization that hasn’t existed for a really very long time.”

Memphis Kiddie Park’s most well-known experience, The Little Dipper, has turn into an area icon, and holds a really particular distinction.

“We’re very pleased with this curler coaster as a result of it has been designated the oldest metal coaster repeatedly working in North America,” Russ mentioned. “We have now a plaque over there from the American Coaster Fans Group and it is our hottest experience.”

Russ says households are sometimes desperate to share their reminiscences with him when visiting the park – he was even gifted a collage displaying pictures of three generations from the identical household all on the identical experience. 

“Folks come as much as me…and so they say thanks. I say thanks for what? I ought to be thanking you for coming,” he mentioned. “And so they [say], No, you do not perceive. You are making potential these unbelievable reminiscences. Thanks a lot.”

Russ, who spent most of his profession touring between Cleveland and California for the movie trade, says he is now completely satisfied to spend his retirement in a extra hands-on function on the park. And the subsequent era of the Wintner household is maintaining the custom alive – considered one of Russ’ two sons, Scott, manages their advertising and spends a number of weeks every summer time serving to out.

“Once I’m right here, I really feel very a lot connected to my dad, [which is], for me, a very good feeling,” Russ mentioned.  “And hopefully my son Scott will really feel the identical means and wish to maintain it working. I do not know if it’s going to go one other seventy years, however it might be good.”

Memphis Kiddie Park is situated at: 10340 Memphis Ave, Cleveland, OH 44144 – you will discover extra details about visiting right here.