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"Remembering Riverview" Show Coming June 25, 2017! Sharpshooters Productions, Inc.5/16/2017
Historians Derek Gee and Ralph Lopez will be the Keynote speakers at the "Remembering Riverview" Show taking place in Chicago on Sunday, June 25, 2017. The celebration will be held at the Links Hall 3111 N. Western Avenue, Chicago, IL 60618 (nearby from where Riverview was!) from 4 pm to 8 pm. Advance tickets are $25 and may be purchased at the link below:
http://www.prelude-entertainment.com/Events.html
Chicago Tribune features Riverview & Ralph Lopez Sharpshooters Productions, Inc. 7/4/2011
http://tinyurl.com/6lecont
The Chicago Tribune is featuring Riverview in a new article on their website, as well as a video featuring a tour of the park hosted by Ralph Lopez. You can see it here:
Knoebel's Grove Completes Flying Turns Ride Sharpshooters Productions, Inc.10/23/2013
Knoebel's Grove Amusement Park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania has completed work on the Flying Turns ride, whose construction began in 2006. Here's some footage on YouTube showing what a ride is like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g-UO_ivToA
The ride is based on Riverview Park's Flying Turns, with some modifications and additions. Our own Ralph Lopez provided them with the blueprints to Riverview's ride, as well as shared his knowledge of the ride's construction, maintenance, and operation. The National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) also contributed Flying Turns blueprints from their archives.
See these websites for photos and other details...
www.knoebels.com
http://www.iaapa.org/news/funworld/funworld-magazine/flying-turns---august-2014
Riverview Author available for Local Shows Sharpshooters Productions, Inc. 7/4/14
Ralph Lopez, co-author of Laugh Your Troubles Away - The Complete History of Riverview Park is available for presentations on Riverview at public venues in the Chicagoland area.
If you would like Ralph Lopez to do a show at your location, please contact us here at the website for information.
Tours of Former Riverview Property Available Sharpshooters Productions, Inc. 7/4/2014
Ralph Lopez is pleased to announce that he is conducting tours of the former Riverview Park property by appointment. Please contact him directly at 773-871-1542 to arrange for a tour.
Riverview Models Sold To Bennett Brothers Combined Shows Sharpshooters Productions, Inc. 9/19/2009
After many years of being displayed all over the Chicagoland area, Ed Fruh's famous models of Riverview Park have been sold to Denes Bennett of the Bennett Brothers Combined Shows. Ed tells us that Mr. Bennett is planning on how to put them on display in the near future.
Riverview II Project Now Ended Sharpshooters Productions, Inc. 1/7/2006
You might remember the Riverview II project, the attempt to build a modernized version of Riverview featuring many of Riverview's signature rides including the Chutes, the Bobs, the Pair-O-Chutes, and Aladdin's Castle among others. The land had been purchased, a proposal made to the local government, and Ralph Lopez and Derek Gee were retained to develop the ride package for the park. Unfortunately, the main developer of the Riverview II project, Brian Heywood, was murdered in August 2003.
We've now spoken with Mrs. Heywood on January 5th regarding the current status of the Riverview II project, and we're sad to hear that the project is no longer active. Mrs. Heywood states she would be willing to assist anyone wishing to pick up and develop the project, but she no longer will be pursuing the project.
No Further Airdates for "Chicago Stories" Riverview show Sharpshooters Productions, Inc. 9/19/06
Derek Gee and Ralph Lopez, authors of "Laugh Your Troubles Away - The Complete History of Riverview Park" were interviewed for Chicago PBS station, WTTW's "Chicago Stories" series. The show, first aired in September 2000 and again in November and December 2000, and in July 2001. The show has continued to air occasionally since that time. The authors discussed the extensive history of Riverview, provided film and images, and gave the production team a tour of the former park property.
No further airdates are scheduled. We will continue to post information about future airings as we receive it. The program was formerly available for purchase on VHS from the www.shopwttw.com website in the Chicago Stories section, but it has been discontinued.
For more information, email 73157.2172@compuserve.com
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