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Hamilton Spectator

This lakeside Niagara park has one of the oldest carousels in the country and it costs pennies to ride

Moments before the Lakeside Park Carousel greets visitors on a warm July morning, workers swiftly and quietly weave through the enclosed space, ensuring every hand-carved horse, lion, camel, goat and giraffe is perfectly prepped and polished. Ready for the first ride of the day. As the clock strikes 11 a.m. and the doors roll open, what seems like a banal building on the edge of Lake Ontario comes to life in a swirl of music and light. A magical, whimsical, glittering display of charm and history lights up the faces of the children at the main entrance, waiting patiently in the summer sun — with nickels in hand — to climb aboard one of 68 storybook creatures spinning beneath the wooden carousel's golden canopy. Children clamour to select one of the jumpers, prancers and standers among four rows. Before the carousel starts to spin, staff sprinkle in fresh tidbits that make each three-minute ride a little different. The Lakeside Park Carousel has dozens of hand-crafted animals. Did you know the Lakeside Park Carousel is one of only eight in North America featuring four rows with the majority of animals being originals? Twenty-six horses were crafted by Marcus Illions and seven courtesy of Alan Herschell and Edward Spillman. Did you know jumpers are animals suspended in mid-air, which move up and down as the Carousel circles? Music from the antique Frati band organ begins, as the beloved century-old carousel spins with views of Lake Ontario, the pier and the park — a vintage ride that has charmed generations. Lakeside Park's historic treasure is one of only nine carved wooden carousel still operating in Canada. In its 100-plus years in Port Dalhousie, it's become a piece of living history — and still costs only a nickel a ride. 'The best thing is opening day, and you see the smiles on the kids and the adults. Everybody is smiling (and) that's what it's all about,' said Garry Unger, a volunteer with The Friends of the Carousel, a group that repairs and maintains the carousel. 'Jumpers are the favourite. Although, that said, on the outside is a white horse we call the bride, there's been a lot of wedding photographs, and beside the bride are three other white jumpers, we call them the bridesmaids.' Beyond the painted horses and music, the walls inside the carousel are lined with photographs and stories that bring its history to life, holding the memories of millions of people — including thousands who filled Lakeside Park every summer from the 1920s through 1951 to mark Emancipation Day. The carousel was brought to Port Dalhousie in 1921 after being purchased from an amusement park in Scarborough. The Lakeside Park Carousel was carved between 1897 and 1905 in Brooklyn, New York by Charles I.D. Looff. The Danish carver became famous for building the first carousel at Coney Island and the Ferris wheel along the Santa Monica Pier. It's one of the largest remaining examples of a Looff menagerie carousel in North America, featuring four rows of hand-carved characters, with the outer row featuring faceted glass-jewelled animals. One standout, the lion, is one of five existing Looff lions in North America, but Leo (as named by the Friends of the Carousel) is the only one whose head faces onlookers. The lion is perhaps the most iconic of the dozens of carved wooden animals in the Lakeside Park Carousel. Lakeside originally had a second lion, but it was stolen in the 1970s. The Friends replaced him in 2004, naming him Paws through a community competition. In 1921, the carousel was purchased from an amusement park in Scarborough and brought to the growing Lakeside amusement park, which included rides and an old wooden water slide. The park was purchased and privately run from 1950 to 1970, before Sydney Brookson put it up for sale. Generations of families have enjoyed riding the animals on the carousel over the years. Not wanting to lose a piece of history, the community banded together, raising $20,000 to purchase the carousel, on two Brookson conditions — that its price remains five cents and that it remain in St. Catharines. Both were honoured. In 1999, the City of St. Catharines partnered with the newly-formed Friends of the Carousel to restore the carousel, which Unger said has been key in keeping it running, as it has experienced its share of disasters. In 1973 and 1978, the carousel was flooded by water, and a 1974 fire at the Old Muir Dry Docks destroyed some animals and badly damaged others. The Lakeside Park Carousel is like a spinning, carved animal safari. The Friends undertook its meticulous restoration, re-creating the original appearance of the carousel, completing the work in 2009. 'It looks the way it does because we're all working together for the common cause and that's to make sure there are smiles on the kids,' said Unger. '(The crafters) probably didn't expect it to last 100 years.' But the work is never done. Once the season ends, The Friends examine every animal for scratches or breaks, restoring and painting in their nearby workshop. 'You can't tell the damage until you scrap some paint off, and it's all done manually. Sometimes we have to scrap the whole character, sometimes it's minimal repair,' said Unger. For Bonnie Cameron, who has been with The Friends group since its founding, it's an honour to have a key to the carousel, spending weeks surrounded by history. 'Even when you're at the workshop and you're scraping something that's over 100 years old, there's a passion and that's what's required,' she said. With another Lakeside Park Carousel season in full swing, her wish is for every rider, whether local or visitors, to leave with a smile — while recognizing its rich history and treating it with reverence it deserves. 'I hope that they realize this has to be respected,' she said. 'Come down and enjoy the experience of something that was built so long ago.' While the carousel may be the star attraction, there's plenty more to enjoy in Port Dalhousie. Here are five things to do while you're in town: Stroll the historic Port Dalhousie Pier — either east pier, west pier or both — taking in sweeping views of Lake Ontario, with views of Toronto to the north, Niagara-on-the-Lake to the east and sunsets to the west. Also enjoy views of the inner and outer Port Dalhousie lighthouses, which helped ships and boats enter and exit the narrow harbour. The outer lighthouse was built in 1878 and inner lighthouse built in 1898. And make sure you take a blanket to cool down along Lakeside Park Beach. Browse a variety of small eateries, but for ice cream , standouts include gelato at II Gelato Di Carlotta at the Lock and Main Marketplace (featuring additional food and coffee options) and Old Port Dairy Bar on Lakeport Road. Stop by several local breweries for a cool pint, including Lock Street Brewery right on Lock Street. Its drink menu boasts a wide range of options from Portside Pilsner, The Jealous Mistress, Black Sail and Industrial Pale Ale — and much more. Pick up your next summer read at Thistle Bookshop and Café . The independent bookstore in downtown Port Dalhousie can help you find your next literary adventure — while enjoying another beverage. And with familial ties to Scotland, the shop also features Celtic and ancestry section. Enjoy several cruise options Port Dalhousie Cruise Lines . Tuesday through Saturday, take advantage of a two-hour afternoon cruise (from 1 to 3 p.m.) aboard the historical M.V. Chippewa III where you can see highlights of Niagara region, Welland Canal and Niagara River. From 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Sundays, enjoy a 2.5-hour sunset cruise that takes you onto Lake Ontario, up the Niagara River and by the historic Fort George and Fort Niagara.