Forest Park Carousel Open to Vendors - April 27, 2011

The Forest Park Carousel has been closed to the public since September 2008. Today, prospective vendors got a peek at our Carousel in action. Kudos to our friends at Project Woodhaven for getting this video...

Comptroller John Liu Audit Shows Ex-Operator of Forest Park Carousel has Shoddy Bookkeeping, Poor Maintenance by Lisa L. Colangelo - New York Daily News

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As city officials embark on another search for someone to run the shuttered Forest Park Carousel, a new audit shows how the former operator almost ran the historic amusement into the ground.


City Controller John Liu said the concessionaire, New York One LLC, failed to make about $500,000 in capital upgrades to three city-owned carousels.


That includes more than $50,000 for Forest Park, $110,000 for the carousel at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and more than $400,000 for the Central Park Carousel.


The audit also said the snack bars, pushcarts and surrounding areas were not maintained 'in a safe and sanitary manner.'


Supporters of the Forest Park Carousel, closed since 2008, had long complained about poor maintenance there. The company let its contract expire in 2009.

Liu: Queens Carousels Mismanaged by Vendor by Anna Gustafson -Queens Chronicle

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City officials have issued a Request for Proposal from vendors who want to run the Forest Park and Flushing Meadows carousels.FILE PHOTO

After an audit by city Comptroller John Liu found the company that ran the Forest Park carousel until 2008 wildly mismanaged it, community leaders are calling on a group that will take over the ride to honor its more than 100 years of history.


“I hope we get someone who will do the right thing for the carousel,” Community Board 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey said. “We really need to do something with that carousel. It’s such a wonderful piece of artwork, and it shouldn’t just be standing there.”

New York One operated the Forest Park merry-go-round until 2008, when the company let its contract lapse. The city has since issued three requests for proposals for a group to run the carousel, with the final RFP being issued last week by the Parks Department. No one submitted proposals in response to the first two RFPs, but city officials are hoping things will be different this time around because they are also asking interested parties to operate the Flushing Meadows Park carousel.


Liu said in an audit released last week that New York One, which currently manages the carousel in Flushing Meadows Park and ran another in Central Park, overcharged customers, maintained little to no records of its cash transactions and violated health codes.


“Our kids want to go for a spin on the merry-go-round, but taxpayers don’t want to be taken for a ride,” Liu said in a prepared statement. “This contractor needs to straighten itself out. The Parks Department needs to monitor the company to ensure taxpayers are getting their due or find someone who is up to the job.”
New York One did not answer requests for comment, though Liu’s office said the company disagreed with many of the audit’s findings.


According to the audit, the operator owes the city $454,325 for restoration and repairs that need to be made to the carousels at Forest and Central parks.
Auditors found the operator charged more than Parks Department guidelines for admissions, food and souvenirs at the Flushing Meadows site, and they said the operator should spend $110,000 on capital improvements on that carousel.


While the Forest Park and Flushing Meadows carousels did not have a makeshift toilet in the go-round’s mechanical room that used buckets and a funnel, as auditors said the one in Central Park did, there were a variety of health issues the report found at the two sites.
Liu’s office said food carts at the Forest Park and Flushing Meadows sites were not properly licensed by the Health Department, and auditors said the operator did not “maintain the three carousel’s pushcarts, snack bars and surrounding areas in a safe and sanitary manner.”


Built in 1903, the Forest Park carousel has some of the last surviving creations of master wood carver Daniel Carl Muller.


It contains 49 sculpted horses, a lion, a tiger, a deer and two chariots. There is also a carousel band organ.


There are just five city parks that operate carousels — Forest Park, Flushing Meadows, Central Park, Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Staten Island’s Willowbrook Park.


“It’s very bad that the Parks Department hasn't gotten it open again sooner,” said civic activist David Quintana. “It’s a true work of art. Those carousel horses were done by a master craftsman, and now it’s closed to the public.”


The Parks Department will give tours of the two Queens sites for interested vendors on April 27.


Proposals are due May 13.


Visit comptroller.nyc.gov/audits for Liu’s full report.

