Good News! EP's Historic Looff Carousel at Crescent Park is Open Again!

The East Providence landmark historic Looff Carousel is back in operation after several weeks of careful observation. As a group of people were riding the carousel on a Saturday evening late in April, they noticed something was very wrong. Floorboards were creaking and appeared to be in danger of serious disrepair. Veteran carousel caretaker and expert Ed Serowik was called in and responded to the Riverside treasure. "We shut down the ride and won't operate it until we know for sure what is going on," Serowik told the Reporter. The 120 year old Crescent Park remnant, placed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been carefully restored through the years by the City of East Providence and its' carousel commission.

The Carousel Commission issued a statement at that time which said, "The Carousel had a maintenance assessment this afternoon (April 25th) to trouble shoot the mechanical issue experienced over this past weekend. The assessment revealed that the Carousel issue is better than initially anticipated. As a precautionary measure, we will remain closed as we complete a more thorough inspection over the next several days. We will continue to keep you updated throughout the week." Tracy Johnson of the commission kept city officials informed and was immediately involved in keeping the popular carousel operational. "We will continue to keep you updated throughout," Johnson would post via social media.

After some feared the worst, it was determined that the historic Looff Carousel was not fatally hurting. Officials first feared that the carousel's 120 year old main bearing might need replacing. That would have been devastating and expensive news for the city and the thousands who visit the Carousel every year. Ed Serowik was hoping that the matter could be improved by adjusting stabilizer bars and not dealing with a more expensive and time consuming fix.

As written previously by the EP Reporter, an out-of-state company was called in to assess the problem. On May 31st Tracy Johnson issued the commission's latest update: "Daniel Horenberger and Scott Fabbro of Brass Ring Carousel Company arrived at the Carousel. We were fortunate in the fact they had just finished a job in Toronto and were able to immediately drive down to assess our situation. They were able to confirm our concerns with the stabilizing bars and luckily they only needed to be adjusted and not replaced. These stabilizing bars are deep inside the top center hidden under the Carousel’s mechanics. With proper tools and long enough arms, Daniel Horenberger was able to make the adjustments quickly and effectively. We will be open for the upcoming weekend. We thank you all for your support, patience, and understanding.," wrote Johnson.

Many on social media have been discussing the future of the carousel. In response to some who have asked about fundraising, the commission responded: "We invite you to support one of the many fundraising events we have going on this season. It is through our fundraising efforts we are able to keep the Carousel going for future generations, whether with general maintenance and restoration projects, or emergency repairs like this one. Donations are accepted by mail to Carousel Park Commission 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914 and are tax deductible. We have the Christmas in July Calendars and the Family Fun Night Tickets available at the Business Office as well as at the Carousel. If you are unable to visit, but wish to participate in either fundraiser please call the office at (401) 435-7518. You may purchase your calendar or tickets over the phone with a credit card. “Restore the Magic, Preserve the Tradition, Support the Carousel”.

Of the over 50 carousels that Charles Looff built in his lifetime, the Crescent Park version remains one of the few remaining in operation in the world. Looff's first carousel was built on the pier at Crescent Park and doubled as a sample to perspective buyers from other parks. It was later moved to Hunt's Mills in Rumford where another smaller amusement park operated. But the larger and grander version still sits in Riverside, having been named as a National Historic Landmark in 1987.