Greenway Custom Carousel
In 2013, a new, one-of-a-kind carousel will open on the Greenway across from Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Christopher Columbus Park, thanks to an anonymous gift.
The installation of a permanent carousel on Boston’s Greenway will fulfill a long-held dream of the City of Boston and the community dating since the planning of the Greenway. The hand-carved creatures of this magical, whimsical carousel will be inspired by the wildlife of Boston harbor and the original Shawmut peninsula, as well as the imaginations of Boston’s children. This will be New England’s only custom-designed carousel and only accesible carousel, and is destined to become an iconic Boston landmark.
The custom Boston carousel draws from the feedback from multiple communities and from local children. In workshops at four local schools, children drew carousel characters that they would like to ride. A Massachusetts artist and carousel craftsman, Jeffrey Briggs, is translating these drawings into the carousel’s characters. Learn more in this blog post. Based on an environmental theme, the carousel will be both playful as well as educational, linking the carousel experience to school curricula, visits to the Aquarium and Harbor Islands, walks along the Esplanade and play at the beach. An anonymous donor through The Boston Foundation has supported this project with a $1.6 million gift, as celebrated in this Boston Globe editorial.
We are fundraising for site improvements to fully integrate the carousel into the park landscape. Design is underway for a landscape with shade trees and plantings, table seating with umbrellas, and other amenities. Click here to donate to support this effort. The design will unify the Greenway, connecting the new Harbor Island Pavilion to the south and the Armenian Heritage Park under construction to the north. The project has already gained significant support from donors, including the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
The new custom carousel will replace the Greenway’s popular seasonal rental carousel which operates from April to October. At $3 per ride, it attracted nearly 100,000 riders in 2011.
We expect the new carousel the custom carousel will more than double the net revenue to the Conservancy that supports our free public programs; this forecast draws from extensive research into carousel operations.
Public Presentations
Community Meeting - 12/14/2011 [11 mb]
Community Meeting - 5/18/2011
Community Meeting - 10/27/2010
Community Meeting - 9/29/2010 [12 mb]