Forest Park’s Future: Parks Dept. Eyes Expanded Uses At Site Some Prefer Be Left Alone by Domenick Rafter - Queens Tribune

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With the first signs of spring showing, the closed section of Forest Park Drive between Metropolitan Avenue in Kew Gardens and Woodhaven Boulevard in Woodhaven begins to crowd with joggers, bicyclists, skaters and other locals just enjoying the first warm sun after a long cold, snowy winter. The trees are still bare and little green shoots are the only sign that winter has passed.

Sitting on top of the glacial moraine that slices Queens in two, Forest Park is the natural boundary that isolates the South Queens neighborhoods of Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Woodhaven and Howard Beach from the more centrally-located Forest Hills, Glendale and Ridgewood. It is home to The Overlook, the Parks Dept.’s Queens Headquarters, an 18-hole golf course and Oak Ridge, the former clubhouse that now houses the headquarters of Queens Council on the Arts and a reception hall that boasts extraordinary views of South Queens right down the beaches in Rockaway and the runways at JFK Airport.

Forest Park doesn’t have the grassy fields that Flushing Meadows Corona Park has or the open marshlands that make up Alley Pond Park, but it is much larger than Queens’ other urban getaways like Astoria Park, Crocheron Park and Baisley Pond Park. Forest Park is a natural oasis without a master plan, but one that has gotten the attention of the Parks Dept., sometimes to the delight of the surrounding communities, sometimes not.

The Carousel

The Parks Dept. is looking for a new vendor to operate the Forest Park Carousel.

The century-old Carousel has been in Forest Park, on a hilltop only steps from Woodhaven Boulevard, since 1972, but since 2008, the carousel has been quiet, shuttered behind a chain-linked fence after former vendor New York One basically abandoned it. Local activists have been pushing the Parks Dept. to find a new vendor, but so far efforts have turned up dry.

The Parks Dept. issued a new Request for Proposals for the carousel, as well as the carousel in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, on April 8. Part of the RFP includes allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages at the Forest Park site, though only with food, and added an optional site for more amusements in the area between the carousel and Woodhaven Boulevard.

So far no interested parties have bid.

“If a proposal includes the optional amusement venue, the Forest Park location would expand to include the open area to the east of the carousel. This area slopes down to the low, wrought iron fence along Woodhaven Boulevard. The Parks Dept. envisions an amusement venue that would include small rides that cater to ages 12 and younger,” the RFP states. The area could also include games and other attractions subject to Parks Dept. approval, a proposal Ed Wendell, President of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association, likes.

“Additional attractions will increase the chances of making a good profit, which increases the chances that our carousel will be up and running,” said Wendell, who has led efforts to reopen the carousel. “It’s a very positive development.”

The Parks Dept. will mandate that the vendor operate the facility at a minimum during the months of April through September from 11 a.m. until sunset, seven days per week, weather permitting.

The contract would end Dec. 31, 2025. All proposals for this RFP must be submitted no later than Friday, May 13 at 3 p.m.

The Trails

The eastern two-thirds of the park, where its namesake forest exists, are covered by nature trails. These trails that meander through the park and connect Union Turnpike to the north with Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South to the south, are packed with people on any given summer weekend, and the bridle path is frequented by horseback riders, who can often be seen alongside Union Turnpike.

But when the sun sets, a different demographic takes to the park’s trails. The trails that delights during the day have become notorious for being frequented by men engaging in sexual activity behind the thick brush, sometimes only feet from Park Lane South. A decade ago, the men in the park at night numbered over 100, but a mix of increasing police presence in the park, adding more lighting on trails and Forest Park Drive and more public acceptance of homosexuality have decreased those numbers to a dozen or so.

The reputation remains, however, and many who hike the trails come back with stories of strange events they come across deep in the woods.

“I saw a naked photo shoot in there while hiking,” said Nicole Peters, a Rego Park resident. “Some shady things happen in that park.”

George Seuffert Bandshell

Forest Park’s bandshell (above) underwent a massive renovation last year.

