Maintenance and repair work on the building that houses Glen Echo Park’s historic carousel is on schedule for a spring reopening, the entity that manages the park said.
Last year, the carousel closed after running in May and June. Typically, it stays open through September.
Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture said in a press release that the $1.06 million project includes major repairs and upgrades. They include replacing the roof and rebuilding the band organ room.
The repair contract was modified in December to add a new fire detection and notification system.
The press release says the project is on schedule and the carousel is expected to reopen in time for the annual Carousel Day festival on May 2.
The carousel first opened in 1921. It features a canopy and carved figures created by the Dentzel Carousel Co. of Germantown, Pa.
“We want everyone to know that while the carousel is covered by this white tent structure that makes the park landscape look very different, the critical repairs that will allow our beloved carousel to once again be part of the summer season at the park are being meticulously finished,” Glen Echo Park Partnership Executive Director Katey Boerner said in the press release.
The roof replacement is the first phase of the work, according to the park. The building is being repainted in the same color scheme.
The carousel was fully restored from 1983 to 2003, including repainting the animals in their original colors, but a new carousel roof was not needed at the time.
The fire detection system is part of phase two, which also includes improvements to the room that holds a 1926 Wurlitzer 165 Band Organ, the park said.
The National Park Service is funding much of the cost of the $1.06 million project, the press release said. Other money is coming from the Montgomery County Arts Council and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority Grant Program.