The West Edmonton Mall announced that the Mindbender roller coaster in its Galaxyland amusement park is shutting down after 37 years.
The area where the roller coaster stood will be redeveloped after the ride's removal.
“The iconic Mindbender has been the park’s premier thrill ride since the grand opening in 1985,” wrote Lori Bethel, vice president of parks and attractions at WEM, in a statement. “While the Mindbender will be missed, we are excited to announce that we are working on groundbreaking new plans for family thrills that will immerse our guests in an out-of-this-world experience.”
Despite the love Edmontonians had for the Mindbender, the roller coaster faced early issues in 1986 when the last car on the ride flew off the track at 100km/h and hit a pillar. Three of the four passengers died after the car landed on the concrete floor below. While the fourth person survived, they were left with extensive injuries.
Canadian Tweeters went online to express their sadness over the news.
The WEM hasn’t announced the roller coaster’s replacement but confirmed that it will announce its plans in the coming months.
