Salem's Carousel

Press Release: Salem’s Riverfront Carousel
March 31, 2011
Re: 9/11 Memorial Horse Carving Project
The Carousel ‘Thursday Carvers’ have taken on a new carving project!
Working in collaboration with Debbie Crooks, Carousel Gift Gallery Manager; Oregon’s
Patriot Day Field of Flags non profit organization, (headed by Gerry Frank, Janet Taylor,
Dick Withnell and Jerry Thompson), and artist, Janee Hughes—work will begin on a 1/4
scale carving of a memorial horse for the local, upcoming 10th anniversary plans of the
September 11th ‘Never Forget’ event.

Following military funeral honor tradition, the carving project design features will include
a caparisoned, prancing horse with white body and mane; red, white and blue flag themed
blanket with golden tassels; an eagle crested trapping; jeweled bridle; and US Calvary
McClellan style saddle with empty boots sitting in reverse upon the stirrups. The romance
side will also feature a carved ‘Never Forget’ flag.

The carving will be made from basswood and sit on a walnut base, with the basswood being
provided by Salem Wood Products. Stars and medallions will represent the branches of both
military and emergency services—honoring those fell victim to the terrorist acts committed
in the US in 2001 and who gave their lives responding to the national crisis.

The public is welcome to come and observe the work in progress (beginning mid-April)
and over the next few months, typically on Thursdays between 10am and 2pm. The
‘Thursday Carver’s’ group managing the carving and sanding will include head master
carver, Everett Koontz; Charlie King, Joe Winter, Don and Shirley Knepp, Arturo Fernandez,
Fritz Geiling, Lois Witherspoon and Ruth Burden. Janee Hughes, a long-time associate
of the Carousel designed the horse and will do the painting. Many of the artisans also
worked on the original project of the existing Carousel.

The memorial project is tentatively scheduled for completion by August. It will be
represented during the State Fair and eventually raffled off to the public during the Patriot
Day event weekend of Sept. 8-11th, at Riverfront Park and the Carousel.
(Raffle ticket sale details will be announced in the near future).

For additional information about Patriot Day 2011, contact www.patriotsdaymemorial.com
or call 503.364.9468.
Salem’s Riverfront Carousel is located at
101 Front ST NE, in vibrant downtown Salem, OR.
503.540.0374
www.salemcarousel.org

Check us out monthly as we post new and exciting news of our New Dream! An official release of our New Dream will be made public in March. Please stay tuned for the exciting news!

A Family-Friendly Songsters' Showcase

Join us Friday, June 4th, for Salem's newest open mic stage opening!

Do you play? Do you sing? Come join us for a night of music-making and revelry, with the colorful carousel as a beautiful backdrop to an evening of entertainment! Bring your friends and your songs... let's make music!

Sign up begins at 5:30PM, and our first performer will take the stage at 6! Performance slots are given on a first-come first-serve basis, so be sure to get there early! (And friends, let's sing songs our mothers would be proud to hear... there are kids in the park.) See you there!!!

Kate & Francis anniversary celebration - May 8th @ the Carousel, starting at 10am. Free cake, autographed books and rides, while supplies last. Who can resist the magic?

An adoption, of sorts, took place in Salem recently...

One of the Carousel’s artworks, Lady Camoolot, a fine bejeweled bovine, was transported via truck and trailer, from Salem’s Riverfront Carousel, out to live at the Rickreall Dairy. Tahoma; Lady Camoolot originated in 2001 it is believed. The idea of a cow came from participation in (what is now an international) community art project and fundraiser called ‘CowParade’, where local artisans & businesses were (& are) encouraged to sponsor, create, auction and donate cows to be displayed during the host city’s culminating exhibition event (Portland March 2002). Proceeds go toward various local & international organizations that benefit children. www.cowparade.com. Camoolot – was sponsored by a group from the JantzenBeachSuperCenter in association with its antique C.W. Parker carousel, who had the idea to make a carnival type ‘kow’ for the upcoming ‘Parade’.

They, in turn, enlisted the Salem Carousel’s help, having heard about our building project & scheduled grand opening prior, and secured our artisan painters to do the painting once the fiberglass bovine form was made. Lady Camoolot was then put up for auction and purchased, along with 3 others, by the Harry A. Merlo Foundation) – and after her initial exhibiting – set about to travel on display at various locations before coming to live at the World Forestry Center, (Mr. Merlo is the founder of the Forestry Center) in Portland’s Washington Park, for a period of time.

