Jane’s Carousel Takes Its First Spin in Brooklyn Bridge Park

By on September 15, 2011 10:08 pm in Architecture, brooklyn bridge park, Events, Fun, Kids, News, Video


This afternoon many city and community dignitaries, and some invited guests, including your correspondent and other press representatives, attended an opening ceremony for Jane’s Carousel. The video above shows the first spin of the antique merry-go-round in its new location, in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Riding the lead horse, and wearing a blue suit, is City Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. Several horses behind him, standing next to a horse carrying a boy, is Assemblywoman Joan Millman. Following her is Borough President Marty Markowitz, and later Jane Walentas, riding as her husband David stands next to her. The Carousel will be open to the public tomorrow, September 16. It is located near the foot of Dock Street, behind the Tobacco Warehouse and the Empire Stores.

Update: I didn’t know it at the time, but the bald man in black sitting on one of the carousel benches is the architect Jean Nouvel, designer of the pavilion that encloses the Carousel.

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  • Karl Junkersfeld

    giddy up commish? lol

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    Karl: I couldn’t resist.

  • Doublebara

    Does this mean that this portion of the park is now open for use?

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    Doublebara: yes.

  • Livingston

    Looks beautiful. Can’t wait to pay a visit.

  • AmyinBH

    can’t stop laughing…… marty m on a carousel……..

  • Andrew Porter

    The carousel in Prospect Park, a 2-minute walk from the southern entrance to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Flatbush Avenue at Empire Boulevard, is also worth a visit.

  • MARTINLBROOKLYN

    AN EXPLANATION TO EACH NEIGHBOR AND VISITOR FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO COMES TO DUMBO’S STATE PARK AND SEE “JANE’S CAROUSEL:

    Off with your cap and tug your forelock in a slight bow for Squire David and his Lady Jane. They wanted to pretty up the place with a great big doodad of hers. Oh, he is so proud of her. Look at that tall, shiny, stately billboard with all their fine achievements recorded forever for everyone to see. True, the language doesn’t sing but it sure tells a romantic story.
    Why, we gladly gave up our rights to whatever the Squire wanted.. After all, he is the Squire of the Land. Hey, it’s hard to miss it. It says right on the billboard that he was officially designated big kahuna of the area a long time ago. All the Squire asked for is little piece of our public park birthright. We’ll gladly sold that out for a mess of his delicious pottage.
    So now we have a two-story high, modern aluminum and glass packing crate surrounding Jane’s fancy doodad. An old, big tree is gone along with its once peaceful, subtle and natural landscaping. The walks and the grass are scaled down and it all centers on the shiny new doodad.
    Well, what this? Some small-minded carping that the view of Roebling’s masterwork is no longer the clearly dominant feature and reason for the park? Heck, it’s only half the view. But, what value is that compared to the Squire’s mostly paid for, fancy, super-duper doodad? Many would say, we got it real cheap. So let’s all be sure to say, “Thank you, Squire.”

  • Josh G

    I graciously say “Thank you, Squire”. The Carousel is beautiful and I am happy the Squire and his maidenly Lady chose to donate their efforts, time and bank to our stately (now city-run) Park.

  • Eddyenergizer

    I agree with MartenLBrooklyn, The carrousel, no matter how fun it might be for some, is located so that it spoils a once magnificent view, for all. The structure housing it is ugly and completely out of place. The stainless steel monolith placed in front, for the purpose of masturbating the Walentas inflated egos, is totally obnoxious.

  • nabeguy

    Did you happen to notice that Marty was riding a dark horse?

  • Eddyenergizer

    I often associate Marty with a horse, a certain part of a horse or something that was once part of a horse.

  • Elmer Fudd

    Poor Marty, always the butt-end of a joke.

  • Regina

    Indeed he is, for a good reason.

  • Happyfair

    I wonder if once people thought of the Empire State building as ruining a view or that Central Park was nuisance…change is a constant in New York, at least it’s not a Starbucks

  • Warren Santore

    Great video of the carousel that used to be a major attraction at Idora Park in Youngstown, OHio. I rode it as a kid back in the 40’s and 50’s and took my children to ride it back in the 70’s/