In the Zone

Noaki Schwartz

Although the once ubiquitous boardwalks made famous by old 1950s

surf movies have all but faded into the sunset, the Balboa Fun Zone

continues to hold its ground as one of the last great coastal amusements.

The world may have moved from pinball to increasingly more realistic

video games, but the Fun Zone remains a Newport Beach institution.

“I don’t think people just come down here for the arcades and rides,”

said General Manager Patrick Moore. “They come down here for the whole

thing -- the beaches, the beautiful homes, Ruby’s on the pier.”

Moore added that in his 11 years of overseeing the Fun Zone, not much

has changed. More than a million people visit the Fun Zone each year.

Children continue to delight at the carnival-like games, candy and Ferris

wheel, just as they did more than six decades ago.

Fun Zone history actually began in 1936 when Fred Lewis, who had owned

the waterfront property and operated a boatyard for three decades, leased

the land to Al Anderson.

Anderson tore down the failing boatyard and began construction of the

original Fun Zone. Several families, including Anderson, operated a

merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, bumper cars, boats and the arcade area.

Anderson even had secret poker games in his upstairs apartment on the

premises.

The Fun Zone took off and became a significant tourist attraction in

the seaside community. Shortly after the end of World War II, in 1948,

Anderson bought the property from Lewis.

He owned the Fun Zone until 1972, when a lawsuit over a diving

accident on a nearby platform forced him to sell the property. From

there, the site floated from one lending institution to another -- until

1985, when Jordan Wank bought it, bulldozed it and rebuilt it.

A year later, Wank reopened the Fun Zone and once again the area

became a prime attraction for families visiting the area. Eventually, the

operators of the Balboa Fun Zone rides bought the property in 1994.

Despite the continuing change of hands, loyal visitors don’t appear

put off.

Both in their 90s, Edward and Mildred Cervenak have made annual visits

to the Fun Zone for about 15 years. Walking down the boardwalk, playfully

holding hands, the couple takes their biannual dates on the peninsula,

stopping for a bit of pizza or clam chowder -- if they’re feeling really

adventurous.

“We like the atmosphere -- with the ocean and all,” Mildred said.

FYI

WHAT: Balboa Fun Zone

WHEN: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

WHERE: 400 E. Bay St., Balboa Peninsula

INFO: (949) 673-0408