It was a strange building, influenced by the geodesic structure of Buckminster Fuller's American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. . We went to a show to see the Black and White Minstrels, that's when I smelt smoke. Also had a vague recollection that the lads who were smoking near a kiosk which led to the fire, came from Liverpool. [1] [2] [3] of a new Sports and Entertainment Centre, which would cost the council The concept was so radical that architect Geoffrey Ellis came to the Island to work for Mr The panic started and we all headed for the fire exit down the steps, only to find the doors were locked. The island is in desperate need of some alternative. Custom Mountain home in Tehachapi CA.-2 hrs from LA or 2 hrs from Central Coast. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. Noel Skillicorn, LiverpoolSummerland for me, like many others who grew up on the Island was one of the main places that you could find entertainment of all forms from Rollerskating through to catching a afternoon film in the cinema. As kids we used to holiday in the Isle of Man either at port St Mary or Peel. Such a happy reunion but such a terribly sad sad time. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. It took me a long time to go on holiday again. I remember walking past Summerland and seeing a rocking horse from a ride stood on its own. I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. "So far the best Chinese I had on the Island ( and I lived 3 years in China) t.". Brings back great memories of times spent on the island. Property reference . Sharon BridsonI was 12 that year. The year before the fire we were taken to Summerland to watch a syncronised swimming display. Jade Harbour Restaurant. fire, which triggered a major change in fire regulations on the Island. We were first alerted to it by the noise from the fire engines.Looking out the window of the boarding house we saw the flames. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. The closure of the . I've got used to passing the site & it not being there but from the boat, going in either direction it's still not the same. They went to give bloood and looked for my brother and sister on the way. We had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. When they couldnt locate me they began their search for me on the prom. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. Latest Truck Driver Job Vacancies in Canada in 2022: A certified truck driver is qualified to use for every one of the work placements around right here. 05 Apr 2023 - 16 Apr 2023. 7. At the time Summerland was one of the most. I've just seen that picture of the pool with the rows of spectator seats and it brought it all back to me.I remember the next year when the fire happened because we were packing for our holiday to Anglesea when the news broke. I made lots of friends both from the island and liverpool. Numerous firms are employing truck drivers in different locations of Canada like Alberta, Ontario, Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Quebec, Ottawa, Calgary, and also great deals of extra. You were certainly spoilt for choice - you could go swimming in 2 lovely new pools, rollerskate or play a multitude of sports in the massive sports hall, moonwalk in a big white type of enclosed bouncy castle (which like everything in there had a distinctive new smell). Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey. The fire exits - clear glass ones, all in a row - were locked which I guessed afterwards was to prevent people paying for access to one area and then going to the other as well. The queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. When we noticed the black smoke to one end of the building - and the crowds looking in that direction - we started to move towards the exit. 4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey, IM8 for 420,000. The burnt out remains of the centre in September 1973, one month after the fire. Phase I was the Flora Mcintyre i remembr 1968-69 , I worked at White City on the Isle of Man , they were the eight best years of my life. It wasn't until we were on the promenade at a safe distance that I looked back to see the building completely engulfed in flames. The first drawings materialised in 1965 but hundreds were drafted out before building work actually started. Add Your Event View All 04 March Saturday Manx Amateur Drama Federation Coffee Morning View 10:00 - 12:00 Current Weather 9 4 03 March Friday 8 4 on arrival above somerland we couldnt beleve the whole building was an infurno (just where we would have been had we not been delayed)we left the site not beleving such a tragity could be hapening to those poor people,and by the grace of god spared us.with the passing of time and no disrespect to those who loved ones perished or were injured i beleve that summerland was a fabulous venue of the time and should be under another name be reserected for the people of the island and visitors alike,the past is the past and nothing can remain a stain of the building/archetects or goverment who built it in good faith and by unforcene events that happend.the island needs a new complex to invest in tourisem and for the island people to enjoy in these hard days ahead bring life back to the island as it was before the doom and gloom merchants moved in.being a stopover from the late 60s and with three children who were born here i personaly would like to see an indoor complex such as summerland revived. I will never forget the screams and people climbing over each other to get out. Mountain retreat in Southern California. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments submitted. Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. I decided to throw a wobbly and asked for a toy as I didn't want to go to the show - overtired! IMS VINTAGE PHOTOS IMS VINTAGE PHOTOS THIS IS AN ORIGINAL VINTAGE 394351480931 dotty kiddI was 17 and was working there at the time of the fire, it was total panic, the fire spread so fast and no body could get out due to the doors being locked, I managed to get my friend away safely but with all the panic going on around I ended up in a daze, I dont know how I got out but remember someone pulling me, I got out befor the first explosion went off. I was 9 and on holiday with my Mum, brother and Uncle Peter (Mum's brother), the aim of the holiday being to give Mum a break after my Dad had died following a long illness. The latter idea was eventually scrapped when it was discovered some of the birds were poisoning themselves by eating the plastic foliage. It bears the names of those killed in the fire and is set into a circle of paving, alongside a stone laid earlier to mark the 25th anniversary. John McGimpseyI was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. Bid today! We found them distraught watching the flames as they thought we were in the building. We went back when they rebuilt it but it didn't have the same atmosphere & at first people almost seemed to be looking over their shoulders as if they were waiting for something to happen, it was strange. Demolition of the site from Oct 2005. Property description & features. . Summerlands bed and breakfast (B&B) is a charming and unique house in Ramsey, which has recently been refurbished throughout to a very high standard. I was told that the drummer from the show we had been watching did not make it. This was on the 2nd floor. LOCATION From the Sea Terminal proceed the length of the Promenade. The worst thing was I could hear screams even from that distance, this has haunted me to this day. 14a Majestic Apartments King Edward Road Onchan IM3 2BD. Those were the days. A recent trip to Isle of Man brought back many happy memories but I was sad to see that not only had Summerlands closed but the building was completly gone.Some people said I was daft as there was no pool on the prominade but my memories of that place will never disappear. Experts searching the wreckage. The whole thing ended so tragically but it's important to remember the good times too. Original 1970s flyer in colour. I loved it so much and will always remember it . The fire killed 50 people, eleven of them under the age of twenty. On 17 September 1973, three Liverpool boys two of them 12 and the other 14 appeared before Douglas Juvenile Court and admitted wilfully and unlawfully damaging the lock of a plastic kiosk next to Summerland. Summerland was only a mile away from the District General Hospital and there was no clearing station for preliminary assessment of the injured. At the time Summerland was one of the most. You were certainly spoilt for choice - you could go swimming in 2 lovely new pools, rollerskate or play a multitude of sports in the massive sports hall, moonwalk in a big white type of enclosed bouncy castle (which like everything in there had a distinctive new smell). I lost a couple of pals in the fire. We were there the night before the fire, we just thatought the "moving staircase" by the front door was the best thing ever. While children were entertained in the theatre, parents could relax upstairs. I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. "A good batter, a tasty sauce, and the excellent fried rice with chives.". [1] [2] [3] Background Summerland was opened on 25 May 1971. I was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. Bob EmeryWhen Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. I remember winning a talent contest at Summerland when I was 6 years old.We went to the IOM every year for our summer holidays. Julie was 14, and identified by her jewellery. jimmy kitchin onchanon the night of the summerland fire,my wife and mother and father inlaw (in there late seventies) plus myself with a wife who was expecting a child,were due to have a drink in the top bar as a fairwell to there holls before returning to liverpool next day, due to a strange event my wife hair rollers broke down so delaying by half an hour our departure.we stoped at the laxey filling station only to be told the complex was on fire!! At first we thought it was only a small fire but we soon became aware that it was a lot more serious. Behind the stage was the huge rock face. Property & houses for sale in Isle of Man *DISCLAIMER. I am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. NOTHING! i loved summerland it was amazing the play area and the skating the swim baths and all shame the way things went, HI, I PLAYED THE SUMMERLAND DISCO WITH MY BAND 'ROCOCO' THE YEAR BEFORE THE FIRE,I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS 'ROCOCO' I HAVE SOME VERY FOND MEMORIES OF MY TIME THERE, I HAVE VISITED THE ISLAND ONCE SINCE THEN,QUITE BY CHANCE IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE THE DEMOLITION TOOK PLACE,BUT I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY GOODBYE. ! Just a stump of a diving board and the deep end of the Aquadrome pool, now home to about twenty billion pigeons The Brutalist concrete exterior concealed a range of sports and leisure facilities, all very wholesome and family-oriented. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. The end of a holiday dream But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. Everthing about that place was magical, everyone had a smile on their face & the atmosphere was exciting. The Summerland leisure complex in the Isle of Man, a popular tourist destination for many years, closed its doors for the last time in 2018. The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. xx. The first responding fire crews realised additional resources would be required and almost every resource available to the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service was mobilised to the incident (93 of its 106 firefighters and all 16 of its engines). My uncle saw someone he knew from our home town (Widnes) whose hotel was closer than ours, and he was able to phone family at home to say we were OK just as the story was coming on the news.We were all OK, apart from my uncle's cracked ribs from charging at the fire door, but the horror of the evening is still with me such that even lighting a candle is something I struggle to do and I always check out fire exits when I'm somewhere new. Bit by bit over the years things would start to disappear, until by the end there was only "Manxland" left, my son really enjoyed palying there with all his cousins & it was a great place for Mums to meet on a Saturday & have a coffee while the kids played, we did that for a lot of years. