The park and dancehall began to deteriorate and decline in the 1950s, as attendance fell due to people having more choices and access by personal cars. The park was renamed "San Juan Amusement Park", inspired by a vintage neon sign "San Juan Hotel" located near the park's entrance. On the evening of July 4, 1961, rowdies at Russells Point bars across the street started fighting - and before the evening was over, there was a riot involving nearly 500 youths. For nearly a decade, there were repeats of the Independence Day weekend riots. Families chose to go to safer destinations, and motorcycle gangs were attracted to the disruption and came to be part of it. The park management fought back, increasing their security budget, and when it appeared that they had turned the corner on the violence, they renamed the park "Indian Lake Playland" in 1967. An illuminated slowly revolving statue of the Virgin Mary was erected at the park in 1964 adjacent to the lake in an effort to bring families back. The statue, still locally maintained, remains there to this day.