Decline, Reemergence
After some years of decline after World War II, Ocean View Amusement Park was closed in the 1970s and was torn down for a 1979 made for TV movie called The Death of Ocean View Park, which starred Mike Connors of "Mannix" fame and featured blowing up the landmark wooden roller coaster. While there had been popular concern as to the structural integrity of the famous wooden structure, early attempts to destroy it with explosives met with failure. Finally, the landmark relented, and became part of history. Also, the movie Rollercoaster (with Timothy Bottoms) features the "Rocket", Ocean View Amusement Park's famous roller coaster, in the opening sequences.
In the late 20th century, substantial portions of Ocean View were plagued with vice activity and related problems. In particular, the abundant number of sex offenders and gang members in the West and East Ocean View area.
In the early 21st century, as the entire coastal property market surged with new growth, redevelopment in the Ocean View community has resulted in new upscale residential properties replacing old beach cottages and small motels along the resort strip, and bay front property has regained and exceeded its past values.
Today, U.S. Highway 60 is the main roadway paralleling the bay along the resort strip on Ocean View Avenue. U.S. Highway 460 begins at its junction in front of the site of the former amusement park, where a city park is now located.
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