Jane’s Carousel Open For Season
May 22nd, 2007
(Photo by Jane Walentas)
With Spring’s arrival, Jane’s Carousel is now open for viewing on weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 12noon to 6:00pm). Jane Walentas envisions the carousel to be part of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. Park planners say they’re still in discussions about the inclusion of the carousel. Mrs. Walentas says she’s already talking to architects about the design for the building where it’ll be housed. She says she envisions a bright, glassy pavilion so the carousel can be seen even from across the river.
Jane’s Carousel
56 Water St. Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY
The First Carousel on The National Register will be open Fridays through Sundays from noon to 6 pm.
{The Carousel News and Trader Talks About Jane’s Carousel, 19Jan2007, DumboNYC}
{To the Children of Dumbo: Experience Jane’s Carousel 12/8, 8Dec2006, DumboNYC}
{A Chat With Jane At The Carousel Opening, 16Oct2006, DumboNYC}
20 Responses to “Jane’s Carousel Open For Season”
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- YouTube: Jane Walentas’ Carousel
- To the Children of Dumbo: Experience Jane’s Carousel 12/8
- The Carousel News and Trader Talks About Jane’s Carousel
- Czech Puppets Play at Jane’s Carousel
- A Chat With Jane At The Carousel Opening
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- Day 1: 10th Annual Dumbo Art Under the Bridge Festival
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- Dumbo Links Week of 04Nov07
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July 5th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
When I finally found your site and saw her beauty once again. I was filled with so many wonderful memories. I was always in awe of there beauty. How I wished it could have stayed in Youngstown, but to see her in all her beauty once again is wonderful. I felt the tears well up and I was a child again.I am sixty years old and I would have loved my grandaughters to feel the thrill of riding her as the Wildcat went streaming by.Thank you for her awesome preservation.
August 15th, 2007 at 7:07 am
[...] Most Existential: Be careful about visiting Jane’s Carousel in Dumbo with your kids—where you can watch it go around, but never ride [...]
May 13th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I am from Youngstown and it is wonderful to see the beautiful carousel finally restored - thank you for all your work, it looks lovely. We would like to plan a trip to NY to see it. What is the charge to view the carousel and are we able to photograph it to show the folks back home? How are plans coming to place it in Brooklyn Bridge Park so that it can be rode again? I have two children and would love for them to ride it someday. thanks so much, Linda
May 13th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
I grew up in Youngstown, too. WOW!How beautiful Jane’s Carousel is!! What an endeavor to restore this magnificent gem to its original glory!! I am interested in chartering 1-2 Busses to see the Carousel we all enjoyed so much as children and as parents. Youngstown people have the biggest hearts for the special days we had growing up there…..and how you have melted our hearts again, Jane Walentas! Thanks for the memories……
May 14th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I can’t believe people are so emotional about a friggin carousel.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Hey man, Even I know about Idora Park. Its the best god damn amusement park that ever was. Like I said before, the magic carpet ride with fat kids was the best. Come to think of it, putting a fat kid on one end of the wild turtle ride was good because everybody would lean on him and try to push him out. Instant DEATH!
May 14th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
In reply to Geez, I guess you never had the opportunity to have a haven like Idora Park in which you idled away peaceful summers with family and friends, strolled the midway and snacked on concessions. There were record hops weekly and big name entertainment appeared here.
All the companies in Youngstown threw yearly parties for their workers and their families.
I feel sorry that you were never set loose as we were in a safe place to ride rides and play penny arcade games.
Also, those of us in Youngstown who saw our community disintegrate before our very eyes as the steel industry closed down, were devastated as the no longer lucrative park burned. It seemed like the end of everything good.
The carousel does mean so much to us because the era of prosperity here is over.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
In response to Geez….Just becauase you don’t get it, doesn’t mean there is “nothing to get” !
You just wouldn’t understand. I don’t expect you to understand.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:30 am
No offense intended towards Youngstown. I’m no stranger to hardship, but still, a carousel? Yawn.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Jeanette,
I like the carousal.