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. This part of the building was clad in a material called Galbestos: profiled steel sheeting with asbestos felt on both sides coated with bitumen,[5][8] with no fire-resistant qualities. Now it's completely gone & it is a shame but they will hopefully put something back there for the manx & visitors to enjoy & make their amemories last a lifetime too. I remember hearing a woman shouting "My God, my children are in there", which I still find a bone-chilling thought. My Uncle and several other "big chaps" hurled themselves against the fire doors to break them down. I will never forget the screams and people climbing over each other to get out. Although I remember when the fire happened (as a relative was working there that evening and thankfully survived), my happy memories are also quite vivid as I used to go there many times, especially during school holidays. Two years after its completion in 1971 the high tech promenade venue was the scene of devastation after a fire ripped through the building killing 50 people. I loved it so much and will always remember it . I've just seen that picture of the pool with the rows of spectator seats and it brought it all back to me.I remember the next year when the fire happened because we were packing for our holiday to Anglesea when the news broke. The island is in desperate need of some alternative. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. A lot of people on the Island will never forget what happened on 2nd August 1973. A couple of the girls had been at the afternoon disco but were on their way back to the digs when the fire must have taken hold. The site on King Edward Road in Douglas has remained unused since the complex was. You are in: Isle of Man > History > Where the sun always shines. Everywhere we went afterwards there was requests for blood donors it was so sad, and I think we were all glad to get home. We stayed for a week and on all of the 4 nights preceding the evening of the disaster I had been to the complex for a swim and play around with new-found friends. The world's first offshore oil wells, drilled from piers in 1896. 34808 | VAT Registration Number: 001090349 Directors . I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. (The comedian/presenter on stage made a remark about there being "a chip pan on fire"). We would spend alot of time up there because of the pool and because they could keep and eye on us and have a drink at the same time. Welcome to Summerland Today! I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. 3. ws firemen in orange coats looking at building. I was 9 at the time of the Summerland fire and on holiday with my Mum and Dad staying at the Granada Hotel as we always did then. construction of a swimming pool, which was completed in 1969. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Isle of Man: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399644 at the best online prices at eBay! Tehachapi, CA, US. Figure 2 shows where the fire initially started, and it spread quickly over the building faade. Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. With the building also suffering from concrete cancer, the remainder of the site closed in 2004, and demolition began in January 2006. Seconds later the light grew to a flame a few feet high, then within no time at all there were large flames extending the whole height of the side of the building I was frozen in shock watching what was kicking off. panels dropping in flames onto the ground and I guess, people below. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. Jumping and diving from the boards was also fun with us all playing dead mans fall from the different boards, but I never did manage to dive or even jump from the top board. I had the best holidays ever as a kid in IOM , it is a magical place. The venue attracted thousands of people to the. Location: Isle of Man Date Posted: 4/5/2017 2:49:35 PM Waymark Code: WMVDNA The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world and its state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map. A survivor of the devastating Summerland fire on the Isle of Man which killed 50 people, including 15 from Merseyside and Cheshire, has made an emotional appeal for the three Liverpool friends who . Most of week had been spent at the evening disco and I still have photos and the weekly ticket from our good times there. I stood on the prom looking over at the Summerland complex contemplating whether to give it a go or not. I dont remember the initial Summerlands complex, but I was in Summerlands in the mid 80's; after it was rebuilt and reopened in 1978; I was therer on annual camp with the scouts, that was the year I joined the scouts and that was the reason i joined, the trip to the Isle of Man.What a great time I had there using the swimming pool. Also had a vague recollection that the lads who were smoking near a kiosk which led to the fire, came from Liverpool. Summerland was an odd mix of styles: one half light, airy and modern; the other windowless and concrete. Aug 27, 2019 - Explore Amanda Smith's board "Summerland IOM" on Pinterest. The water in the pool was lovely and hot and we used to go out and stand in a cold shower and the cold foot bath then dive into the pool to get that even warmer feeling. To experience Summerland at that time was special and afterall, what has the Government ever done since to improve our quality of life here in the IOM.