Historic Coney Island Carousel Spins Once Again
The B&B Carousel is back for a new go-around after an eight-year restoration in Coney Island. Mayor Michael Bloomberg flipped the switch Friday to ceremonially re-open the beloved ride. "We think that it's going to be a favorite attraction for visitors for many years to come," Bloomberg said.
The historic merry-go-round is the sole surviving hand-carved carousel from the 1800s to the 1930s, Brooklyn's golden age of carousel construction. It cost more than $3 million to purchase and repair.
City officials say it was important to save the B&B, adding it's an essential link between the past and present as Coney Island gets revitalized. "In 2005 the city saved it from auction. It was gonna be sold off piece by piece. and instead it's been meticulously restored at a workshop in Ohio," said Nate Bliss of the city's Economic Development Corporation.
The city owns the carousel but it will be operated by Luna Park inside a pavilion in the new Steeplechase Plaza at the boardwalk and 15th Street. "The carousel is a nostalgic ride. I believe everybody has had an experience on this kind of ride by themselves or with their parents," said Luna Park CEO Alberto Zamperla. Starting Saturday, you can take a ride for just $3.
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/182669/historic-coney-island-carousel-spins-once-again
= new reply since forum marked as read
