Restoration
The vintage carousel in Palmerston North’s Santa’s Cave will be restored with help from descendants of the department store dynasty that created it 100 years ago.
The vintage carousel in Palmerston North’s Santa’s Cave will be restored with help from descendants of the department store dynasty that created it 100 years ago.
Coming up for its 100th anniversary, the carousel based at Te Manawa needs an overhaul, and a $20,000 donation from Margot Thompson is making it possible.
Thompson is a great-niece of Collinson and Cunninghame cofounder Leo Collinson, and has dedicated the gift in memory of her grandmother Doris Dixon.
‘‘My Granny had a strong sense of loyalty to her family and to Palmerston North, so I think she would be very happy to know that she has played a part – in a roundabout way – in continuing a family tradition of giving back to the community, by helping the carousel become operational once more.’’
Santa’s Cave, including the carousel, was based at Collinson and Cunninghame’s from 1918, a tradition continued when the store became Farmers. It moved to Te Manawa in 2010. For the past two years the carousel has been idle, awaiting work to resolve mechanical and safety issues.
Te Manawa collections and knowledge assets manager Jeff Fox said apparatus almost 100 years old could be expected to need significant care.
‘‘We want to give it a new lease on life, rebuilding it from the ground up, while respecting its status as a historical object.’’