Photograph of the Friends of the Carousel display in the Discovery Room during the opening of the Burnaby Community Archives at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Photograph of the Friends of the Carousel display in the Discovery Room during the opening of the Burnaby Community Archives at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Subseries consists of records pertaining to the Lower Mainland Association of Friends of the Carousel, including scrapbooks, receipts, statements, publications and information on the restoration of the Parker Carousel by the Association.
Subseries consists of records pertaining to the Lower Mainland Association of Friends of the Carousel, including scrapbooks, receipts, statements, publications and information on the restoration of the Parker Carousel by the Association.
History
The No. 119 “Carry-Us-All” Carousel was built in 1912 by C.W. Parker, an amusement ride manufacturer in Leavenworth, Kansas. Fred Leggett bought No.119 for “Lone Star” Amusement Co. in Houston Texas, but it was returned to the Parker Factory in 1915 for reasons unknown. Back at the factory it was upgraded from Standard style to Superior and electrified. The carousel was used in the San Francisco area until 1936 when it was shipped to “Happyland” in Vancouver’s Hastings Park (home of the Pacific National Exhibition) then passed to “Playland” at Hastings Park in 1957.
In 1988 the Carousel was scheduled to be broken up and sold at auction. Concerned citizens formed the Lower Mainland Association of the Friends of the Vancouver Carousel to save it. Through fundraising the Friends of the Carousel were able to acquire the carousel.
Between 1990 and 1993 Friends of the Carousel were able to completely restore, repaint and rebuild the carousel. The City of Burnaby, Province of British Columbia and Friends of the Carousel contributed to the construction of a new building at Burnaby Village Museum to house it. Enterprising volunteers salvaged the maple hardwood gymnasium floor at the Oakalla penitentiary just before it was demolished and used it to rebuild the carousel platform. The association also acquired and restored a Wurlitzer 146B organ. On March 27, 1993, No. 119 moved to the Don Wrigley Pavilion at the Burnaby Village Museum, the Pavilion having been named after the president of the Friends of the Carousel for his coordination of the restoration project. Mrs. Norvie Frame, daughter original owner Fred Leggett, came with her family from Texas to attend the official opening.
The Association created the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “The Story of Parker #119”, the video “Labour of Love: The Saving of Number 119”, and their accompanying publications.
File consists of papers pertaining to the Friends of the Carousel including information on its history and an invitation to the official opening at Burnaby Village Museum after the Carousel's restoration.
File consists of papers pertaining to the Friends of the Carousel including information on its history and an invitation to the official opening at Burnaby Village Museum after the Carousel's restoration.
File consists of receipts, meeting minutes (for both annual general meetings and board of directors' meetings) and correspondence for the Friends of the Carousel.
File consists of receipts, meeting minutes (for both annual general meetings and board of directors' meetings) and correspondence for the Friends of the Carousel.
File consists of Friends of the Carousel project report for the GO BC assistance grant that they were awarded in 1990 to purchase and restore the Parker no. 119 Carousel and construct a facility to house it in at the Burnaby Village Museum.
File consists of Friends of the Carousel project report for the GO BC assistance grant that they were awarded in 1990 to purchase and restore the Parker no. 119 Carousel and construct a facility to house it in at the Burnaby Village Museum.