POTTSTOWN — The Carousel at Pottstown has received a $50,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for renovations at the facility.
The funds will be used to create an ADA accessible entrance, complete with portico, in the front of The Carousel at Pottstown, and finish replacing the building’s windows.
State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist., recently presented a mock check to mark the grant being awarded.
“I’m proud to have secured this grant to make this important piece of history in Pottstown more accessible to patrons and continue its remarkable restoration,” Ciresi said in a press release issued for the occasion.
“Now, even more people will be able to enjoy the artistry of the animals commissioned from Ed Roth, a master sculptor who carved animals for carousels at Disney parks, and the painstaking work of local artisans who carefully painted the carousel animals, helping to bring this piece of American history back to life,” Ciresi said.
BJ Peterman, board president of the Carousel at Pottstown, said, “we at the Carousel are thrilled to have been awarded this grant, with thanks to Joe Ciresi for his tireless efforts in supporting the Carousel at Pottstown, and also our partnership with the Borough of Pottstown. None of this would be possible without their support for the continued growth of this organization and historical landmark.”
Built in 1905, the historic Pottstown Carousel is the second-oldest-operating Philadelphia Toboggan Company wooden carousel in the United States. After being out of use for decades, a volunteer restoration effort that took over 20 years restored the carousel. The carousel opened for riders at its Pottstown location in 2016.
