Kimberley Cintiron (right) rode the Forest Park Carousel with her father, Luis, on the first day the merry-go-round reopened to the public. The carousel had been closed for the last four years after the previous operator’s contract expired. Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda.
After four years, the Forest Park Carousel has finally reopened.
The long-shuttered Woodhaven merry-go-round opened its doors on the morning of Saturday, May 26. It was the first time it had been open to the public since 2008.
“Welcome to the carousel, the first riders in many years,” said Ami Abramson, speaking to eager customers who trickled into the carousel’s entrance seconds after it opened.
Abramson is part of New York Carousel, the operating company that was selected to take control of both the Forest Park and the Flushing-Meadows Corona-Park carousels.
The reopening concludes a long search for a new concessionaire since the city’s contract with its previous operator expired four years ago.
The process to find a new operator turned into a long marathon, including a total of five rounds of bidding during the city Department of Parks and Recreation’s search for a concessionaire.
During the first four rounds of bidding, the Parks Department could not come to an agreement with any interested operators, and in some of the rounds, did not even receive one proposal.
But in January 2012, the Parks Department switched on the lights and let the carousel run, so potential operators could get a close look at the merry-go-round, and its special creatures. This carousel is unique, in that it’s the only one in New York City with horses, and other animals, that were hand-carved by famed wood carver Daniel Carl Muller.
In the last round of bidding, the Parks Department paired the Woodhaven carousel with the Flushing Meadows carousel in order to entice more companies to bid on the facilities. It also offered the option of expanding business around the Forest Park carousel in order to create more revenue.
One month later, Parks announced that they had secured a deal with an operator and would formally announce details in March. That actual announcement didn’t come until May, when New York Carousel was revealed as the operator for both carousels.
After a few weeks of renovations to the carousel, including repairing the roll-down metal gates and adding a fresh coat of paint, local community members, elected officials and reporters got a sneak preview of the finished product on Thursday, May 24, two days before it would be open to the public.
The elected officials were elated about the carousel’s reopening.
“I’m so pleased that we don’t have to talk about a carousel anymore, we can actually ride a carousel,” said State Senator Joseph Addabbo at the event, who wants to take his two daughters to the ride now that it’s open.
“Today really is a wonderful day not only for the carousel and the people who love the carousel, but for the Woodhaven community in particular,” said Councilman Eric Ulrich.
After the press conference was over, the elected officials, community members and
Forest Park Carousel has a long, storied history. In this photo, circa 1940, carousel-goers enjoy the ride and its hand-carved horses. File photo.
children from St. John Evangelical Lutheran School, which is on Myrtle Avenue right next to Forest Park, took a spin on the carousel.
At Saturday’s carousel reopening, people were eager to ride the carousel as soon as it was up and running.
Peter Valdes-Dapana and his son, Patrick, were among the first people to get on the ride, minutes after it opened.
Peter said he was excited to take his son back to the merry-go-round. Patrick rode the carousel when it was last open and kept asking his dad when it would be open so they could go back.
“I was starting to think it would never open again,” said Peter, who lives in Astoria.
Three generations of a Woodhaven family got their chance to enjoy the carousel once again.
Monica Setikas, her daughter Laura, and Laura’s daughter Megan Lorenti were all glad that it reopened.
“I’m just so glad that it’s back so I can share it with her,” said Monica, referring to her granddaughter Lorenti.
“It feels like you’re going back in time,” Laura said.
Both Monica and Laura visited the carousel when they were little girls and Saturday gave them the chance to share that experience with Lorenti, who is 4 years old.
Howard Beach resident Maria Carbone also took her son, Joseph, to the carousel’s reopening. Carbone lived in Richmond Hill while growing up and visited the carousel often.
“It was kind of depressing around here, passing the park and seeing it closed for so long,” she said.
As for the carousel itself, it will be open on weekends from 11 a.m. until sunset, according to Abramson. Starting on June 27, it will be open every day of the week.
It costs $3 for three tickets, which counts as one ride. If you want to spend more, it costs $5 for six tickets, $10 for 12 tickets and $15 for 20 tickets.
Abramson said it was great to see the kids that came out to the carousel’s reopening.
“It brings you back to being a kid,” he said. “We all want to go back to being a kid sometimes.”
Abramson said that they want to add other amenities around the carousel but specifics of that have not been discussed yet. They do have a clown that will perform there every Saturday at 2 and 4 p.m.
The concession stand next to the ride was closed on Saturday. Abramson said that there were repairs still needed to be done to the stand and permits they needed to secure and they hope to have it open sometime during the summer.
If you have any questions or comments about the carousel, New York Carousel can be reached via e-mail at info@nycarousel.com.
By Luis Gronda