Then she ‘moooved’ down to Salem, sometime in 2004, where she continued to delight visitors for the next 5 years or so, decked out in her shining armor. The Carousel has limited storage space available and has seen an increase in the number of equine figures they have on display – so an adoption sponsor was facilitated to take on the TLC of her ladyship. Rickreall Dairy and it’s owner, Louie Kazemier, were contacted and enthusiastically agreed to further stable this beautiful, one-of-a-kind cow. Both organizations saw this as a naturally, perfect, new fit.

The Dairy, Carousel, Forestry Center and SuperCenter have entered their respective, high field trip seasons – welcoming over 100+ school children daily at times. Each organization has educational opportunities, especially designed for school groups & children to receive and participate in unique, hands-on learning experiences. Lady Camoolot’s journey will continue now, at the Dairy, as both a valuable piece of community artwork and an added attraction - as well as for photo opportunities and a great conversation piece – sharing the living histories the two cities, four local organizations, one state and an international endeavor share – because of their mutual love & dedication to the health & happiness of children everywhere. For further details and visitors hours to any of these establishments contact:

Salem’s Riverfront Carousel, www.salemcarousel.org 503.540.0374
(* Carousel horses are also offered as display attractions by request)
Rickreall Dairy, LLC (503.871.1743 contact Stacy) http:
//www.worldforestry.org/503.228.1367
www.jantzenbeachsupercenter.com 503.286.9103

New Years Day - Jan 1st @ 12-4pm
Enjoy free rides on the Carousel with the donation of canned food. This is our last day of the Marion-Polk food drive Carousel contest!* (read below)


*Help us in the fight against hunger. Make a canned-food donation and enter for a chance to win 50 free Carousel rides! You will receive 1 raffle ticket for each canned-food item donated. No limits!

Happy Holidays to ALL!

The Carousel is closed Mon 11/2 thru Thurs 11/5 for maintenance and holiday decoration. We will reopen Fri 11/6 in full holiday fashion.

The Carousel is corralling our efforts to join the fight to end hunger this holiday season – expanding and kicking off its annual Marion-Polk County Food Share drive with it’s Scarousel Bash on Halloween!

Collection barrels will remain in place throughout November and December 2009, with the drive officially ending on New Year’s Day 2010.

Visitors who participate by bringing in non-perishable and canned food items can receive a prize drawing ticket entry for every item presented, each and every time they donate and/or visit. The customer will submit their name and number on each ticket to be entered to win. There is no limit on donations or drawing entries. THE PRIZES will be Seasonal ‘50 free Ride Punch Card’ passes that will be given away as an incentive.

Drawings will be held throughout the donation drive time period on:
Oct. 31st – during the Scarousel Bash (5-7pm)
Nov. 11th – in honor of Veteran’s Day (12pm)
Nov 27th – during the Carousel Express when Santa arrives by train - the Jolly Ol’ Elf himself will choose the winner during this event.
Dec. 12th – in honor of the Festival of Lights Holiday Parade (12pm)Dec 25th – Christmas Day Jan 1st – New Year’s Day (when traditional FREE rides are given away all day between 12-4pm) as our gift to the community!

People can increase their chances of winning the 50-ride punch cards by donating more than one food item and/or bringing items in throughout the giving season, which we highly encourage every one to do!

Contact Salem’s Riverfront Carousel 503.540.0374 - www.salemcarousel.org OR Marion-Polk County Food Share 503.581.3855 www.marionpolkcountyfoodshare.org for more information.

Council votes in favor of closing railroad crossing
Revised application to be submitted to state agency
By Thelma Guerrero-Huston • Statesman Journal
September 30, 2009

Pedestrians crossing Front Street NE at State Street might have to walk a little farther to access Riverfront Park.
Salem City Council on Monday voted 8-1 in favor of closing the railroad crossing at the State Street entrance to the park.
Ward 2 City Councilor Laura Tesler voted against the agenda item, saying it could pose a hardship for businesses on State Street near the park.
The council's decision came more than two hours after public comment began on the topic.
Tim Gerling, a retired Salem Public Works director overseeing redevelopment of the Boise Cascade site, urged the council to be expedient in its decision.
"Tim, is there something driving (the urgency)?" Mayor Janet Taylor asked Gerling.
"Yes," he said. "A major national client has expressed interest in the north block of the (Boise Cascade) property."
Gerling would not identify the client but said negotiations have been ongoing for the past 11 months.
Speaking on behalf of the Salem Carousel Board, David Holton asked councilors to consider installing a low gate at the crossing "to avoid obstructing the view of the carousel from the street."
Former Salem Area Chamber of Commerce president Kathy Goss encouraged the council to support the item.
"The railroad has been a problem for redevelopment of Boise Cascade," she said. "This is the best way to solve it."
In giving the council her view, State Sen. Jackie Winters, D-Salem, said the proposed changes, coupled with the city's long-range plan to connect Wallace Marine, Riverfront, and Minto-Brown Island parks via a system of bicycle and pedestrian bridges over the remaining Boise property, presented "a tremendous opportunity for the city."
Council's decision allows City Manager Linda Norris to submit a revised application to Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division seeking approval to relocate the State Street rail crossing to a new street to be constructed on the north end of the former Boise Cascade site.
ODOT's Rail Division is the acting agency for the Federal Railroad Administration, including serving as the crossing safety authority for all public highway-railroad crossing in the state.
A previous request was not granted because "we did not want any new grade crossings built in that area," said Charles Kettenring, the division's manager of rail crossing safety.
If the city's revised request is approved, closure of the existing State Street rail crossing would not happen until after the developer delivers on a number of conditions agreed upon between it and the city. City officials estimate those improvements would occur in the next 12 to 24 months.
tguerrer@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6815

