Greenport carousel closing indefinitely for mechanical repairs
Greenport Carousel in Mitchell Park in Greenport will be closed for mechanical repairs. Credit: James Carbone
A century-old carousel in Greenport will be closed indefinitely while it undergoes “extensive” repairs, village officials said Tuesday.
The attraction in Mitchell Park suffered a significant mechanical failure on Sunday, according to a news release.
Village trustee Julia Robins, the liaison to the carousel committee, said Tuesday the carousel was shut down late Sunday morning after several horses came off their vertical tracks. “They literally jumped out of the sleeves on one row completely and lurched forward," Robins said. The incident damaged metal and wood and knocked the tail off one horse, she said.
There were a handful of riders at the time but no injuries were reported, she said. “The staff worked wonderfully well to get the ride shut down immediately, got everybody off and out of the building," Robins said.
While the extent of the repairs is still unknown, the mayor said the carousel will be disassembled for a period of time. Officials did not estimate potential repair costs.
“We have a world renowned carousel specialist who is coming to Greenport to evaluate repairs in the coming weeks, at that time we will be able to better gauge needed work,” Mayor Kevin Stuessi said in a statement.
The carousel, which has 36 horses and two sleighs, dates back to about 1920 and was originally used by a traveling amusement company. Stuessi said the ride has never been disassembled since it was donated to the village in 1995.
It’s the second time in recent years the popular attraction has been shuttered over equipment issues. In March 2023, village officials shut down the carousel after a restoration expert discovered lead paint on one of the horses.
Additional testing found lead on other horses, and officials believed the paint was used when the ride was originally manufactured.
The village spent $67,500 on remediation, according to municipal budget documents. That project involved encapsulating the horses with a clear coat of nontoxic paint and the attraction reopened in time for Memorial Day weekend, Newsday reported.
The attraction must pass annual safety inspections to operate, but Robins said the village should go "above and beyond" to assess the ride.
“It’s timely and due," she said. "The carousel gets a tremendous amount of use, we run it all summer long.”
It's also an economic generator for the village, bringing in $190,705 in 2023, according to an annual financial report.
The carousel has been a fixture in Mitchell Park for nearly 30 years.
Northrop Grumman purchased the ride in the 1950s and set it up at its Calverton plant for use at company picnics and community events. The plant was closed in 1995 and Northrop offered to donate the carousel to a community through a local competition.
Greenport beat out Riverhead and a New Jersey amusement park, officials said.
It typically operates year-round and costs $3 per ride, according to the village website.
Stuessi said it’s unclear when it will spin again.
“Even in the best case scenario, a reopening by Christmas will take extraordinary work and coordination with multiple trades,” the mayor said.
A century-old carousel in Greenport will be closed indefinitely while it undergoes “extensive” repairs, village officials said Tuesday.
The attraction in Mitchell Park suffered a significant mechanical failure on Sunday, according to a news release.
Village trustee Julia Robins, the liaison to the carousel committee, said Tuesday the carousel was shut down late Sunday morning after several horses came off their vertical tracks. “They literally jumped out of the sleeves on one row completely and lurched forward," Robins said. The incident damaged metal and wood and knocked the tail off one horse, she said.
There were a handful of riders at the time but no injuries were reported, she said. “The staff worked wonderfully well to get the ride shut down immediately, got everybody off and out of the building," Robins said.
While the extent of the repairs is still unknown, the mayor said the carousel will be disassembled for a period of time. Officials did not estimate potential repair costs.
“We have a world renowned carousel specialist who is coming to Greenport to evaluate repairs in the coming weeks, at that time we will be able to better gauge needed work,” Mayor Kevin Stuessi said in a statement.
The carousel, which has 36 horses and two sleighs, dates back to about 1920 and was originally used by a traveling amusement company. Stuessi said the ride has never been disassembled since it was donated to the village in 1995.
It’s the second time in recent years the popular attraction has been shuttered over equipment issues. In March 2023, village officials shut down the carousel after a restoration expert discovered lead paint on one of the horses.
Additional testing found lead on other horses, and officials believed the paint was used when the ride was originally manufactured.
The village spent $67,500 on remediation, according to municipal budget documents. That project involved encapsulating the horses with a clear coat of nontoxic paint and the attraction reopened in time for Memorial Day weekend, Newsday reported.
The attraction must pass annual safety inspections to operate, but Robins said the village should go "above and beyond" to assess the ride.
“It’s timely and due," she said. "The carousel gets a tremendous amount of use, we run it all summer long.”
It's also an economic generator for the village, bringing in $190,705 in 2023, according to an annual financial report.
The carousel has been a fixture in Mitchell Park for nearly 30 years.
Northrop Grumman purchased the ride in the 1950s and set it up at its Calverton plant for use at company picnics and community events. The plant was closed in 1995 and Northrop offered to donate the carousel to a community through a local competition.
Greenport beat out Riverhead and a New Jersey amusement park, officials said.
It typically operates year-round and costs $3 per ride, according to the village website.
Stuessi said it’s unclear when it will spin again.
“Even in the best case scenario, a reopening by Christmas will take extraordinary work and coordination with multiple trades,” the mayor said.
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