Sunday marked the final day of rides and the end of an era at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, the amusement park that has operated for nearly a century on the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Beloved by generations of families who flock to the Jersey Shore town, the park shut down after years of financial turmoil. Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian, whose family ran Wonderland since 1929, announced in August that the amusement park was “no longer a viable business.” The park had been at its current site on Sixth Street since 1957 and grew to about 25 indoor and outdoor rides.
The closure has left many unanswered questions about the future of the Wonderland Pier property. Months of speculation and rumors have swirled about what might replace it. One online petition, signed by nearly 3,000 people, warned against a “mega development” that would bring a hotel — possibly one with a liquor license — to the Ocean City Boardwalk despite the town being dry since its founding. The petition even expressed hope that Wonderland could be protected by historic designation, a wish that hasn’t gained traction… read more >
