Archéologie de la modernité # 3 : Les Luna-parks abandonnés

Après les ruines rouges des palaces de Kep et Bokor, je tombe sur ces étranges photos de Luna-parks en déshérence. En recherchant sur le net, je découvre que plusieurs parcs d'attraction dans le monde ont subi le même destin : vastes équipements au rebut, que les promoteurs n'ont même pas (encore) pris la peine de démonter. Grandes roues aux mécanismes grippés pour toujours, qu'il faudra découper au chalumeau, dinosaures abattus comme des jouets par un enfant capricieux, montagnes russes rouillées qui surfent dans la canopée envahissante ; l'ensemble rappelle ces navires décarcassés sur le rivage, fantomatiques, toutes lumières depuis longtemps éteintes. Et on se demande pour quelle raison ils sont tombés dans une telle déchéance (non rentabilité ? loisirs démodés, supplantés par les Spacemountains et autres attractions technologiques de nouvelle génération ?).
Deux spécialistes, à l'origine du texte ci-dessous, répondent à ces questions, et pour les amateurs, il existe à ce sujet de nombreux exemples et photos sur le net, un article en anglais sur Wikipédia recensant tous les parcs dans ce cas.

"Just because a park is currently empty and silent does not mean it is necessarily abandoned. Many parks close temporarily because of new ownership, extensive renovations, or seasonal operating schedules. Generally speaking, however, a park is said to be abandoned when it is no longer operating under its normal schedule and there is no definitive plan to reopen the facility. These defunct amusement parks may stand empty for years, or they may be quickly removed to make way for new construction developments or other projects.
Another term frequently applied to abandoned amusement parks is “SBNO” – standing but not operating. While this term is more often used to describe a single ride at an operating park, it can be applied to an entire park that is no longer in service.
An amusement park may be closed for a number of reasons. An amusement park is a part of the entertainment industry and when guests’ preferences change, not every park can keep up with those changes to continue operating successfully. The most common reasons for parks to close include: Economics, Limited Expansion, Parks without guests will eventually close, Family Ownership, Corporate Purchases, Damage, Accidents.
After an amusement park is abandoned, there are several things that may happen to its rides. In some cases, the rides may be left untended for years while a new buyer is sought or insurance claims are settled, and in that time they gradually decay, possibly beyond repair. If a park closes for economic reasons, the rides may be auctioned off to be relocated and reopened as new attractions elsewhere. If the rides cannot be sold or are too decrepit, they may simply be demolished and scrapped, though some parts – entrance signs, roller coaster trains, etc. – may end up as collectors’ items in museums or private collections. Sometimes rides and attractions may be removed from abandoned amusement parks to be put in storage to keep them from decaying while legal and financial concerns are sorted out. In this case, the rides may later be sold and reassembled at new locations."
Quotation from : http://themeparks.lovetoknow.com/Abandoned_Amusement_Parks ; text by Melissa Mayntz and WendyMichaels