Could this be the last summer to take the kids to Hoffman's Playland? The capital region staple located on Route 9 in Latham announces its final summer days.

 

There's been a lot of development in the capital region growing & expanding to keep up with technology & community demands.  Route 9 in Latham is witness to this as the old Latham Circle Mall is currently being torn down to bring The Shops of Latham Village & many other developments along Route 9.

It appears The Hoffman family has already put The Playland on the market for sale. The Dairy Freeze ice cream stand, driving range & minitiare golf course have already been torn down.  I learned this when I had a craving for a soft serve & the ice cream stand was already gone! It appears construction is under way for the $60 million dollar Village at New Loudon, a new housing and retail lot.

The park has been delighting 6 decades of capital region kids with rides such as the kiddy train that went around the park, the classic Ferris Wheel, the Tilt-a-Whirl, The Carousel & the Scrambler.

It'll be a sad day when Hoffman's Playland closes, although David & Ruth Hoffman have yet to announce a final date for the park.  I can remember moving to the capital region as a college student at Siena College ions ago & this was one of the first places my new friends of the cap region took me to.

Let's face it, as the competition is growing, with Six Flags taking over The Great Escape ( the old Story Town), perhaps the economy isn't supporting a kids amusement park. The land there is worth a ton more than the $1.25 per ticket for 6 ticket rides. The land where the playland sits is worth about a million dollars according to the Town of Colonie & the adjacent lot where the ice cream stand & golf course sat on 37 acres sold for $5 million. Also, The Hoffman's are nearing retirement age.

The park is said to be open through Labor Day. Whatever The Hoffman's plan to do, it will be a sad day & a walk down memory lane for many of the community's residents. Maybe I should take one last ride on that Tilt-a-Whirl! always liked that one.

Farewell to Hoffman's Playland 1952-2013

Credit:Times Union & Hoffmans Playland

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