COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JANURARY 11, 2017 3A
Carousel project in need of funds
After 20 years of planning, the Friends of Cottage Grove Carousel Project is closer to a fi nalized plan for the attraction but to move forward, the group needs money
W
hen Judy Cash arrived in Cottage Grove she had two
thoughts. The town belonged in the picturesque 1950s
and a carousel would fi t in perfectly. And from 1996 to
now, she’s been working with people like Don Williams to make it
happen.
“If the three of us got hit by a
BY CAITLYN MAY
bus
tomorrow, who’s going to
cmay@cgsentinel.com
continue this project?” Williams
asked. And according to him,
it’s a question that needs a quick answer.
Williams is instrumental in the Rotary, was a member of the fi re
board and is part of the chamber board but his latest project is 20
years in the making.
“A gentleman passed away and left my husband and I some
money. We didn’t know it was coming and so when it did he went
to England and bought a tank. I went to Virginia and bought a
carousel,” Cash said.
The carousel, one of 200 vintage carousels left in the country, was
disassembled and sent to Cottage Grove where it underwent some
restoration and several attempts to utilize it for the city before the
efforts fell to the wayside.
In 2013, Williams joined forces with Cash and Russ McGuire to
create the Friends of Cottage Grove Carousel Project which has
resurrected the push to put the attract ion on Main St.
“What we need now is money,” McGuire said.
While the group has an idea for a location, before it can go to the
city, it needs certifi ed engineering plans and a comprehensive,
solidifi ed budget. It’s what McGuire calls “Phase One.”
Once the proper studies and cost analysis are completed, the proj-
ect can be submitted to the city.
“They have to wave their magic wand over all of this but, again,
we need to complete phase one fi rst,” McGuire said.
The group has several ideas on how the project would operate
once it was up and running. To man the attraction, Williams says
the city could fashion a program like the one Elton utilizes for its
butterfl y exhibit: training high schoolers as interns.
“It’s a one button start and a dead man switch, it’s easy to oper-
ate,” Williams said of the carousel.
He went on to note it would be an
opportunity for local teens to earn
money.
High school students are already
involved in the project with a fi eld
trip planned for several local teens.
They’ll travel to Albany to visit the
carousel repair shop and then head
to Salem to ride the city’s own car-
ousel. In the coming months, they’ll
work with Williams and company
to repaint and restore the 30 ani-
mals contained in Cash’s carousel.
That, in itself, poses another fi nan-
cial hurdle.
Due to the carousel’s age, the possi-
bility of lead paint being present is
a real possibility. The fl oorboards,
canopy and mechanics of the carou-
sel will also need to be restored in
various degrees.
“That’s a matter of insurance and
making sure the people working on
it are covered,” Williams said. It’s
Judy Cash purchased the carousel in 1996 with the intention of fi nding a place in Cottage Grove
also a matter of money.
to install it.
“We think it will be between $700,000
“This would be both for the community and for tourism. The Sea-
and $900,000,” Williams said and
noted that the group didn’t have enough man power to hold garage side carousel runs seven days a week. It was running on Christmas
and people come to see it,” Williams said.
sales and other fundraisers that only garner a few hundred dollars
Current plans would see the carousel constructed on the corner
at a time. And while the trio has considered social media as a
of 9th and Main streets but without funds, the group is unable to
funding source, they admit they’re aren’t versed in the platform
lock-in any specifi c location.
well enough to utilize it.
For McGuire, the efforts mirror the campaign from 20 years ago.
“If we would have a young person set up something like a Go-
“Right now, the important thing to focus on,” he said, “is that we
FundMe page, that would be great,” Cash said.
In the meantime, the group is attempting to raise awareness for the need the money to get through this phase so that we can bring it to
the city.”
project and pursue grant opportunities.
The carousel planned for Main St. would include a mezzanine, restrooms and gathering space. If the project were to come to fruition, owner Judy C said she would lease the fully functional carousel to
the city of Cottage Grove until a non-profi t group came forward and illustrated a desire to "take care of" the attraction. The road to completion, however, is far from easy according to the group in charge
of the efforts. After being stalled for 20 years, the project has made strides but is still in need of funds to complete the fi rst phase of the process.
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A fantastical high-seas adventure
to Neverland
The Musical Comedy
Whodunit
Oregon Department of Transportation Public Hearing/Open House (STIP)
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Lane County ACT Open House
4:30-5:15pm;
followed by Lane County ACT Meeting
5:30- 7:00pm
June 9 – 25
August 11 – 27
A trivial comedy
for serious people
Comical Russian tales infused with
American wit
Lane County Public Works Complex
3040 N Delta Hwy, Eugene, OR, Goodson Conference Room
The open house will feature maps to view and handouts about selected projects.
ODOT staff will be on hand to answer questions and take comments. There will be
comment cards available to leave comments regarding specifi c projects.
October 6 – 29
The thrilling musical juxtaposition
of good and evil
December 1 – 23
A curious cavalcade of
charismatic creatures
The meeting is open to the public for comment.
To view or comment on this document, please visit:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/STIP/STIP/DRAFT_STIP_18-21.pdf.
You can also contact the Region 2 STIP
and Financial Plan Manager John Maher at Ph. 503-986-2614
or his email address: John.D.MAHER@odot.state.or.us.
Accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities.
To request an accommodation,
please call John Maher the Region 2 STIP and Financial Plan Manager.
700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove 541-942-8001
www.cottagetheatre.org
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
Draft 2018 to 2021 STIP for Public Review