(continued)

RIDE ZE WATER TUBES IN FRENCH CANADA
Le Parc aquatique, St-Pie, Quebec

It's hard to think of anything more innocuous than a French Canadian waterpark. St. Pie boasts an adorable welcome picture of a wee gamine on its website declaring "Rafraî ... chaud!" (Rrrrefreshing ... Hot!), but the water park has also had its share of troubles, two of which belonged to a seven-year-old boy. In 2006, he was dragged into an open intake pipe at the bottom of one of the park's waterslides and lost both of his legs.

The incident set off a large-scale investigation, with the safety board finding over 20 other safety problems at St. Pie. According to a Canadian news report, these included "exposed electrical cables" and "a conveyer belt without an emergency brake." The report also showed that the drain cover, which was missing and could have prevented the accident, had been "homemade."

And yet, in the true French Canadian spirit that thrives despite a much-mocked accent and the coming menace of Vermont maple syrup, Le camping des glissades d'eau St-Pie, keeps on keeping on. The rides are still in operation. And you can help in the struggle for a mere $22 Canadian (if you're over 13.)

Honorable Mention: Bow your head at the now closed Action Park in McAffey, New Jersey, which claimed numerous casualties over the years, not only from its famous waterpark and wavepool (nicknamed "the grave pool," for its various drownings) but also from its unique Alpine Slide, where riders could hop on flimsy plastic sleds, then speed down concrete gutters at ridiculous speeds, regularly getting tossed head first off the track into hay bales or far worse. Doctors at local hospitals had a few terms of endearment for the place, including "Traction Park" and "Death Park."