Thursday, January 28, 2010

Which Park Had This Aluminum Slide?

OCThen reader "Billy" writes about a long aluminum slide he remembers as a kid, but can't remember where the park was. He wants to take his kids there...

Hello, Steve
Stumbled across your site. Wow! I was born in Garden Grove and lived in Buena Park and Fullerton till '77. I always returned and visited often for I had the best memories living here. My late great mother use to take us to all sorts of parks, beaches, shows and events all the time. Loved being out and about!!

Recently I moved back and I remembered a special park my mother use to take us to. It was in the hills somewhere with a very long aluminum slide (at least it was long when I was 3 or 4 years old) and it was embedded into the ground. The slide started on top of a grassy area. As you slid down, you could not see the area you started from and eventually ended up in a sandy playground with a 15ft long (I think) horizontal ending. I remember it being a long ride. Still to this day I remember it fondly. I remember riding with my mother, brother and sister. My dad does not remember this park for he worked long hours. I have been driving all over OC and can not find this place. I have children of my own and would LOVE to have them relive the memories I once did and ride the slide again for my mom....

Cool Web Site!
Billy

16 comments:

  1. I'm not completely sure but I think there was a slide as you described at Hillcrest Park in Fullerton. Look back at the history of that park and you may find your answer.

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  2. Could it have been Atlantis Park?

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  3. I think it was Hillcrest, too. I grew up in Anaheim and my neighbor's dad took us there once and it was like magic. I still remember the slide!

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  4. It was definately Hillcrest Park, I remember it well, and many other wonderful things there, there was something for everyone....We loved to go and feed the ducks at the pond in the daytime and then slip off and park with our boyfriends in the evenings.....Haven't been back there for over 25 years so don't know if the slide is still there but it was certainly and adventure at the time

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  5. That sounds just like Atlantis Park, used to go there every Sunday. Loved, Loved, Loved that park!!!

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  6. Sounds like Atlantis Park, next to Bolsa Grande High School in GG.

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  7. I agree that it's Atlantis Park in Garden Grove. It was actually designed like a long dragon's tail. Outside the park (in the "big kid's park" there was a tall rocket ship made out of bars that you could climb. As little kids, we thought it was coolest slide ever!! ~GLR

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  8. This hasn't been mentioned but there is also the possibility that Billy is referring to a little-known park in Santa Ana off of Memory Lane (if you Google 1989 E. Memory Lane, Santa Ana, CA you'll see the area right near the entrance). It's an odd little park with not much but those slides (one sounds EXACTLY like what you describe) and an archery range. If you don't see what you remember at Atlantis, as previously mentioned by others, it is probably this park. Not a real safe park nowadays, tho, to be quite frank...but the slides are cool.

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    1. Yes I agree, I believe you are talking about the slides off of Memory Lane in Santiago Park in Santa Ana. There are two long slides...one is 50ft and the other is 30ft.

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  9. I'm thinking that is the park,its off of Parker st,near santa ana orange border.the railroad tracks run right thru the middle,and if you walk past the tracks(actually under) you end up in hart park on glassel.Seem to be a hangout now for men looking for men,used to take my kids there in the 90's

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  10. I have been looking all over oc for that same park... I remember wonderful memories of this park.. I know for certain that it is NOT Atlantis park..I will check out Hillcreast myself and the two posted above^ . Good luck with your journey...I love this site :0)

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  11. Thats It! it was santiago park in Santa Ana, if you google it with google images they have a picture of it!!!!! yea sooooo excited I found it!!!!

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    1. i am looking for the slides my mom took me to in the 60s there were p=many parks we went to with long long slides. I cant seem to find the images discussed on this page. Help

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  12. Been there! I remember it being called the Dragon Slide- went there once 25 years ago

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  13. i grew in garden grove went to bolsa grande hi school moved to gg when i was 3years old born in anaheim and lived there my first 3years but i grew up in gg until i was 25 in my youth i spent my summers at grandmothers most of relatives lived on the same street with grandma, any how back to the slides the dragon slide at atlantis park is made of cement and very narrow and slow no room really for an adult with a child at the same time, or a young one would have to sit on there lap and just sit there the first few years when the park open 64 or 65 the slide ok than after repairs,paint and patch work as if they purposely made slower it just wasnt the same but some of us kids came up with an ideal when mom brought some wax paper for a party to rap food way back in time does any one even use it any more, the trick was to sit on wax paper then a kid could slide real good. so the slide your thinking of is at hillcrest park in fullerton i think you can see the slide on the east of harbor bvld going north just before bastancherry splits off a harbor a great place to take the little ones when money is tight i think its still free and atlantis is in back of garden park if you didnt know it was back there you'd never even see it they close kind of early and a donation or small fee is required but its a great place for a kids birthday party we've had many there

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  14. Hertiage Park in Irvine, CA. The corner of Yale and Walnut.
    It was up 2-3 flights of steps, on a fake water tower.

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