Acting almost as the epicenter of Forest Park activity, the Seuffert Bandshell has been home to summer concerts and plays for almost a century. Its adjacent parking lot has played host to special events like circuses. When music isn’t being played on its stage, it becomes a popular makeshift skateboarding park for local teenagers.

The bandshell that some have called “the cultural center of the community,” has been renovated at three times in the past 35 years, in 1977 and 1999 and once again last year when its wooden benches began rotting away and breaking, leading some to get splinters just sitting on them.

With the help of funds from Borough President Helen Marshall and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), even at the time when budgets were tight, the bandshell and its seating underwent a massive renovation in early 2010. The old wooden benches were replaced with more durable steel ones. The stage got a fresh coat of white paint and new trees and shrubs were added around the perimeter and among the benches, creating the image of a concert hall in the forest.

Ridgewood Reservoir

The Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park

Though not technically part of Forest Park, Ridgewood Reservoir shares the same glacial moraine on the other side of the cemeteries straddling the Brooklyn border. The reservoir was decommissioned in 1989 and given to the Parks Dept. in 2004.

Since then, nature has reclaimed the reservoir and local residents like it that way; but the Parks Dept. had other plans for it. Unlike the nature trails, the carousel and the bandshell before it, the City found itself at odds with the parks’ neighbors.

“In all our public meetings, never less than 75 percent of the people wanted it to be left natural,” said Community Board 10 member David M. Quintana.

Quintana said the Parks Dept. came in with a “preconceived plan” and never intended to listen to the desires of the community.

“It’s typical of how the Bloomberg administration operates,” he added.

In 2008, then-Comptroller Bill Thompson shot down a plan to redevelop the reservoir into recreational fields on environmental concerns, but approved a bid to upgrade and build new walkways around the perimeter of the reservoir, work that has already begun. But even those plans didn’t fit community wishes. The plan to put a path and new lighting around the perimeter did not include an overpass over busy Vermont Place to an adjacent parking lot that would allow children, seniors and disabled residents to access the site without crossing the thoroughfare.

As for Phase 2, which would include the recreation fields that Thompson killed in 2008, a lack of money and political will has been blamed for its demise. In the meantime, activists continue fighting on the state level, with support from legislators on the Queens side, to have the reservoir declared a protected wetland. Representatives on the Brooklyn side support developing the site as baseball and other athletic fields, something they say is badly needed in their neighborhoods. On the Queens side there are already fields farther east in Forest Park, like Victory Field and the Park Lane South tennis courts in Woodhaven.

NYC Comptroller John C. Liu: Carousel Operator Took City for a Ride

City Comptroller John C. Liu today released an audit that found a company that ran three City carousels overcharged customers, maintained little or no records of its cash transactions, and violated health codes.

The vendor, New York One, was required to pay the City whichever was higher — either a flat fee or a percentage of its sales. Without fail, the company reported the flat fee was the higher amount. But the company kept such poor sales records that it was impossible to determine if it paid the City what it owed in 2008 and 2009. Auditors could not find any evidence to back New York One’s claims of its cash revenue from rides, hot dogs, and souvenirs.

“Our kids want to go for a spin on the merry-go-round, but taxpayers don’t want to be taken for a ride,” Comptroller Liu said. “This contractor needs to straighten itself out. The Parks Department needs to monitor the company to ensure taxpayers are getting their due or find someone who is up to the job.”

Additional financial issues

§ Auditors found the operator owes the City $454,325 for restoration and repairs that were not made at the Central Park and Forest Park carousels.

§ Auditors found the operator underreported its take from special events at the Central Park carousel by at least $58,424.

§ Auditors found the operator charged more than Parks Department guidelines for admissions, food, and souvenirs at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park carousel.

§ Auditors found the operator should spend $110,000 on capital improvements at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park carousel.

§ Auditors found that the Parks Department failed to collect up to $151,375 in operating fees from New York One when the vendor ran the Central Park carousel without a contract from January to September 2008.

