Funtown Ferris Wheel Comes Down

Funtown's ferris wheel, lopsided and twisted but still standing following Hurricane Sandy, was torn down Thursday as its owners continue the lenghty cleanup of the destroyed amusement pier.

The pier, which sits on the border of Seaside Heights and Seaside Park, suffered significant damage during the late-October storm, perhaps even more than Casino Pier, who lost much of its upper deck, including most of its rides.

The Star Ledger captured the demolition of the big wheel Thursday with a gallery posted online here.

Prior to being taken down, the wheel remained half on pier support pilings and half on the beach, giving it a precarious, tilted look, though town officials made assurances that it was stable enough. With its colored and battered carriages, the wheel, like Casino Pier's Jetstar rollercoaster, which still sits in the Atlantic Ocean, became an iconic image of destruction along the shore.

Though Jenkinson's officials have vowed to reopen Casino Pier by this summer, Funtown's tourist season is likely lost. Ownership has said it would like to welcome visitors back next summer, however.