STATE OF PLAYLAND — 5 WEEKS BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY- 9 WEEKS BEFORE JULY 4TH WEEKEND.

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WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. PHOTO TOUR OF PLAYLAND CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS by John F. Bailey April 20, 2022:

The story so far: Construction on rehabilitating Playland by a county-selected contractor began in September shortly after Playland closed for the season, after the county had settled with Standard Amusements over the county contention that Standard had not fulfilled their contract.

The Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain had ruled in spring of 2021 the county and Standard Amusements had to negotiate an arrangement. The two parties settled their dispute with the county agreeing to pay $125 Million in Playland infrastructure improvements, and Standard Amusements taking over management of the park in January of this year.

The $125 Million the county is paying includes $40 million for a new family pool still under construction. Construction was begun in September on the infrastructure improvements . The county changed contractors in December because they deemed the work was progressing too slowly. Work has been progressing at a brisk pace through very tough cold and weather conditions.

How it looks this week:

WPCNR walked around the park last week and this is what WPCNR saw:

The Entrance: Interiors of the two entrance/admission structure on left, and the County Police/Administration building, featuring a new copper dome are barebones on the interior from what this reporter could observe.
The Fountain Plaza: Paving needs to be completed, and the Admissions building to the left is in first stages from what WPCNR observed of constructing the new interior.
The Family Pool: Side steps to left and interior construction of the bathhouses still ongoing.
Reverse angle from the Playland Pier showing current state of Bathhouse renovations.
Reverse angle of Administration Structure on left and Admissions Structure on right seen from The Ice Casino, which is in operation and no construction is planned for the Ice Casino at this time.
The Zombie Castle, the Dragon Coaster seen from the Boardwalk half way around the park from the Boardwalk. There has not been a walkthrough or detailed briefing of what is being done while construction is in progress, either by Westchester County Recreation & Parks, the County Communications Office or Standard Amusements or perhaps a combination of the three to describe the plans as to which of the old structures will go and what will stay and what is being done to the infrastructure and how it is either on schedule or how behind it is, and what new rides are coming in. Just a suggestion.
The Lake Pavilion: No construction seems in progress yet, but more to the point will the Lake Boat rides be resumed? Or a new “boat ride” be available to take patrons on a cruise around the islands. The former Steamboat is gone from the premises (perhaps it is just being restored).
The East End Collonades are in process of being restored from scratch. previous wood structure collonades were removed.
North to South Cross-Park Midway: It is under major renovation, formerly a midway devoted to games and the Old Mill Inn ride–what is being constructed there is unclear.
The Dragon Coaster: Wood is being replaced and restored. At this date it looks like painting as well as more replacement of support and horizontal wood timbers is to come. But we really do not know.
Back at the original entrance and Kiddyland: needs extensive retracking of the Playland Express below:

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