Health issues

§ Auditors found that the operator’s employees built a makeshift toilet in the Central Park carousel’s mechanical room using buckets and a funnel.

§ Auditors found that the operator did not maintain the three carousels’ pushcarts, snack bars, and surrounding areas in a safe and sanitary manner.

§ Auditors found that the operator continued to use a dirty popcorn machine and hot dog roller at the Central Park carousel despite a Parks Department order to halt sales.

§ Auditors found that the operator’s food carts at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park carousel were not properly licensed by the Department of Health.

The audit determined that the Parks Department failed to properly monitor the carousel operator or promptly use the tools at its disposal to enforce the terms and conditions of the contracts.

New York One currently runs only the Flushing Meadows Corona Park carousel. The Parks Department cut short the company’s contract to operate the Central Park carousel in February 2010 when it failed to improve its operations. The Forest Park carousel has been closed since the operator gave up its contract in 2009.

According to the Annual Concession Report of the City Chief Procurement Officer September 2010, New York One and its related entities operated 25 concessions for which the City received gross revenues of approximately $5 million in fiscal year 2010.

The Parks Department agreed with the majority of the audit finding and recommendations. New York One disagreed with most of the audit findings, but agreed with most of its recommendations to get proper licenses and maintain records.

Comptroller Liu credited Deputy Comptroller for Audit H. Tina Kim and the Audit Bureau for presenting the findings. The full report is available at http://comptroller.nyc.gov/audits.

Forest Park Carousel A Step Closer To Reopening by Geoffey Croft - A Walk in the Park

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Fans of the Forest Park Carousel are one step closer to realizing their dreams. On Friday the Parks Department released an RFP for potential concessionaires to reopen the beloved carousel which has been closed for four years. The City is seeking a fifteen-year term to renovate, operate and maintain the historic ride. The carousel contains 49 horses, a lion, a tiger, a deer, and two chariots arranged in three concentric circles according to the proposal. The carousel also contains a non-operational original carousel band organ. Community activists have been trying to pressure the city to reopen it for years.

The Forest Park Carousel holds some of the last surviving creations of master wood-carver Daniel Carl Muller. The Forest Park location is approximately 8,000 square feet and will consist of the carousel, snack bar, ticket booth, and a seating area. Alcoholic beverages will also be allowed to be served.

The City is also encouraging bidders to operate additional rides in an open area east of the carousel. Parks envisions an amusement venue that would include small rides that cater to ages twelve (12) years old and younger. Proposals are due on Friday, May 13 at 3:00 PM

In 2008 the concessionaire paid $ 20,000 to the City from gross receipts of $72,000. In the last agreement, the fee paid to Parks was the higher of the minimum annual fee or percentage of gross , receipts. However, this time around the City is asking proposers to submit a flat fee offer only and not on a percentage of gross receipts.

A site tour is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:00 AM at Forest Park. — Geoffrey Croft

The beloved carousel in Forest Park Queens has been closed for four years. The metal security gate is closed in the background. (Photo By Manny)

Read More:

Shuttered Carousel In Forest Park Temporarily "Opened"

A Walk In The Park - November 3, 2010

Parks Department Refuses To Reveal Amount Of Carousel Donation

A Walk In The Park - March 19, 2010

Community Fights to Reopen Forest Park Carousel

A Walk In The Park - July 24, 2010

Press Release

PARKS ISSUES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO RENOVATE, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN CAROUSELS AT FOREST AND FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK

Parks & Recreation announces that a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) has been issued for the renovation, operation, and maintenance of the carousel and snack bar and the optional development, operation and maintenance of a family amusement venue at Forest Park, Queens, and the renovation, operation, and maintenance of the carousel and operation of three mobile food units and two souvenir carts at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens. (see attached PDF)

“Taking the family on a carousel ride in a park is a treasured New York City experience,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “We hope to receive proposals from companies with strong backgrounds in developing, operating and maintaining carousels and amusement venues, so that the carousels at Forest Park and Flushing Meadows Corona Park can continue to delight New Yorkers for many generations to come.”

