Today at 11am, San Francisco Recreation & Parks will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new and improved Carousel Plaza near the Children’s Playground in Golden Gate Park.
This latest improvement project is phase two in a master plan for the Children’s Playground, which was renovated and reopened in 2007.
Improvements to the Carousel Plaza include replacement of the large asphalt plaza with integrally colored concrete, stone walls and stairs, a secure and screened trash/recycling storage area, landscape irrigation and planting, and new furnishings.
The park’s Sharon Art Studio, which is run out of a building next door to the playground, also contributed to the project. They supplied a few hundred handmade art tiles which were embedded into the concrete on the new stairs and seat walls around the area.
The carousel, a 1914 Herschell-Spillman in the Menagerie style, remained open while the improvements were being made. At tomorrow’s festivities, Sharon Art Studio summer campers will enjoy a free ride. They’ll have to choose from the wide assortment of animals and objects to ride, which includes 28 Jumping Horses, 10 Standing Horses, 24 Menagerie Animals (1 Tiger, 1 Lion, 1 Giraffe, 1 Stork, 1 Deer, 1 Goat, 1 Camel, 1 Dragon, 2 Frogs, 2 Cats, 2 Zebras, 2 Dogs, 2 Roosters, 2 Mules, 2 Ostriches, 2 Pigs), 2 chariots, and 2 Tubs.
The carousel began its life in Los Angeles in 1914 and came to Golden Gate Park after being part of the 1939-1940 World’s Fair on Treasure Island. This website has some great pics of the carousel.
In addition to the plaza upgrades, artist Scott Peterson returned to add a sea serpent to the sea cove area in the Children’s Playground. The piece, created by Phoebe Palmer, was envisioned during the initial playground renovation, but funds were not available at that time to complete it. (Sorry, I missed taking a pic of the serpent while I was there last night!).
The total cost for the Carousel Plaza improvements was $1.25 million, with $960,000 of it coming from Proposition 40 funding.
The next phase of renovations to the Children’s Playground area will be a recreational space geared for birthday parties and other events, which will replace the existing barn structure in the southwest corner of the playground.
Sarah B.
Inset: Carousel Plaza in 2008. Photo by Jimmy Lin
A closeup of a set of tiles on a seat wall, designed by Sharon Art studio students.
The new stairs that lead down to the plaza are covered with art tiles from Sharon Art Studio.
Great playground for kids. Its nice to see the carolsel referbished, I LOVED going there when I was a kid.