Coeur d'Alene Carousel: A successful first spin

COEUR d’ALENE — It’s been almost two summers since the Coeur d’Alene Carousel opened, and Coeur d’Alene Carousel Foundation secretary Rita Snyder said that first year was "fantastic."

"It was a fantastic success,” Snyder said Wednesday. “Every time I walk into this building, it makes me smile."

The second year, now headed down the homestretch, hasn’t been quite as successful.

The long-awaited return of the historic Playland Pier carousel to its home city generated excitement through the community as plans were made to purchase and bring it back, especially among those who remember riding it before Playland closed in 1974.

"This is really all we have left of Playland Pier and that era," Snyder said. "We are so incredibly lucky to have it. Who gets their original carousel back to their city fully restored and ready for operation? That doesn’t happen."

Snyder reported that more than 20,000 riders visited the carousel from its June opening through September 2017, including when it was open during the holiday lighting ceremony and parade in November.

"That was really fun," she said. "We didn't have a ton of people make it over here because we're kind of off of downtown, but this year we're going to promote it more. I'm hoping we'll be able to open that day."

The second year has come with some ups and downs. Snyder said ridership is lower than last year because Memorial Field was closed all summer and the extreme heat and wildfire smoke kept people away. The nonprofit Coeur d'Alene Carousel Foundation spent extra funds to install air conditioning in the building, located at 439 W. Fort Grounds Drive, to ensure a cooler season next year.

"When we get that intense heat, it’s a killer. There’s nobody around," Snyder said. "Does anybody want to be out when it’s 96 degrees?"

A couple of the ponies have been injured and will be repaired this winter. The first year also took a toll on the concentric mechanisms at the tops of the pony poles, which will cost up to $12,000 to fix.

“They’re all 96 years old,” Snyder said. “It’s a pretty major repair. It's not something we expected. When we got this back it was in the condition it's in, which is quite good condition."

This year brought about opportunities for the Coeur d'Alene Carousel Foundation to partner with different organizations and events to give away ride tickets and distribute brochures.

The benches in the carousel building are also new, and next year Snyder hopes to invite local artists to fill empty wall space with their works.

"I think that would be so much fun," she said.

As repairs and upkeep will be ongoing, so will the fundraising. Snyder said although the ridership pays for bills, staff, insurance and utilities, anything extra needs funding. Anyone interested in supporting the carousel can do so in a number of ways, including adopting ponies and art panels, purchasing etched floor tiles or sponsoring the stained glass windows that will be installed in the cupola in the near future. All funds go to operation, maintenance and preservation of the carousel.

"It's original to our town, and it's ours, and it's rare … It's art, it's history and it's fun," Snyder said. "We just want everybody to come down and experience it."

The Coeur d'Alene Carousel is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. After Monday, the carousel will be open weekends through September.

Rides cost one token. Tokens are $2 each.

Info: www.cdacarousel.com