CAROUSEL: Untapped potential

Is there a carousel in town? I drove downtown to see the carousel and all I saw was a yellow building.

I ask myself, “If there is a carousel in that building, why doesn’t it represent fun? Why doesn’t it look inviting? Why are there soft yellow walls all around the carousel? Why can’t we hear the music? Why isn’t it painted bright and colorful?”

There is nothing exciting about our carousel; the only excitement for me was getting a $20 ticket because I didn’t read the parking sign when I drove in and it was after 7 p.m. My opinion about the carousel: Who cares!

Well, I have another opinion; something should be done about our prized possession. I suggest having walls that slide open in the summer so the visitors can tell what’s inside and the riders are excited about the freshness of the experience, and not just look at walls as they go around in a circle.

Let us hear the music as we drive by. Paint the exterior in multiple bright colors, with brightly painted prancing carousel horses, or stripes or something. Come on, let’s have some fun with this, let’s excite our visitors and residents and encourage them to come to town and enjoy the ride.

I had family in town and took them on a tour of downtown and the yellow building didn’t say one thing! If it had been painted right, and the walls open, and music playing that incredible carousel music that I love, and people standing around watching their children and grandparents riding, they would have noticed it and said, “Oh my goodness, there is a carousel. STOP. GO BACK. I WANT TO RIDE!”

Let’s make the changes and save the carousel!

JUDY NORTON

Coeur d’Alene