Footrot Flats Fun Park
{{Short description|Amusement park in Auckland, New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox amusement park
| name = Footrot Flats Fun Park
| image = Footrot_Flats_Fun_Park.jpg
| caption = Footrot Flats Fun Park depictred in a television advertisement in the mid-to-late 1980s
| location = Te Atatū Peninsula, West Auckland, New Zealand
| season =
| opening_date = 1982
| closing_date = 1989
| area_ha = 15.5
| rides=
| water_rides =
| owner = John St Clair Brown
| slogan =
| homepage =
| coordinates={{Coord|-36.845|174.654|type:landmark_region:NZ|display=it}}
}}
Footrot Flats Fun Park was a theme park on Te Atatū Peninsula, West Auckland, New Zealand. Opening in 1982 as Leisureland, the park rebranded to be themed around the Murray Ball cartoon Footrot Flats in 1984. During the 1980s, it was the largest theme park in New Zealand. In its final year of operation, the park rebranded as Something Different Fun Park, before closing in 1989.
History
The land where the park was opened was originally purchased by the Auckland Harbour Board in the 1950s, who intended to construct a new Auckland port at the location.{{cite report|url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/how-auckland-council-works/local-boards/all-local-boards/henderson-massey-local-board/Documents/harbourview-orangihina-community-restoration-plan.pdf |title=Harbourview-Orangihina Park Community Restoration Plan |author=Thomas Consultants |publisher=Auckland Council |date=31 May 2021 |access-date=13 January 2023}}
The park opened as Leisureland in 1982. After the popularity of the animated film Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale (1986), the park's management secured a licensing deal with cartoonist Murray Ball, and rebranded as a Footrot Flats-themed location, where actors would walk around the park dressed as the characters from the cartoon.{{cite web|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/28-05-2022/disneyland-of-the-pacific-the-rise-and-fall-of-west-aucklands-footrot-flats-fun-park |title='Disneyland of the Pacific': The rise and fall of West Auckland's Footrot Flats Fun Park |date=28 May 2022 |first=Chris |last=Schulz |website=The Spinoff |access-date=12 January 2023}} During the park's heyday, the Footrot Flats Fun Park competed with Rainbow's End, a theme park which still exists in Manukau, South Auckland.
In the late 1980s, the theme park came across financial difficulties, especially after the 1987 stock market crash. Diminishing returns, increasing cost of rent from the council, and a lack of public transport access to the park were all factors which led to the park's demise. In 1988, Safari Land, a theme park and zoo in Massey, closed and merged with the Footrot Flats Fun Park.{{cite web|url=https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/indexcards/id/138176/rec/2 |title=Footrot Flats Fun Park |publisher=Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections |access-date=13 January 2023}} This led Safari Land's animals, including lions, tigers and monkeys, to be rehoused at the site.{{cite book |year=2015 |title=Te Atatu Me: Photographs of an Urban New Zealand Village |first=Grant |last=Cole |chapter=Peninsular Dreams |publisher=Turner PhotoBooks and PhotoForum Inc |location=Auckland, New Zealand |isbn=978-0-9597818-7-8 |page=156-157}} In the same year, the park rebranded as the Something Different Fun Park, and stopped operating in early 1989. The park was formally closed by the Waitakere City Council in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.localhistoryonline.org.nz/cgi-bin/PUI?e=-----------1-0-0&a=d&c=supercol&cl=CL2.L.Leisureland%20Theme%20Park&d=wanw-WNI-AAA-4965 |title=Western Leader 1991 |work=Local Online History |publisher=Auckland Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213144420/https://www.localhistoryonline.org.nz/cgi-bin/PUI?e=-----------1-0-0&a=d&c=supercol&cl=CL2.L.Leisureland%20Theme%20Park&d=wanw-WNI-AAA-4965 |archive-date=13 February 2012 |access-date=13 January 2023}}
In May 1992, the council relaunched the venture as Adventure Park West, featuring a wider range of attractions, such as a farm park, circus, botanical garden and children's zoo.
Rides and attractions
A range of rides and attractions were a part of the fun park, including:
- BMX tracks
- Bumper boats
- Bungee jump tower, a short-lived attraction
- Cannonball Run, a major rollercoaster at the park which opened on Christmas Day 1985{{cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/12570.htm |title=Footrot Flats Leisure Park |website=RCDB|access-date=13 January 2023}}
- Driver’s Town, often the main attraction to the park. Riders would sit written and verbal driver's tests to earn a park driver's license, which allowed them to drive on the attraction.
- Go-karts
- Gondola
- Helicopter trips
- Kayak rides
- Laser tag
- Mini-golf
- Paintball challenge
- Slide
- Train ride
- Video game arcade
- Zoo exhibits
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Henderson-Massey Local Board Area}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Footrot Flats Fun Park}}
Category:Amusement parks in New Zealand
Category:Defunct amusement parks
Category:Tourist attractions in Auckland
Category:Buildings and structures in Auckland
Category:1982 establishments in New Zealand
Category:1989 disestablishments in New Zealand