Decatur carousel gets touch-up from specialists

DECATUR - A carousel at a central Illinois zoo is getting a touch-up from the same Ohio company that hand-carved the ride's animal figures more than a decade ago.

The (Decatur) Herald & Review reports the carousel at Scovill Zoo is being restored this week by Mansfield, Ohio-based The Carousel Works.

Zoo Director Ken Frye says some visitors have been disappointed to find the carousel closed while workers repaint and varnish its 30 figures. But he says he hopes people realize that the maintenance is necessary to keep the attraction looking its best for future generations.

Carousel Works co-owner Dan Jones says the company recommends sprucing up its carousels every couple of years. He says the Scovill Zoo's carousel has held up well since the figures were installed in 2003.