No horsing around: Careful disassembling of Easton's Beach carousel begins

With the demolition of facilities of Easton's Beach underway, the pieces making up the beloved Rotunda carousel and being moved.

City officials said the carousel is "being disassembled – very carefully – by the team from WRF Designs, a nationally known Plainville, CT-based firm that specializes in historic amusement park restoration and maintenance."

Calling the process "labor intensive and demanding in detail" officials said the work is expected to run through the remainder of the week before crews begin taking down the carousel building.

"The 1950s-era cast iron horses, all of which are original to the ride, are being inventoried and checked for defects before being loaded up for storage. So too are the rest of the carousel elements, from the drive motor and center oil to the decorative Art Deco panels and accessories," officials said in a post on social media.

As the pieces head into storage, what will come next remains uncertain.

"We’re currently looking into where and how to relocate this treasured piece of the community as soon as we possibly can.

"In the meantime, we’re happy to know that it will be well cared for in a weather proof, climate controlled facility before we can hopefully restore it to its former glory."

What's happening with Easton's Beach facilities

Demolition of the snack bar and bathhouse buildings on Easton’s Beach has already started and is expected to be complete by the end of June.

The new plan for beach amenities this summer would allow for visitors to rent out bathhouses following the weekend after July 4. Recreation and Beach Administrator Erik Reis said once demolition concludes space next to the rotunda that would have previously been fenced off during demolition can be used by beach staff, freeing up bathhouse space.

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The City Council also voted in April to approve a one-year contract with Audrain Hospitality to provide food trucks as concessions options for beachgoers.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Easton's Beach carousel horses removed ahead of building demolition