Iconic ride’s repair delayed
Staff writer
A long-promised repair of Marion’s landmark Central Park merry-go-round remains unfinished eight months after the city said it would be restored and reinstalled.
The structure still sits in a heap at city shops, where it has remained since at least September.
City administrator Brian Wells said a “miscommunication between parties” delayed ordering a needed part, stalling the project for months.
That part is expected to arrive this week, he said.
The city learned last week that the part had been shipped after contacting Marion Manufacturing, which is handling the repair.
The merry-go-round was not taken to the manufacturing facility. Instead, the city was asked to hold it until the part arrived and the company was ready to proceed, Wells said.
No money has yet been spent on the repair, which is expected to cost about $2,500 and will be covered under a general parks repair budget, he said.
Wells assumed oversight of the project after the delay was discovered in early March, when the city received a repair estimate.
According to him, no staffing or budgeting issues contributed to the delay.
“A simple miscommunication caused the delay,” he said.
The city now hopes to have the merry-go-round repaired and reinstalled before setup begins May 29 for Chingawasa Days.
“We understand the level of public interest and want to have it back in place for Chingawasa,” Wells said.
The original timeline slipped in part because of complications tied to the ride’s age and seasonal conditions.
“With a 100-year-old merry-go-round, the initial estimate for repairs by the end of 2025 became unfeasible,” Wells said.
Cold weather also made replacing concrete around its main post impractical.
Wells told council members the city would follow up with Marion Manufacturing within a week if work has not begun.