Montreal is an unusual city in the sense that it features a series of man-made islands in the channel of water that surrounds it. These islands were constructed using the materials that were excavated from underneath the city while building the metro system. Since Montreal is also an island, land is at a premium, and Ile-St-Helene and Ile Notre-Dame were a good way for the town council to create public space upon which to build several projects which could not have found a place in the city itself. The La Ronde amusement park was one of these projects.
A long history of entertainment
La Ronde was originally a part of Expo 67, which was one of the World’s Fairs that used to travel around the globe. Held in 1967, which also happened to be Canada’s centennial, both the national and local government went all out to make sure the event would be memorable.
The park has long boasted the world’s tallest double-tracked roller coaster. Called ‘The Monster’, this behemoth is made entirely out of wood, and the rickety feel that results while climbing up to the very top of this high-speed thrill ride is half the scare. There are 9 roller coasters in total at La Ronde, and over 30 other rides ranging from amusement park standards like the swinging ship and spinning UFO to other more child-friendly rides that let parents either ride along with the kids or watch from a safe distance. There is also an observation tower and a gondola ride which offer stunning views of Old Montreal and the harbor located just across the water from the park.
The park offers a water show and it also hosts the international fireworks competition that occurs every summer. Twice a week for about two months, countries compete against each other by launching fireworks from the water just in front of La Ronde. It is possible to watch the festivities from either inside the park, or from Old Montreal or the Jacques-Cartier bridge, which is closed to traffic during the competition.
The park also hosts several ‘Nuit Blanche’ events, in which it stays open all night. These usually are scheduled to coincide with Hallowe’en, and it gets a bit chilly out on the island late at night.
Financial troubles
The city had long had difficulty turning a profit while running La Ronde, and there were many cutbacks made to both the rides being offered and the hours of operation over the years. Sometimes, it was uncertain if the park would be able to actually open for the season. The city decided to sell the park and in 2001 it was purchased by Six Flags, a major American park operator.
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