Record crowds and profits

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 11

Record crowds and profits

On the evening of Janu« ary 7, 1978, when the Caroline Bay Association’s sixty-sixth annual carnival ended, a record 14,000 people were on the bay.

The association “chalked up” a record gross profit of almost $30,000. In its annual report, the executive of the association said the takings were also a record —578,530.96. The amusement devices, purchased by the association last year, proved immensely popular because prices were almost halved, and this had encouraged more family groups to spend more time on the bay. “These riding devices are a great asset to the association and should help make Caroline Bay a family place. The holiday resort image should continue for years to come, adding to our profitability in running the carnivals,” said the report.

The gross takings from the games amounted to $64,595.16 and from the rides $13,935.80. Total gross profits from rides and the carnival were $29,863.60, a big increase from the $11,426 gross profit from the previous year’s carnival. The major Outlay for the carnival was $24,277.60 for prizes. Fine weather and the

reasonable prices for rides were responsible for the record takings. The games contributed 82 per cent of the total gross takings and 63 per cent of the total gross profit, and the rides contributed 18 per cent Of the total gross takings and 37 per cent of the total gross profits. The devices purchased for $30,000, were the “merry-go-round,” “chair-o-plane,” “jet ride,” “octopus” and the “big wheel.”

“The purchase price of these devices was cheap, but a considerable amount Of money has already been spent on up-grading them and, though there is still a considerable amount of up-grading to do, it is hoped this will be completed before the carnival,” the report said. The association does not expect to show a profit on

the rides for from four to five years, because the price has been kept as low as possible. It will, however, plough the takings back into an ambitious project to revamp the viaduct entrance.

The organisers are confident that this year’s carnival will be equally if not more successful.

No sooner had the “shutters” been put up after the last carnival than the president (Mr W. A. Collins) gave an assurance that the takings, which were about $6OOO more than the previous year, and which matched the association’s hopjd for figure of approximately $65,000, would be used for improvements. The association, he said, had in mind a sunken, free-flight aviary and cobblestone paths. It was proposed to build new toilets in the triangle area.