However, perhaps (I don’t KNOW this, but just perhaps) some of us “never had the opportunity to have a haven like Idora Park in which you idled away peaceful summers with family and friends, strolled the midway and snacked on concessions”…
because we grew up in New York.
How will we remember _this_ community that we’ve watched disintegrate?
I’d rather have a place to play music than a fancy carousel pet project of the rich.
That said, again, I DO like the carousel.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
you know what, really, c’mon, stop biting my handle? I’d rather have a day care center for crack babies than, “a place to play music”. Thats just the way I am, always thinking about my burden to society.
May 18th, 2008 at 8:47 am
to geez,
I can see that alot of people out there would not understand this. perhaps if there was something to this effect that was lost from a place in your heart, you might be able to get the picture of what all of us here in Y-TOWN are feeling to see this incredible woman do something so magnificent as to restore a piece of history, and right down to the matching colors. I’d like you to go to wytv.com our local website here in youngstown, and check out the video that talks about Idora Park Carousel, then you will understand what history means to the people of youngstown.
May 18th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Right on, Cookie!! Understanding the magnitude of Jane’s project comes from the heart. If this world was devoid of great people with great hearts we wouldn’t have great music or great books or great movies,etc. Youngstowners have a history that is full of culture, because of great people with a vision. Jane’s vision has delighted all of us.
July 13th, 2008 at 11:30 am
THANK YOU for preserving and restoring one of the most cherished of my childhood memories with my parents. My father (now deceased) was a steel worker in Alliance, OH (where I was born), and back in the ’70s, his company held their summer picnics at Idora. How I loved that park, and that beautiful carousel…it was my favorite ride. My eyes welled with tears this morning, when I saw the story on CBS. I cannot tell you how much it means to see it spinning so brightly again! I hope that someday I can make a trip to see her again.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Jane; It was so exciting to watch “Sunday Morning” and see what you have done with the Idora Park Carousel. I lived on the corner of the Hopkins and Canfield Rd. in Yoco and every evening my Grand parents and I would sit on our front porch and watch the wild cat and listen to the music coming from the park. I rode the carousel from 1938 to the mid 50’s when I moved away. I was very familiar with the carousel and rode on every horse through the years. From 1946 to the mid fifties I walked past the corousel five days a week on my way home from school, except for winter time. It was the only ride I went on in the park with the exception of the wild cat and the ferris wheel once. That was enough for me. It was the dance hall and the carousel and french fries for me. Thank you for the beautiful restoration you’ve done. You’re a treasure yourself. On a personal note, would you please ask Jane Wardle if she’s related to Billy Wardle? Again, thank you for the magnificent work of love you’ve done. I hope to come to NY again, my favorite city, and I will certainly look you up and hope I can ride the carousel once again.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Jane, after watching the CBS News Sunday Morning piece about your carousel, I had to write to you. (Link the CBS article).
You not only have a fan club in Dumbo, but also have a fan club in all of us at Youngstown, Ohio. Thank you for restoring this work of art!
July 13th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Dear Jane, I was so thrilled and excited to see the story on the carousel from Idora park. I too am from Youngstown, Ohio and went to Idora a few times. My favorite memory is like Peter W Barber, the french fries in a paper cone with vinegar and salt, to this day I tell people about them. I am 55 now and live in Tenn, but have wonderful memories of Idora. The Sunday Morning show aired here on the 13th of July which would have been my Mom’s birthday, (She passed away last August,( it will be a year soon.)I thought what a way to remember her by me thinking about all the times she was able to take me there. I appreciate all the time and money it took to restore it. P.S. Don’t give it back to Youngstown. You deserve to put it where you want to Again THANKS Sue Cline (Maiden Name Susan Taylor
July 20th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Dear Jane, Thank you so much for the beautiful work you’ve done. I stood against the gate and watched as the horses were auctioned one by one. It was a blessing to hear that the steeds would stay together. It was worth the wait to see them in all of their glory!! Thanks again Amy
July 20th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Amy, is that you? I’m sorry I didn’t know you got married. If you want we can take another spin on the merry go round. This time a stationary horse please.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Joey, are you still that lovable over ripe douchbag? How’s the missus?