The fastest launch coaster in Canada is set for launch in 2024.
The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) non-profit organization, which operates the Playland Amusement Park in Vancouver, Canada, has announced the purchase of what it says will be “the fastest launch coaster in Canada.”
The coaster is scheduled to go into operation at Playland Park in the 2024 season.
With a top speed of 72 km/h (45 mph), riders will race over 380-metre-long track, experiencing acceleration forces of up to 1.3g.
The new coaster will have an investment of £5.8m (€6.7m) and is being supplied by Italian manufacturer Zamperla.
For the launch coaster, the company is relying on LSM propulsion technology and its innovative “Lightning” train design, which was unveiled during the IAAPA Expo in Orlando last year.
It is due to be presented again at the largest trade show event of the international leisure industry next week.
A train unit with three cars and a total capacity for twelve passengers per ride is to be used on the new roller coaster, the highest point of which will be 18-metres.
“This is an incredibly exciting day. Despite the financial effects of the COVID pandemic, the PNE has displayed its resiliency and innovation by not only surviving the pandemic but by pivoting our business throughout it to emerge in a place to invest in this spectacular ride and into Playland’s future,” said PNE President and CEO, Shelley Frost.
“We know that the new coaster will be an impressive addition to Playland’s ride roster, and we look forward to introducing it to our guests in 2024.”
Michael Coleman, Zamperla’s North American Sales Manager, added: “We are very excited to work with the Pacific National Exhibition on one of their largest investments.
“Playland and Zamperla have a long partnership, and their team started discussions with us over a year ago about their long-term planning and helping them grow the park’s offerings.”
Adam Sandy, Roller Coaster Sales and Marketing Director at Zamperla, also commented: “The Lightning represents the next step of roller coaster design. We thought about every square centimetre of the Lightning, from the bottom of the wheels to the top of the seat.
“The Zamperla engineering team kept our core design values at the forefront: safety, ergonomics, the total cost of ownership and pure fun for thrill seekers!”
Image: Playland Park