The Forest Park Carousel holds some of the last surviving creations of master wood-carver Daniel Carl Muller. He crafted figures for twelve carousels in his lifetime; this carousel is one of only two that remain. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Carousel is one of the City’s four vintage carousels, it is an example of the "Illions" style. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Carousel is a combination of two earlier Coney Island carousels, the Feltman Carousel (ca. 1903) and the Stubbman Carousel (ca. 1908). The Flushing Meadows "hybrid" debuted at the 1964 World's Fair. Both carousels are much loved by the communities that surround them and are an important part of the childhoods of many people who have grown up in Queens.

All proposals for this RFP must be submitted no later than Friday, May 13, 2011 at 3:00 pm. Parks will hold two recommended proposer meetings on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, one at each location. At 11:00 AM on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, we will be meeting at the Forest Park location, which is located at the Woodhaven Boulevard entrance to the park. At 1:00 PM on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, we will be meeting at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park location, which is located near the entrance to Flushing Meadow Corona Park at 111 Street and 55 Avenue. All interested parties are urged to attend.

Hard copies of the RFP can be obtained, at no cost from Friday, April 8, 2011 through Friday, May 13, 2011, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays, at the Revenue Division of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which is located at 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 407, New York, NY 10065.

The RFP is also available for download from Friday, April 8, 2011 through Friday, May 13, 2011, on Parks’ website. To download the RFP, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/businessopportunities and, after logging in, click on the “download” link that appears adjacent to the RFP’s description.

For more information or to request to receive a copy of the RFP by mail, prospective proposers may contact the Evan George, Project Manager, at (212) 360-3495 or at evan.george@parks.nyc.gov.

Late Last Call Hung Up by Community Board 9 by Ralph Mancini - www.timesnewsweekly.com

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Denies Eatery Liquor Permit Extension

A Richmond Hill restaurant’s request to serve alcoholic beverages until the wee hours of the morning was shotdown by members of Community Board 9 at the group’s Tuesday, Feb. 8 meeting following a brief war of wordsbetween decision makers of the advisory panel that stood on opposite sides of the fence.


During the board’s monthly Public Safety Committee report at the Fairfield Pavillion in Richmond Hill, attendees were informed of an appeal made by owners of Las Victorias Restaurant, located at 104-19 Jamaica Ave., to obtain a liquor license authorizing the sale of adult drinks until 4 a.m.


Committee co-chair James Coccovillo clarified that moving forward his team would only endorse restaurant liquor licenses if the establishments stop selling alcohol to their patrons at 1 a.m.


“At this time, this committee is taking a stand,” he said. “This is going to be our policy.”
The business owner initially disputed the condition set forth, arguing that many other restaurants in his area carry on with their distribution of drinks to their customers throughout the early morning hours.


Board member Joan DeCamp sided with him, pointing out how “unrealistic” it would be to expect any night time eatery to be successful without making liquors available to the clientele.


“I would much rather have people come into a restaurant…eat, stay and have a drink than go out to a bar,” she observed.


A rebuttal was issued by committee member Rabbi Daniel Pollack, who advised listeners that restaurants and bars play by a different set of rules. Neighborhood restaurants, he suggested, generally close at 12 midnight.


He frowned upon permitting Las Victorias from essentially becoming a bar after 1 a.m., maintaining that excessive drinking often leads to criminal activity and quality-of-life problems.


“I like going out to restaurants a lot,” Coccovillo added. “After dinner, I’ll sit there and I’ll even have a drink or coffee; within 15, 20 minutes, I’m on my way home. I’m not hanging out, drinking—that’s a restaurant. If you’re open at three in the morning, you’re no longer a restaurant; you’re a bar.”


Fellow board member and associate real estate broker Regina Santoro predicted that having another bar-like business would only add to the existing “chaos” generated by several night establishments throughout Richmond Hill.


In relation to other eating establishments that don’t adhere to a curfew, Coccovillo promised that they would be aware of the committee’s new policy once their liquor licenses are up for renewals.


During a roll-call vote, Board 9 elected to support the restaurant’s request by a 24-12 tally with the stipulation that the business in question conclude selling alcohol by 1 a.m.


