Is Kalamazoo’s Beach The Watery Grave of a 100 Year Old Roller Coaster?
I recently discovered that Kalamazoo has its own beach, and to be honest, it was pretty awesome. I went to the beach which is located off of 2900 Oakland Drive in Woods Lake Park. The steep road heads down to a little canopy area where you can eat, with a nearby playground and dock on the opposite end. But it wasn't even the fact I discovered we had our beach that surprised me...it was the alleged history. The City of Kalamazoo Facebook page dropped some information recently about the beach, which prompted history buffs to chime in.
There may turn out to be history we have yet to discover about the lake, which one person rumors to exist:
Oakwood had an amusement park next to Woods Lake 100 years ago. City dwellers used to take a street car from downtown to go on the rides and swim in the lake. Rumor has it that some of the old roller coaster hardware is sunken at the bottom. -Lorraine Alden-
This seriously makes me want to rent scuba gear and go diving to see if the rumor is true. There are some who question the beaches' safety, but many residents feel like there's no reason for caution:
Idk what these people are talking about. I LOVE going to Woods during the week. I haven't seen nasty water there in 4 or 5 years and ya, people do leave garbage and have loud music but that happens at Lake Michigan too. -Wine Emi-
The beach is labeled with a sign that states the water at Woods Lake is tested weekly to ensure it is safe for swimming.