This past week, Q-line asked: What is your most fond memory of the Pacific Wheel at Pacific Park? Here are your responses: “I find it interesting to note the things that have come and gone from the Santa Monica Pier over the years, including the pier during a raging storm and to name three others: The boat house, Sinbad’s restaurant and the Spade Cooley dancehall. All gone but not forgotten. It is also interesting to note that the world-famous merry-go-round has weathered every form of storms, including earthquakes, and played host to royalty, well-known celebrities, politicians and common folk such as myself plenty times. The Pacific Wheel is a magnificent addition to the pier due to its colorful lighting. The wheel provides a beautiful lighted landmark for aircraft and sailing vessels at sea.”
“It’s funny that one year it rolled up the pier and ended up in the water, just like it was in the newspaper that day in the Daily Planet. This was April 1, so maybe it didn’t happen. But it was still funny.”
“My fondest memory of the Pacific Wheel is its major role in Stephen Spielberg’s war comedy movie, ‘1941.’ In the movie, the wheel is used as an observation post looking for Japanese invaders. Two City Councilmen of low intelligence, along with a wooden dummy, spot a Japanese submarine, which fires and hits the wheel, causing it to roll down the pier and into the Pacific Ocean. Needless to say, the two councilmen of low intelligence are saved by the wooden dummy. I’m just wondering at $1. 5 million for a new politically correct solar powered wheel and $14 million for a new-non solar powered breakwater to protect it, what dummy is going to save us the taxpayers?”
“I am 90 years old, and I live about three blocks from the pier. Since I was 2, we, my family, would act like the wheel was real. So when I ever see a Ferris wheel, we talk to each other like he can hear my words and respond. When I was 7, me and my mom went on the Ferris wheel and we saw my house, Catalina Island and tried to see the new Del Mar, which is a fishing boat that I have been on. That is my fondest memory of the wheel.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 12, 2008. Read the original PDF.