Playland's world-renowned wooden roller-coaster turns 65

A Vancouver landmark that has delighted fair-goers, thrill-seekers, and roller-coaster enthusiasts for decades celebrated its 65th birthday Wednesday. 

And after recent refurbishments, the Pacific Northwest Exhibition (PNE) said its wooden roller-coaster is here to stay for decades to come. 

City councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung declared Wednesday "Playland wooden roller-coaster day" on behalf of the City of Vancouver.

She recalled childhood memories of working up the courage to ride the coaster. 

"When you go up the tracks it has this clickety-clack sound that modern technology can't imitate," said Kirby-Yung. "It's pure exhilaration." 

She said the city wanted to mark the occasion and remind Vancouverites how unique the ride is. 

The wooden roller-coaster, which opened in 1958, was designed by well-known ride designer Carl Phare. 

According to the Vancouver Heritage Association, it was made entirely of B.C. Douglas fir and cost $200,000 at the time to make (over $2 million in today's money). 

The association said it was Phare's last design, and the one he was most proud of, having put everything he learned over his career into it. 

PNE President and CEO Shelley Frost said Phare's grandson donated the original blueprints of the coaster's design to the PNE last month. 

Frost said the ride is inspected daily by a "specialized coaster crew." She said at least $250,000 goes into updating the structure every year. 

And she said a recent $2 million refurbishment and a two-year shutdown ensured the coaster is ready to thrill generations to come. 

A coaster enthusiast favourite

The 90 second-long ride reaches speeds of up to 76 km/h. After the first initial climb, the entire ride is powered by gravity. 

American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) designated Playland's wooden coaster as a "Coaster Landmark" and a "Coaster Classic" in 2009.

The organization considers wooden roller-coasters "an endangered species," as they have been slowly phased out with the rise of rides made from steel.

ACE member Tim Baldwin told CBC News on the coaster's 60th anniversary that riding it is "just magnificent."

'More oomph'

According to Frost, coaster enthusiasts come from all around the world to ride it. 

"There's something really special about it," she said.

Many enjoy wooden roller-coasters in particular because the structure shifts slightly as riding cars go around it, according to Frost. 

"It makes the ride even more exciting and have a little bit more oomph in those turns," said Frost. 

Wooden coaster memories

Frost said the coaster has cultural significance for many Vancouverites, as it's been the site of many double dares, first dates, and even a marriage. 

In the early 2000s, a couple, accompanied by their wedding party and a pastor, had their marriage ceremony right at the top of the initial drop. 

"Just as they were saying their 'I do's' they let it go," said Frost. "It was kind of a spectacular experience." 

The coaster also provides an educational tool for many children who come to learn the basics of physics while enjoying a fun ride, Frost said.