1990. It’s funny, but
when I say “a few years” ago that’s the era I’m talking about. It is almost impossible for me to believe
that was well over twenty years ago.
I have always known that I have an abstract mind…give me a
concrete task and I am bored within a very short period of time. I think that’s what I like most about the
writing I do now; starting with a blank page agrees with me. Just like the rest of my life, I prefer make
it up as I go.
Perhaps that was the appeal of the *Richland Carrousel Park
project. When I took the job as first
director the building was nearing completion, but empty except for one brown
desk phone that sat on the smooth concrete floor. My information and instruction consisted of
the fact that the carousel mechanism would be coming, the animals were being
carved (some finished pieces were displayed around town) and there you go………..
The carousel project was unpopular in town because the land
had been acquired by imminent domain and sold to RCP. A dozen bars were being relocated, and the
downtown was being turned in the direction of “family friendly”. Some people in the downtown were not happy
about making that turn.
A lot of Mansfield residents didn’t realize that the city
was not building this project; as jobs continued to leave town the man on the
street was angry that his tax dollars were not being used to create and keep
jobs. One of the first tasks was to educate people
that this was a private money effort to make Mansfield more attractive to any prospective
businesses who might want to locate here.
The carousel was the centerpiece of a project to reclaim and rejuvenate
the downtown; it was a big job then and continues to be a challenge today.
Every day, working toward the grand opening, I tried to form
a clear picture of what I needed to accomplish. I started at the library, taking out every
book they had on carousels and how they had/were run. RCP was the first hand carved wooden carousel
to go up in the US in sixty years, so there was no glut of information. I made a trip to Hartford Connecticut to see
their carousel in the downtown park; taking notes, making lists and taking
pictures had become a full time job. I
researched tokens, and found the company who made the New York City subway tokens;
they made our carousel tokens. How much
easier it would all be today with computers and the internet.
Slowly the picture formed in my mind, and as the work
progressed on the construction of the “merry go round” itself I put a plan
together. Everyone at the Chamber of
Commerce, Main Street Mansfield and the RCP board was supportive and
helpful….but none of us had ever done this before.
######
When the building construction was complete the day for the
final walk through arrived. The
construction foreman took me through every inch of the building, the fire
suppression system, electrical system….and finally we stood on the sidewalk
outside the pavilion.
“Let’s go up on the roof so I can show you how to get into
the cupola to change the bulb,” he said seriously.
“Oh, that’s okay……………” my voice trailed off as my throat
tightened in panic.
He insisted, and the next thing I knew I was following him
up a ladder onto the roof of the carousel without informing him I am afraid of
heights. And I don’t mean the “oh dear” afraid of heights……I mean the “I’m about to die a miserable death” fear
of heights that locks the joints and clamps the eyes tightly shut.
He climbed up on the roof and looked down at me as I hung on
for dear life. I had somehow managed to
get to the top of the ladder. Now,
awkwardly poised not quite on the roof and not fully on the top rung, I had
become a study in still life. In short,
I froze. Days seemed to pass, maybe
even a season or two…and as my panic stabilized my embarrassment took over.
The construction foreman’s name is gone from my memory
banks; his patience in getting me down off that ladder will live in my mind
forever. He did not burst into gales of
laughter, even though I’m sure that was his first instinct. Blessedly,
he managed to talk me down off that roof; gently lifting me off the last three
rungs, he placed me firmly on the ground. Without a word we finished the walk through,
and he never mentioned the incident again.
Now THAT is a gentleman.
######
The man at the cook out who bet me money that the carousel
would not be built got a “first ride”.
The school children from the library got their “first ride” the day
before the grand opening. Local
dignitaries and project contributors got the “inaugural ride”…..but in truth I
had the very first ride on the carousel.
The center pole, the huge mast that supports the weight of
the entire carousel, had been stored in a barn; when it was inspected it was
found to be infested with termites. No
center pole…no carousel. The new center
pole came from a ship builder; it is a ships mast. After all the drama, the huge piece of wood
was delivered and the work began on putting the jigsaw together. It was an exciting day as the crew delivered
the huge pole, maneuvering it through the doors and pulling it up into
position. I will never forget the
sight.
Day after day the structure grew; finally the carousel had
“bones”. The metal structure hung from
the pole, soon the floor would be put into place. One day, as I sat working in my office, a
workman came in and asked me to come into the pavilion. A handful of the fellows were standing
around grinning; they had decided I should have the first ride. Standing on a metal cross piece, without
benefit of a floor, I held on for dear life as the guys pushed the carousel
around while they laughed and clapped. It was exhilarating to have gotten this far and to know it was
going to keep forming day by day.
####
Eventually the grand opening day arrived. The benches were attached to the carousel
floor at the very last minute while the crowd waited at the doors. Everything checked out for the inaugural
ride. Then it was time for political
speeches and the ribbon cutting. The
crowd pushed in to stand in line or just stand and admire. It was finally happening.
The work week before the grand opening was long; the weekend
celebration was non-stop and grueling.
We had lots of volunteers, my whole family and my friends pitched in,
the RCP board members put on aprons and served popcorn and refreshments….it all
came together and it was an amazing time.
By the end of the first day I was totally out of gas; the
anticipation and preparation had taken every ounce of strength I
possessed. My poor husband and children
had been living with an absentee wife and mom; their patience with my
compulsion and their loving support was a testament to what families are all
about.
One of the last groups was getting on the carousel that
evening, and I was helping get a wheelchair fastened down before the ride
began. As I knelt to secure the wheel I
felt hands on my shoulders; I turned to be grabbed in a big bear hug. The wheelchair held a young retarded girl,
her grin stretched from ear to ear. As
she embraced me she said, “Thank you!” I
just melted, and as I looked at her completely happy face the fatigue fell away
from me; I heard the tinkling music and looked out over the happy crowd. The day was totally redefined at that moment and
I was so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful day.
All these years later Richland Carrousel Park is still going
strong; I couldn’t be happier about that if I tried. I believe the community has embraced it for
what it truly is……a happy place. A few
years ago it came full circle for me (no pun intended) as I sat in one of the
rockers with a grandchild in my lap. As
I kissed to top of this warm, wiggly little girl’s head I could only send up a
heartfelt…“Yes!”
Life is Good
*Richland Carrousel Park: The extra “r” was added by one of
the project originators, Carol Buterra Dutton, who was director of Main Street
Mansfield at the time. She preferred the
English spelling because it set RCP apart and made a better looking logo.
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