SALT LAKE CITY — Tucked by Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City is a little amusement area with a Ferris wheel, train rides, a carousel and more.
According to the owner and general manager, Dustin Reed, the rides have been there for decades, but running this park now is a dream come true.
"The swing ride was installed here in ‘82, the year I was born,” Reed said. “And so my first 10 years, half of it was wishing I could ride and the other half was scared, having fun."
He said he has been on the rides here at Liberty Park since he was little.
“It’s where I had hope, as a broke kid, mom of two boys, single mom,” Reed said.
His life came full circle four years ago, and he bought the amusement park. He restored the rides with cars from World War 1 and 2, and calls it a “living museum.”
He enjoys sharing the history of the rides with people and wants them to feel as excited as he did here.
“It was built in 1956; that’s 70 years old. It was installed here in ‘71, but before that, it toured the whole country, going to like farm lands and stuff,” said Reed.
He wants to make sure kids feel safe, and even operates the rides himself.
People of all ages get to enjoy this little hidden corner of the park.
"I think it’s nice; I love it that it’s on this end of the park, and all these are in the shade, right now and in the evening so when families come out after work, good place to bring them,” said Christine Cleveland, who was with her granddaughter.
Reed said he tries to keep prices low. A ticket to ride once is 3 dollars.
"If it was over 3 dollars when I was a kid's age, I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” Reed said. “Maybe one ride is all I’d get and I had to do a lot of chores to earn those 3 dollars."
A feeling many of us are trying to chase -- getting to be a kid all over again.
"This is a place where you suddenly just get to forget for a moment and be a kid and maybe it’s because I’m a kid forever,” Reed said.
The rides are open all year round, Wednesdays through Sundays. You can learn more here.
