WILD RIDE: Zoo patrons take a spin on new carousel

Smiling children and adults sat upon the custom-made animals at an afternoon ceremony that offered the public its first chance to ride the $350,000 attraction near Scovill Zoo's entrance.Within an hour of its opening, Shelby Banks, 10, had already ridden on a snake, a hippo, a monkey and her favorite, the cheetah. Shelby had seen the zoo's cheetahs for the first time with her grandmother shortly before her first ride."I'm going to ask my other grandma if she'll take me back," she said during her fourth spin, "A Bicycle Built For Two" playing in the background.Getting the carousel to Decatur was an endeavor that took several years, said Judy Locke, president of the parks foundation. Individual donors helped with the purchase of the animals, which were crafted in Ohio. The refurbished carousel itself dates back to 1948 and is decorated with landscape scenes of deserts and forests, American Indians and horses.Locke said the carousel's appeal is not only that it's fun to ride on and look at, but that it teaches children about endangered species. Eventually, informational cards about the animals will be handed out to riders so learning can continue when they get home.What makes the zoo's newest attraction so unique is the educational aspect, said Patsy Schumacher. She and her husband, Lloyd, brought their grandchildren to the zoo - as they almost always do when they come in for a visit - but were pleasantly surprised to see the carousel when they got there."It's not like the horses they usually have," Lloyd Schumacher said.And that makes it more special, Patsy Schumacher said."It's important for us to know and to be aware," she said of the 30 endangered animals on board.The carousel will operate during regular zoo hours and during Wildlife Wonderland in December, and will require a $1 Scovill Zoo token for each ride. The foundation is still looking for donors who will adopt an animal for $10,000 in order to keep the cost of the rides down, Locke said.One person who will be operating the carousel is Mary Gay Stone, who runs the train when she volunteers at the zoo once a week. She was surprised at how quickly the carousel was assembled and still isn't sure which critter is her favorite."It's hard to pick. The panda is really cute," she said.Amy Hoak can be reached at 421-7972.