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DryTown celebrates its newest ride

by M. Dilworth • July 2, 2012

City officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate DryTown’s newest ride — Dusty’s Mineshaft Racer.

PALMDALE – It’s faster, it’s wetter, and it’s more of an adrenaline rush.

That’s how city officials described Dusty’s Mineshaft Racer, the newest addition to Palmdale’s DryTown Water Park.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday to officially introduce the new slide to the community.

“People have been waiting for this for a long time,” said DryTown Water Park Manager Eric Dombrowski. “Since DryTown opened seven years ago, we’ve always had a vision of expanding the park.”

Dusty’s Mineshaft Racer is a four-lane racer, which launches riders headfirst into a 360-degree turn in an enclosed tube, before plunging 40 feet down open-air lanes for a downhill dash to the finish line and a serious drenching.

Dombrowski said they planned the project for about two years before breaking ground in January. The ride and associated site work cost $3.6 million and was paid for by park impact fee funds, which are charged to developers and set aside for special projects, officials said.

“A project like this doesn’t come together without a lot of people working together,” said Palmdale Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hofbauer.

Sarah Tyndall, from Assemblyman Steve Knight’s office, awarded a certificate of commendation to DryTown Water Park.

Key people on the project included architect Steve Finney; Richard Boctor, who constructed the new buildings and site work; USA Inc., who installed and put together the slide (which was manufactured by Proslide Technology); Project Manager Lynn Glidden, who oversaw every aspect of the project from conception to final construction; Sean O’Brien, who was instrumental in giving input to the operational and maintenance aspects of the project; Charlie Love, who performed the Public Works inspection; and Bud Davis, who performed the building inspection.

All were recognized Monday for helping to turn the dream project into a reality.

“There’s no need to drive down the freeway,” Dombrowski said. “We have a beautiful park here in the Antelope Valley,”

The six-acre Old West mining town-themed aquatic park also features a 925-foot lazy river, a 35-foot waterslide tower with three waterslides and splashdown pool, and a 6,000 square foot children’s water playground, including a 50 gallon Vortex Splash bucket, three water rings and two water cannons.

“DryTown was a key part of our Vision Project back in 2006 when the residents voted to finance the water park, the amphitheater and two rec. centers,” said Hofbauer. “These facilities have brought our residents, and the residents of the entire AV, thousands and thousands of hours of family fun, and there’s a lot more to come in the future.”

This week, DryTown is celebrating its Hometown Heroes. The park is offering free admission, through Friday July 6, to all doctors, nurses, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement and active military.

Dry Town is open daily, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., through August 19.

For more information about DryTown, ticket prices, group rates or private rentals, visit www.cityofpalmdale.org/drytown or call 661-267-6161.

Dusty’s Mineshaft Racer has been open for about two weeks; however, DryTown officials held the official opening ceremony for the new ride Monday.

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Filed Under: Palmdale

6 comments for "DryTown celebrates its newest ride"

  1. sacryinshame says

    July 4, 2012 at 11:58 pm

    Why is Drytown so expensive? It’s not an amusement park.
    Kids should be able to go for a couple of dollars not a months allowance. Why isn’t it open in the evening? If it was, parents could take their children after they have been at daycare all day?

    • Quartz Hill Resident says

      July 5, 2012 at 11:56 pm

      The high costs keep the trouble makers and thugs out. Unfortunately, the good folks have to pay the price for a clean safe environment. I am OK with that.

  2. AV Resident says

    July 4, 2012 at 5:18 pm

    Thanks to the City of Palmdale for Drytown in the AV. At least we have something local that our kids can enjoy.

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