Locals are roaring mad.
The iconic wooden dragon at the historic Dragon Coaster at Playland amusement park has been unceremoniously chucked in a dumpster — and park patrons are fuming about it.
Westchester County officials said the move was necessary to replace the crumbling dragon, which has been the symbol of the county-run park for decades but has aged out and become a hazard.
But for Playland regulars, seeing the toothy beast in a dumpster was too much to bear.
“That should be in a museum,” one member of the Playland Facebook group posted.
“I thought they were fixing it up,” said another. “They threw out the head? Why didn’t they auction it off?”
The Dragon Coaster, one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the country, is 97 years old and one of 48 coasters in the world recognized by the American Coaster Enthusiasts as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, according to lohud.com.
The coaster has long been the main attraction at the park, which opened on the Long Island Sound in Rye in 1928. The park appeared in Mariah Carey’s 1995 “Fantasy” music video and was featured in the Tom Hanks flick “Big.”
But despite the pushback, county officials said the dragon that was thrown out is itself a replacement.
County spokesperson Catherine Cioffi said in a statement that the discarded dragon parts “are severely deteriorated due to lack of maintenance” and posed a hazard if not replaced.
“While many of us feel attached to these features, it’s important to remember these are not the original elements,” Cioffi said. “They are mostly composite, fiberglass and hard foam. The true original dragon was removed generations ago.”
However, those who grew up enjoying Playland are having a hard time saying goodbye — with at least one fan telling Fox 5 News she even went dumpster diving to salvage a few dragon scales.
“In my home, I don’t throw anything out,” she told the outlet. “I keep everything.”
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