During a Wednesday night meeting, the City Council in Sandpoint, Idaho, heard a proposal for incorporating a historic carousel owned by Clay and Reno Hutchison into the city’s parks and recreation master plan. The carousel, exhibited in 1952 at the Kansas State Fair, was purchased by the Hutchisons in 2000 and has undergone extensive restoration. The proposed locations for the carousel include City Beach and the Sand Creek parking lot, with City Beach being the preferred option. The council members were broadly supportive of the project, praising the community effort and collaboration with local artists. The carousel restoration involves over 200 volunteers and artisans. The plan is to maintain ownership of the carousel as a 501(c)(3) organization and raise funds for a building, aiming for completion within two years. The council also approved policies for leases at the Baldy Mountain Communication Site and updated plans for access and protection of the Little Sand Creek watershed. Additionally, a resolution to extend the current collective bargaining agreement with the local firefighters union for an additional 90 days was approved to review the upcoming fire services operations study report from Fitch & Associates.

The center pole of the Carousel of Smiles, a 1920 Allan Herschell carousel being restored in Sandpoint, Idaho, underwent refurbishment by three local businesses. Weighing half a ton and serving as the backbone for the carousel, the 18-foot, 10-inch diameter pole received sandblasting and powder coating at Full Circle Powder Coating, structural repair at Selkirk Power Generation, and a fresh coat of red paint at Northwest Autobody. The community-driven restoration aims to revive the carousel’s Golden Age glory, with local businesses volunteering time and resources to support the project. The restored center pole symbolizes the collaborative efforts behind this historical endeavor.

Spokane’s Looff Carrousel curator, Bette Largent, expresses astonishment at the discovery of the 1920 Allan Herschell Carousel, known as the Carousel of Smiles, by Reno and Clay Hutchison in Sandpoint. Largent, with over 30 years of carousel preservation and painting experience, is contributing to the pony painting portion of the community-led restoration. The wooden bodies of the ponies are meticulously restored by dedicated teams, including the “angels of the carousel” hand-sanding team and the “Godfather Squad” tasked with pony head removal for proper restoration. Local artists, guided by Carousel of Smiles art director Gabe Gabel, contribute to the art panel project, reflecting iconic aspects of the Sandpoint community. The open house showcasing the progress of the restoration drew a large crowd, and the Carousel of Smiles is set to move to Cedar Street Station in Ponderay, offering a public view of the ongoing restoration process.