Merced’s newly remodeled Kiddieland amusement park invites local residents to take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 25, starting at 9:30 a.m.
To celebrate the long-awaited reopening, all rides will be free for the community from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Last Saturday, local families were able to get a first look at the improvements during the Week of the Young Child event inside Applegate Park. A shiny new Kiddieland Train was in full operation around an expanded route that runs past the skate area, the outdoor theater, and along the pedestrian path near Bear Creek. Kiddieland itself now has an expanded footprint, along with new murals, new benches, and security upgrades.
Local kids have been anxiously awaiting to enter the park this spring after last season was cut short due to construction. The train ride has been closed for about two years while the park’s operator — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Merced — created a whole new railroad experience.
“After making the difficult decision to decommission the old train, it was the City of Merced that set everything in motion with a generous donation,” said Karen Adams, the Kiwanis president. “We believed our community loved the train as much as we did, and that belief proved true. Soon after, First 5 of Merced County, the Merced County Times, and many other sponsors ‘jumped on board.’ Together, their contributions turned our dream into a reality. I’m truly grateful to be part of Kiddieland’s legacy.”
See more photos of Kiddieland and scenes from the Week of the Young Child on Page 12.