Riders of all ages enjoy new Giant Slide Complex at Mt. Pleasant Township's Mammoth Park

Joe Theis, 67, proved Thursday he’s just a kid at heart.

Theis, of New Stanton, arrived at Mammoth Park in Mt. Pleasant Township at 9:20 a.m., expecting a line for the inaugural rides on the county park’s newly opened Giant Slide Complex. But he was shocked to learn he was the first to arrive.

“Geez, I thought there would be more people here to tell you the truth. I was hoping to bring my 5-year-old granddaughter, Ava (King), but she’s away on a camping trip,” Theis said.

So Theis, admittedly a longtime fan and user of the former 96-foot-long slide that was demolished in late 2018 to make way for the new Giant Slide Complex, was eager to be the inaugural slider. The complex includes two 100-foot-long stainless steel racing slides, a smaller 50-foot slide, climbing walls, walkways and landscaping constructed over the past several months by Custom Contracting of Acme and Jeffrey Associates of Indianola.

The improvements are part of the $1.1 million renovation project at the park, which was delayed for about two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Funding for the project was made through state grants, private foundations, community development money, donations and the county hotel tax.

“I’m always up for some fun … I’ve been told I’m really a kid at heart,” Theis said as he climbed the new walkway to become the inaugural rider.

“Whew, that was a lot of fun. I was told by the workers during the construction that it will likely take a little breaking in to get faster,” Theis said.

“It was a little hot in the legs and a little hot on the bum too, but it was still a lot of fun,” he said.

Retired U.S. Marine Kurt Barron of Jacksonville, N.C., who is visiting his mother in nearby Trauger, was on his daily walk in the park when he saw Theis getting ready to slide and had to photograph it. Barron said he was a fan of the former Giant Slide, which made its debut on Memorial Day 1973.

“Yeah, no guts, no glory,” Barron shouted to Theis as the fellow sexagenarian shoved off for his ride.

“I can’t wait to bring my grandkids here. They did a really nice job,” Barron said.

Within minutes, Dan and Beth Vargo arrived with their two grandchildren, Enzo, 11, and Tucker, 8, both of Scottdale. Enzo ran to the second of the dual slides after learning he would be its first rider, and Tucker rushed to the orange, 41-foot slide, when he learned he would be its inaugural slider.

“Wow, just wow,” Enzo said as he finished.

“That was really bumpy,” a smiling Tucker told his grandparents.

Dan Vargo, 65, saw how much fun his grandkids were having and also took a few rides.

“Enzo was the second to the last rider … (in November 2018) when the slide was closed. And today, he’s one of the first on the new slides,” Beth Vargo said.

Max, 11, and Mason Elliott, 7, of Latrobe, also were among the first riders.

“I like it a lot. And I like this one a lot better,” Max Elliott said. “I like that they put two of them down the hillside because I remember having to stand in line for the one.

“It’s pretty fast too,” he added.

County Public Works Director Greg McCloskey said officials decided not to hold a ceremonial opening due to the covid-19 pandemic “at least temporarily.”

The cargo netting that children can climb to the top of the slides has not arrived, but is expected sometime in September, he said.

“We may do something formal then. But, once it was pretty much done, we decided to just open it up for the kids,” McCloskey said.

No matter their age.