Spike in local grand larcenies


Capt. Martin Briffa, executive officer of the 102nd Precinct, reported increases in criminal activity over the previous 28-day period, including a 23 percent surge in major crimes, along with a 131 percent growth in grand larcenies. Most of those crimes consisted in the theft of credit cards and bank checks, which the captain said are “easy to crackdown on.”


He also addressed a three percent uptick in felony assaults by explaining how his precinct is flooded with night clubs and other establishments, where assaults have taken place, particularly during the holiday season.


Briffa surmised that educating the many foreigners in his command about the laws they must abide by will help alleviate the recent numbers.


Many crimes, such as rape, he continued, are being committed by individuals that know the victims and not by strangers.


“We can do car stops. If you have a Toyota, we’ll stop you; that’s what they’re stealing these days. We try to teach people not to leave handbags in cars. There are people who are even taking quarters from [parked] cars,” said Briffa.


In response to Board 9 Chairperson Ivan Mrakovcic’s concerns about prostitution, Conditions Unit Sgt. Joseph DeMarco admitted that there was a problem in the area of Rockaway Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. He promised board members that his unit would perform sting operations if necessary to rid the streets of street walkers.


DeMarco further touched on his precinct’s focus on monitoring liquor stores to ensure that they don’t sell any of their merchandise to people who are under the age of 21.


Carousel update


In his chairperson’s report, Mrakovcic notified board members that a vendor who currently works at Flushing Meadows/Corona Park will soon be operating the Forest Park Carousel starting sometime in June. “We want it open as soon as possible… and landmarked,” he stated.


Strengthening park communities


Hassan King of Partnership for Parks spoke of his organization’s outreach efforts to provide resources to stakeholders interested in maintaining smaller park properties. 


He detailed how his group was involved in helping the Astoria Park Waterfront Alliance secure grants in order to provide greater waterfront access in their neighborhood park.


“Because of our unique relationship with the Parks Department, we’ve been able to help with the education and fitness programs in that park,” he said along with mentioning how Partnership for Parks is also looking to visit other areas they normally don’t go to.


In addition, King offered his expertise to Mrakovcic, Andrea Crawford and other board members who may be looking to start a feasibility study on a rails-for-trails project to turn an unused tract of land at Forest Park into a bike trail.


Pol promotes listening tour


City Council Member Ruben Wills was on hand to tell those in attendance about his listening tour in which he will visit various sites throughout his district to understand the needs of all his constituents. “All I do is sit and listen to you,” he added.


The Southeast Queens native alerted the audience to an upcoming unemployment seminar he’ll be hosting in order to “bring everything to this community that hasn’t been provided.”
“When everything gets tough, we actually band together—we make things happen,” he said in reference to school teachers being laid off.


Spotlight on car service


Some board members, such as Clark Whitsett, made their feelings known about the Richmond Hillbased Community Quisqueya Car Service, which recently submitted its application for its base station license renewal.


Whitsett reported that the drivers from the car service continually make illegal u-turns at busy intersections, congesting traffic. He also noted how many of them wait for their calls along residential streets and deprive residents of parking spaces.


Similarly, Mrakovcic pointed out how Community Quisqueya’s employees frequently leave their cars running and pollute the air in between rides.


Attorney Richard Weinberg conceded that his client may be the best, but is “far from the worst” in terms of local car service companies. He stated that his client’s employees are all local community members.


Board member and Woodhaven activist Maria Thomson concurred by saying that Community Quisqueya provides jobs and a “good” service to the community usually responding to their calls within five minutes.


“Every time we had a problem, they took care of it. U-turns are a police issue,” concluded Sam Esposito. The board voted in favor of renewing the base station license by a 29-7 tally.


Community Board 9 regularly meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:45 p.m. at various locations throughout Kew Gardens, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven. For more details, call 1-718-286-2686

Plans to Revive the Forest Park Carousel by Will Sammon - The Queens Courier

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The President of the Woodhaven Resident’s Block Association fondly recalls when his late father used to take him as a child to ride the 100-year-old Forest Park carousel.