Council to consider closing rail crossing Thelma Guerrero-HustonStatesman Journal
Salem City Council on Monday will consider a request to close a rail crossing to Salem's Riverfront Carousel off State Street.
The request, made by Boise Cascade developer Pringle Square LLC, asks the city to seek permission from state transportation officials to close the rail crossing and create a new one on a public street to be built farther south on the former Boise Cascade site. A public hearing is scheduled during the Council meeting at 6:30 p.m.
If the council decides to move forward with the request and the Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division approves it, a gate cutting off direct access to Riverfront Park via State Street would be installed at the existing rail crossing, allowing access to emergency vehicles only.
Pedestrians would still be able to cross Front Street NE at State Street but would have to walk north to Court Street NE or to the new south entrance to access the park.
Some residents and merchants have expressed displeasure with the proposed closure. Others, such as Lois Skinner, are sitting the fence for now.
"I think a new street and more parking spaces would be nice," she said. "But when you are blind like me, accessing a wonderful jewel like the carousel in the least amount of time possible translates into a safer situation. At least it does for me."
City officials have said closing the current crossing near the carousel would provide a safer environment to pedestrian and vehicle traffic by reducing congestion, bottlenecks and backups exacerbated during train traffic and major events at the park.
As part of its request to the city, Pringle Square LLC has offered to build and pay for a number of changes, including the relocation of the rail crossing; the construction of 32 additional parking spaces at the carousel parking lot; a new sidewalk on the west side of the Front Street bypass between State Street and Court Street NE.
The group also would donate about 20,000 square feet of land from the Waterfront Block on the Boise property to the city.
In 2007, Pringle Square LLC approached city officials about a three-phase redevelopment at the former Boise Cascade property. The third phase called for development of 3.8 acres on the west side of the railroad tracks and bounded by Riverfront Park, according to city documents. To accomplish that, the developers included in their proposal the need for at-grade access across the railroad tracks on the site.
The results of a railroad crossing feasibility analysis conducted by Gerling Solutions Inc., which is owned by Tim Gerling, the project's manager, concluded that a new crossing independent of the existing railway crossings at State Street and Court Street NE was the best option, city documents show.
In late February, the city submitted a railroad crossing application to the Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division for a new grade-crossing. In its review of the city's application, rail officials "would not grant a new at-grade crossing without completely closing another existing, nearby, at-grade crossing," according to city documents. -->

Salem Carousel's volunteer Kathy Martell has been working hard for SRC on getting the word out to the Salem community and surrounding areas. Kathy takes you on the journey of the creation of Salem's Carousel starting with the inspiration all the way through to today's Carousel.

Coming up, Kathy will be speaking at the ESA Leadership
Convention www.esaintl.org this weekend, August 29th in the southern Oregon coast.

Kathy even has events booked out to April of 2010! We are so blessed to have Kathy as part of our team of hardworking volunteers.

If you are interested in having Kathy speak at one of your events on behalf of the Carousel, please contact us - 503-540-0374 or email Kathy directly @ kathy_martell@hotmail.com.

On Wednesday, September 9th Salem's Carousel will join forces with Marion County Department of Children and Families staff for a United Way ‘Days of Caring’ community service project. Marion County staff are coming to the Carousel to put a fresh coat of paint on the carver workshop and on the lower half of the event room!

Thank you Marion County!!!

We are finally installing the film/window coverings on the windows in the display case at the Carousel. This film will protect the horses displayed in that room from sun and heat damage. Installation will take place this week.

Thank you to our contributors for supporting us! Keep the dream alive!

Saturday, September 5th @ 10a-7p
Salem's Riverfront Carousel has a deal for all Carousel visitors!!! Come by the Carousel on Saturday September 5th during open hours (10a-7p) and purchase rides for only $1 each! And, receive a 10% discount on purchases in the Gift Gallery (merchandise only).

Friday Happy Hour
Only $1 per ride every Friday from 5-7pm!