Bill Text: TX HR100 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commemorating the 70th anniversary of Wonderland Amusement Park in Amarillo.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-09-08 - Reported enrolled [HR100 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HR100-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 100 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The 70th anniversary of Wonderland Amusement Park in | ||
| Amarillo in 2021 offers a welcome opportunity to pay tribute to its | ||
| proud legacy of providing wholesome family entertainment to the | ||
| young at heart of all ages; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In the early 1950s, Paul and Alethea Roads moved | ||
| from San Angelo to Amarillo to fulfill their dream of starting an | ||
| amusement park; with help from the City of Amarillo Parks and | ||
| Recreation Department, they opened what was then known as Kiddie | ||
| Land on August 12, 1951; all three original rides, the Hershell | ||
| Kiddie Boat Ride, the Lil' Dipper Roller Coaster, and the Kiddie Car | ||
| Ride, were built by Mr. Roads; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Despite the immediate success of the park, Mr. Roads | ||
| continued to work a day job at Amarillo Air Force Base, but after a | ||
| decade, he was able to devote himself to the park full-time; in | ||
| 1969, the couple added several new rides, including bumper cars, | ||
| and renamed the business Wonderland Amusement Park; over the years, | ||
| many new rides were added, including the popular Fantastic Journey, | ||
| hand-built by Mr. Roads; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Today Wonderland attracts more than 200,000 | ||
| visitors a year with such exciting rides as the Texas Tornado, the | ||
| Rattlesnake River, the Pipeline Plunge, and the Fiesta Swing, as | ||
| well as a merry-go-round and a scenic train ride; the park also | ||
| features arcade games and a miniature golf course; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Roads passed away in 2003, and Mrs. Roads died | ||
| in 2016, but the business remains in the family; it is currently run | ||
| by the couple's daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Paul Borchardt, | ||
| who have developed the business into the third-largest amusement | ||
| park in the Lone Star State; the Borchardts are assisted by their | ||
| daughter, Rebecca Parker, a certified public accountant who serves | ||
| as the park's controller and whose children have also worked at the | ||
| park, representing the fourth generation of the family to | ||
| contribute to the business; and | ||
| WHEREAS, For seven decades, Wonderland Amusement Park has | ||
| been both a successful family enterprise and one of the iconic | ||
| destinations for family fun in Amarillo, and it is a pleasure to pay | ||
| tribute to a beloved Texas Panhandle institution on this milestone | ||
| occasion; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas | ||
| Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby commemorate the 70th | ||
| anniversary of Wonderland Amusement Park and extend to all those | ||
| associated with the park sincere best wishes for continued success; | ||
| and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for the park as an expression of high regard by the Texas | ||
| House of Representatives. | ||
| Price | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 100 was adopted by the House on August | ||
| 30, 2021, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