Ed Wendell said that many residents who live in the Woodhaven community that hosts the shuttered carousel have similar intimate stories regarding the attraction. He runs a Facebook page that boasts approximately 900 fans to prove it.

“It’s a special share of history. It was some place that my dad used to take me and this carousel is a touchstone for people who not only live here but for those who once did,” said Wendell.

The tradition of passing on stories about the carousel from generation to generation has been put on hold for the past two years. New York One, the company that was in charge of running the carousel allowed it to deteriorate over the years, according to civic leaders. After their contract was up with the city in 2008, they did not re-bid to run the concession, according to the NYC Parks Department.

Since that time, the Parks Department has had no luck in finding someone to run the carousel, mostly because it is not viewed as a money-maker. However, the Parks Department has a new plan for the future of the carousel. Their plan will link its future operator together with the operator of a profitable carousel nearby who benefits from more foot-traffic.

“The Parks Department is currently creating a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the operation of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (FMCP) carousel that will allow the selected concessionaire to also run the Forest Park Carousel. We look forward to receiving proposals to run these two beloved carousels,” said Patricia Bertuccio, a Parks spokesperson.

The FMCP carousel is currently run by New York One, the former operator of the one in Forest Park and a vendor that has several city concessions. Their contract expires in March 2012. After the new RFP is awarded, operation of the Forest Park Carousel can begin right away, according to Bertuccio.

The Forest Park’s 1910 D.C. Muller Bros. carousel is one of two Muller carousels in operation. This carousel features three carved Muller menagerie animals, a lion, tiger and deer positioned on the outside row. These three carvings are the only Muller figures on an operating carousel. The remaining outside row are all standing horses, including ten Muller horses, two Carmel horses and one Dentzel horse. The two inner rows include thirty-six Muller jumpers. Two Muller chariots complete the carousel.

Carousel enthusiasts and historians regard Daniel Muller as one of the elite carousel carvers.

“This is a very, very rare carousel. The Forest Park Carousel with further restoration and future operation would give New York City another rare example of carousel history. The Forest Park carousel, once operating, would join several other rare operating antique carousels in New York City. Together, this group of antique carousels would arguably be the finest in one location of any place in the world,” said National Carousel Association Census Chairman Patrick Wentzel.

Wendell believes that more money would be made if more attractions were built around the Forest Park carousel.

Forest Park Carousel May Get Good Turn by Lisa L. Colangelo - NY Daily News

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CITY PARKS officials have a new plan that could help the long-dormant Forest Park carousel spin again.

It is looking for a vendor to operate both the historic wooden carousel as well as a busier one in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

A new request for proposals linking the two carousels is currently being drafted and will be released next month, the Daily News has learned. But it is unclear whether that contract for both will be awarded this year.

The 100-year-old Forest Park carousel, crafted by master woodcarver Daniel Carl Muller, was shuttered in 2008. Efforts to find a new concessionaire have come up short, partly because it is not viewed as a money-maker.

The Flushing Meadows carousel, brought to the park from Coney Island for the 1964-65 World's Fair, enjoys brisk business and lots of foot traffic due to its proximity to the Queens Zoo and other attractions.

"We're pleased with the idea," said Ivan Mrakovcic, chairman of Community Board 9. "We want it open and landmarked. We want people to discover it."

The Forest Park carousel was previously operated by New York One LLC, a vendor that has several city concessions. Civic leaders complained that the company allowed the carousel to deteriorate.

Last year, the city ended New York One's pact to run the Central Park carousel for failing to properly maintain it.

That company currently operates the carousel in Flushing Meadows. But that contract expires next year.

"We're happy that the Parks Department is taking a new approach to this problem and we're hopeful they can get this done," said Ed Wendell of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association.

Wendell started a Facebook page called Save the Forest Park Carousel.

The carousel was brought to Forest Park from Massachusetts in the early 1970s to replace one that burned down nearly 10 years earlier. It had an extensive renovation in 1989.