Looking for a metro phoenix park with a Merry-Go-Round.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

When I was a kid at St. Mark's Elementary, we were told we were going to get a merry-go-round on the playground. I thought they were putting us on, but couldn't wait to see the carved animals, hear the calliope music, etc. I felt so cheated when I saw a merry-go-round such as you described. No one ever told me they were called "Merry-Go-Rounds" as well. I've never really trusted anyone or anything since.

I remember seeing one of "your" merry-go-rounds at a park in Chandler, I'm trying to remember which one.

Desert Breeze park in Chandler must have one. Haven't been there in a while, but they have everything else. (including a train).

[jazzknack]

have twin 3 year olds and have been on a quest for a real old-school merry-go-round for the past few months. It's been fun researching and visiting parks. We've pretty well covered north phoenix, and the confusion with carousel's doesn't help. I think every park back in the midwest had a merry-go-round, as well as teeter-totters, but these things seem to have gone the way of the past, or as one poster said, they get too hot in the AZ summer. meh, paint 'em white and put 'em under an awning. interested if anyone knows, sees, or finds a public park with a merry-go-round, or even teeter-totters for my kids to experience in their home state. [please don't post email addresses-people will contact you here]

[HollyhockGarden]

Merry-go-Round http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles40901.jpg[/url]

This is a picture of a merry-go-Round in an old playground. I'm guessing that this playground is long gone too. I do not know where there are any remaining merry-go-rounds in the Phoenix area. I can tell you where there is an operating teeter-totter, along with a couple of animals on big springs, circa 1960's. They can be found at the Maricopa Lake Park in Youngtown. [url="http://youngtownaz.org/index.aspx?NID=948"]. I was last there last fall when a friend and I took her grandsons there. There is also an opportunity for the twins to feed the ducks.
I wish I could help you out with the merry-go-round. They have been disappearing, I fear, because of rising liability insurance costs for municipalities and ADA rules. When my kids were young we had a merry-go-round in our local park, Kings Park in Glendale. It was taken out sometime in the later 1990's. Nowadays, it is getting hard to even find a swing set or a jungle gym. Also missing are high dives at swimming pools.
The #1 place I would recommend you to take your children for a fun time is Encanto Park near downtown Phoenix. Be sure to go on a weekend when the train is running and the Kiddieland Amusement Park is open. There is also a terrific splash park there, so bring a set of dry clothes. This park was rated in the top ten city parks in the U.S. by Forbes Magazine a couple of years ago.

[DawnettaH]

I would be interested in finding an old fashioned merry go round in metro Phoenix, as well. Like this

[observer53]

Originally Posted by DawnettaH

I would be interested in finding an old fashioned merry go round in metro Phoenix, as well. Like thisAttachment 134543

That's what the earlier posters in this thread were looking for, without success. I haven't seen one of those in a park around here for a very long time.

[grmi66]

My experience in looking for them is that they are like unicorns, especially in any metro areas. Think with liability issues, most cities have done away with them. But when I lived in Idaho, some of the small rural towns were your best bet to find merry-go-rounds. These towns put in the merry-go-round 40 years and and have not updated their park since.

One of my friends stumbled onto a merry-go-round while out on a road trip in a small town and convinced his kids to hop on. Got the thing moving pretty fast and one of his kids flew off it and chipped a tooth. Had to cut his trip short to go back and find a dentist.

[KurtAZ]

Yeah...pretty sure those were outlawed years ago...

[asufan]

Not a merry go round but probably equally as dangerous, I noticed Tumbleweed Park in Chandler put in a "Zipline" ride. Where you go from one platform to another. They have one next to that for smaller kids that can be seatbelted in.