I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. We saw the fire take hold and like many others my parents were shocked and crying at the horror of the tragic loss of life. I loved it so much and will always remember it . August ISLE of MAN "SUMMERLANDS DOUGLAS" DESTROYED BY FIRE 2nd AUGUST 1973 POSTED 1974 Street Cars Derby Vehicles Swiss Derby Castle before Summerland was demolished J Judith B summerland isle of man August 2013 My Heritage 40th Anniversary Birth Gem Sidewalk Memories 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). 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. 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 old building demolished. There were two phases in the building RM R8WF63 - Oil wells drilled into the bed of the Pacific ocean at Summerland, between Santa Barbara and Los Angleles, California, United States of America, c. 1915. 4. vs damage to building. On August 2, 1973, at about 20.00, a fire in a kiosk close to Summerland, Isle of Man, started a conflagration and caused the death of 50 people. 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. Demolition of the site from Oct 2005. Behind the stage was the huge rock face. 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. Behind the stage was the huge rock face. I feel there should always be something incorporated into whatever is built or put on the site to commemmorate the people who died. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) The acrylic material melted, allowing more oxygen to enter, and dropping burning molten material, both starting other fires and injuring those trying to escape. 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. This, coupled with the constant sirens of emergency vehicles, is what made this the worst night of my life. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) My legs went like jelly and the next thing I knew, flames shot up the sides of the windows. [15] Changes to building regulations to improve fire safety were introduced. 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. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. In The Summerland Story written by Robert Kelly he promotes the centre as a holiday town where it never rains, the wind never blows and the temperature never gets chilly. Located in the heart of Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, the complex was a landmark of the island, offering a wide range of attractions for both locals and visitors alike. Just then I distinctly remember seeing a small flicker of light at the base of the building on the West side thinking it was someone with a torch or something, as it was getting dusky. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. I lost a couple of pals in the fire. Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. My dad raised the alarm after I smelt smoke coming from a slot machine. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. A girl I met that night but got separated from in the panic died. The Summerland concept was new and made the Isle of Man complex unique in the British Isles when the building opened in 1971. My Mum and I started to go towards a spiral staircase which led towards the main entrance but my uncle steered us further along the gallery to where there were fire exits leading to the swimming pool area. My Uncle and several other "big chaps" hurled themselves against the fire doors to break them down. It was a climate-controlled building covering 3.5 acres (1.4ha) on Douglas's waterfront, consisting of 50,000sqft (4,600m2) of floor area constructed at a cost of 2 million. 6. vox pops boys re. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) In 1973, the Summerland Complex suffered a tragic accidental I still remember the screams and panic, they haunt me to this day. Custom Mountain home in Tehachapi CA.-2 hrs from LA or 2 hrs from Central Coast. There's not much left of the place. FOR SALE! Bob EmeryWhen Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. A girl I met that night but got separated from in the panic died. The year before the fire we were taken to Summerland to watch a syncronised swimming display. Also had a vague recollection that the lads who were smoking near a kiosk which led to the fire, came from Liverpool. Welcome to Summerland Today! 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. The island has been visited by various raiders and trading peoples over the years. 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 . Aug 27, 2019 - Explore Amanda Smith's board "Summerland IOM" on Pinterest. I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. I remember going there as a 6 year old. 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! But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. The first occupants were hunter-gatherers and fishermen. janice gale from dreghorn scotlandI was 13 when summerland went on fire i still remember that night clearly my mum and i had told my dad that we were going to summerland while he went to the villa marine to watch wrestling but just before the bus stopped we changed our mind and went to white city we had just got into white city when we were told summerland was on fire we had to walk all the way round onchan to get back to the prom its a scene you will never forget seeing people jumping into the sea to get away from the flames even when we came home on the boat your were reminded again as we had to wait until all the coffins were taken of first as a mark of respect. I had a great time. There are more than 2 filming locations on our site. [19][20], On other anniversaries of the disaster many memorials take place, such as a memorial concert and a moment of silence at the location which is now a vacant site. [1] [2] [3] Background Summerland was opened on 25 May 1971. 420,000 Property details; In the summer everyone enjoyed the talent competitions which were great fun. They went to give bloood and looked for my brother and sister on the way. I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. My parents had gone for a drink and I was looking after myself on my own in the safety that was 1973 in the fantastic Isle of Man. 