`Super Chick' speaks out; Whalom Park days recalled.

Byline: Lynne Klaft

LUNENBURG - Paul L'Ecuyer, businessman and Drawbridge Theater puppeteer, shared his memories of working at Whalom Amusement Park with the Lunenburg Historical Society last week.

Paul Porter, vice president of the society, introduced him to the audience.

"Paul and I worked together during the days at the park when animals roamed the park," said Mr. Porter, referring to full-sized animal characters that greeted visitors and posed for pictures with children.

"I had to chase the rabbit during Easter time so that kids wouldn't pull on his tail," said Mr. Porter, who worked the police detail at the park from 1965 on.

"Paul rescued me once," said Mr. L'Ecuyer. "I was Super Chick one Easter, and there were Easter eggs hidden all over the park. I was mobbed by all these people and children and couldn't move. I kept waving to Paul and of course, I couldn't speak through the head part of the costume I was wearing.

"He eventually saved me.

Thank you, Mr. Porter!" he said.

Mr. L'Ecuyer lived in the Whalom district of Lunenburg for most of his life. "My grandfather built our house on Summer Street and Whalom Park was my backyard," he said.

"The Fourth of July was not complete without the fireworks they shot off over the lake; my dad and I bowled at the bowling alley and we enjoyed the arcade, too."

Mr. L'Ecuyer said he and his friends spent a lot of their free time in and around the park.

"One evening, we saw lights shining through the lattice work of the playhouse, so we went closer to investigate and soon saw smoke and heard the snapping of the fire." He rushed to the nearest house and reported the fire.

"The building was totally engulfed in a few minutes," he said. "This was in 1975, and I was 15 years old at the time." He said that event made him aware of how easily one could lose valuable memories.

As a result, he shot home movies of all of the rides and buildings and events at the park during his employment there in the late 1970s through the late 1980s.

After graduating from the New England School of Art and Design in 1980, Mr. L'Ecuyer was hired as entertainment director of the park and repainted signs, designed puppet theaters and puppet shows, hired college students to be character animals in the park, including Silly Savage, Super Chick and Simon Looney Bear, hired Wally Whalom, the clown, and arranged for a multitude of entertainment acts for the park.

"Wally Whalom was the only speaking character in the park and we produced small shows and skits that included all of the other characters, with prizes for kids who participated in the shows," said Mr. L'Ecuyer.

Among the entertainment acts hired for the amusement of visitors: lariat artists; jugglers; balancing acts; Grace Hanneford and her Perky Pups; magicians; fashion poodle shows; country music bands and an escape artist.

In 1988, a number of Lunenburg residents and Whalom Park characters ventured into Boston to be part of a television show called "Talk of the Town," hosted by Matt Lauer, now of "Today" fame.

"It was Lunenburg Day, and I believe Mrs. (Jean) Hobbs and Mr. (G. Barry) Whitcomb and his wife were there at the show, besides the Whalom Park people," said Mr. L'Ecuyer.

He has since assembled a DVD of Whalom Amusement Park, from its early days in the late 1800s to its closing in 2000.

Part of the DVD was shown to the society members, featuring the many entertainment acts, scenes of the park, old photos of the beginnings of the park and all of the rides that were still running in the 1980s.

Mr. L'Ecuyer left the park in 1989, but returned for a short time in 1997 to refurbish the puppet theaters.

"It was not as clean or landscaped as it used to be and the attendance in 1997 was very small. The carousel animals were sold off by auction for only $300,000. The park was finally closed for good in 2000.

"In 2002, the ballroom burned to the ground and in October 2006 the Comet roller coaster came crashing down.

"Hold on to your photographs and videos of the park; they will be the only memories we will have left of Whalom Park ... for a whale of a time," said Mr. L'Ecuyer.

For more information on the Whalom Amusement Park DVD, go to www.drawbridgepuppets.com.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Puppeteer Paul Lecuyer, left, told members of the Lunenburg Historical Society about spending his youth at Whalom Park during the 1960s and 1970s. With him are outgoing society President Jeremiah Greene and the famous Whalom Park clown who welcomed visitors to the amusement park for years.

PHOTOG: LYNNE KLAFT