The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Carousel rides welcome 12th birthday of children’s garden
Just in time for its 12th anniversary, the Lorain County Metro Park’s Schoepfle Children’s Garden, 11106 Market St. in Wakeman, hosted its last Friday carousel rides for the 2019 season.
Although the rides will continue from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays through September, Matt Kocsis, the Garden’s naturalist who also runs the programming and visitor services, said the start of school usually slows up the carousel rides.
“Today’s going to be a slow day,” Kocsis said. “We’ll do, 50, 60, 70 rides, maybe. On an average day, we do 110, 120.”
During the Garden’s busiest days, rides on the carousel can be as many as 300, with a yearly average of 9,000 rides, he said.
And even with the cold, rainy weather of the early spring months, numbers weren’t too different this year than others, Kocsis said.
“It didn’t really slow us down too much,” he said, adding that the rides began in May. “I think people are still discovering us.”
The carousel, purchased in 2007 from a private owner in Canton, is equipped with 15 horses and animals for youngsters to ride on and two benches for family members.
“When we bought it in 2007, we re-themed it to the garden,” Kocsis said. “It really got refurbished all the way through.”
Each of the horses and animals, including a pig and dog, were painted to the theme of flowers by local artists, with one even painted by students from a Clearview High School art class.
“I think it really brightens it up,” Kocsis said. “It’s not just your average horses and animals.”
Those bright colors and opportunities for unique experiences catered to children bring in a wider range of people to the garden as well, Kocsis said.
“The children’s garden and the carousel brings in families,” he said. “We’re looking at a different demographic than a botanical garden draws in.
“We bring in people who like flowers and trees and plants, an older set usually. So, this gives us an opportunity to draw in the younger people and to get them involved.”
Samantha Mascaro, 28, of Amherst, is one of many who brings their family to the park to enjoy the carousel.
“We love it here,” Mascaro said. “We come here every summer, and we love the carousel.
“It’s very peaceful. I’m always surprised there’s not more people here.”