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 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. Summerland was only a mile away from the District General Hospital and there was no clearing station for preliminary assessment of the injured. This was on the 2nd floor. It was the brain child of Douglas architect, Mr James Phillips Lomas who had been commissioned by Douglas Corporation to design a building which would attract visitors to the Isle of Man whatever the weather. The closure of the . Sharon BridsonI was 12 that year. Douglas (Man (en) dbo:thumbnail I was 13 when summerland went on fire i still remember that night clearly my mum and i had told my dad that we were going to summerland while he went to the villa marine to watch wrestling but just before the bus stopped we changed our mind and went to white city we had just got into white city when we were told summerland was on fire we had to walk all the way round onchan to get back to the prom its a scene you will never forget seeing people jumping into the sea to get away from the flames even when we came home on the boat your were reminded again as we had to wait until all the coffins were taken of first as a mark of respect. is now owned and operated by the Department of Tourism and Leisure. Reverse of the small poster is also in colour and lists all the many attractions.. Having met with Mr Gawne MHK to discuss my proposal for a commemorative space prior to his unsuccessful re-election, then continued with Ray Harmer MHK the newly . 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. I worked in Summerland a week before it burnt down. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for LIGHTHOUSE DOUGLAS - ISLE OF MAN ( T30 ) at the best online prices at eBay! Find average house prices, current average values, other historic property data & request a valuation from an estate agent. When it opened Summerland w Gallery Click to Enlarge. . My parents had been to the site of the fire thinking I was in there as I had been all week. I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. It was a tragedy but the happy memories as a child are still vivid even in my late 40's.My thoughts are with those who lost someone dear xx. My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. One survivor (who was a child at the time) remembered her father noticing smoke coming from the ventilation shaft and had started to attempt to evacuate when the whole area erupted in flames. We actually visited the Summerland on the day of the fire, I can remember the night of the fire, we were staying in a hotel on the opposite end of the prom, I was there with my cousin and our Mum's and Dad's had gone out for the evening. ! At first we thought it was only a small fire but we soon became aware that it was a lot more serious. Semi-detached house for sale in Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey IM8 Just added. Everywhere we went afterwards there was requests for blood donors it was so sad, and I think we were all glad to get home. 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. Location Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland Geographic coordinates 54 15 N, 4 30 W Map references Europe Area total: 572 sq km land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km country comparison to the world: 193 Area - comparative slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries total: 0 km Coastline I loved it so much and will always remember it . . 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. 2. ws Summerland after fire - skeleton of building. Lots of wildlife viewing!! There is also significant attic. It was a tragedy but the happy memories as a child are still vivid even in my late 40's.My thoughts are with those who lost someone dear xx. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The whole thing ended so tragically but it's important to remember the good times too. Phase I was the tracyI am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. There was a charming wooden see saw, slide and roundabout. Location:Isle of Man Posted February 17, 2006 Some photos of Summerland and the demolition (I'll post them in batches because uploading all at once seems to mess up the order) Quote Regulars 7.1k Gender:Male Location:Isle of Man Posted February 17, 2006 Damn flood control Quote The Old Git Regulars 7.1k Gender:Male Location:Isle of Man The Manx Development Corporation is part of the strategy for realizing economic, social and environmental benefits through enabling full utilization of government owned land and property assets and acting as a catalyst for regeneration and repurposing of urban and brownfield sites. There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. I decided to throw a wobbly and asked for a toy as I didn't want to go to the show - overtired! This devastating fire ripped through a leisure centre in the Isle of Man, killing 50 people and seriously injuring a further 80. Nicole SmithThe queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. I WILL RETURN AS THERE IS A KIND OF MAGIC ATTRACTION ABOUT THE ISLAND,I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER 'THE GEM IN THE IRISH SEA' WAYNE FORD, Moonwalk,rollerskating & swimming, just 3 of the things that kept myself, my brother & cousins entertained for hours. Game & Entertainment Centers. 3. ws firemen in orange coats looking at building. I was on holiday at the IOM with a group of girl friends the week of the Summerland fire. You are in: Isle of Man > History > Where the sun always shines. (The comedian/presenter on stage made a remark about there being "a chip pan on fire"). Condition is excellent. Just then I distinctly remember seeing a small flicker of light at the base of the building on the West side thinking it was someone with a torch or something, as it was getting dusky. From pantomime to ballet and live music to musicals.
March 11, 2023