December 1, 2009

Victoria, BC – The Butchart Gardens officially opened The Rose Carousel and Children’s Pavilion this afternoon and turned on the lights for the Magic of Christmas. The event was attended by civic and tourism industry leaders along with hundreds of interested visitors to The Gardens.

The Rose Carousel, crafted by Brass Ring Entertainment of Sun Valley, California is the only carousel on Vancouver Island. The menagerie includes thirty animals ranging from bears, to horses, to ostriches, to zebras and mirrors the world from which The Gardens draws its visitors. The designs were hand picked by Robin Clarke, The Gardens' owner and great grand daughter of Jennie Butchart, in consultation with an artist from North Carolina. The carvings were done by some of the few remaining carvers of carousel art. Each animal is carved from basswood and took many months to complete. There are also two chariots able to accommodate disabled persons.

In her address, Robin Clarke said “I want to thank Dan Horenberger of Brass Ring Entertainment without whom none of this would have happened. Rosa Patton and the carvers of this beautiful carousel. The incredibly talented architects Terry Williams and Adam Fawkes of Hughes Condon Marler; George Zeeman, Wayne Farey, Bob Nemec and everyone at Campbell Construction, along with everyone who worked on this magnificent building. Last, but in no way least, my family and staff for their support throughout this amazing process.”

As part of the ceremony, Anne-Marie Espley, 8, of Langford, BC, chosen from the gathered crowd, threw the switch which simultaneously lit up the rider-filled carousel and the Christmas lights throughout the area. A line-up of visitors eager to be amongst the first to enjoy the carousel quickly filled the pavilion.

The Rose Carousel is housed within the 700 sq m (7,534 sq ft) Children’s Pavilion, which has a dome with a 23m (75 ft) clear span, a full-fronted glass façade and a roof planted with native plant species. The pavilion also has an event room for such things as children’s birthday parties.

The Butchart Gardens was created in 1904 by Jennie Butchart out of her husband’s worked-out limestone quarry site, and welcomes close to one million visitors from around the world each year. It is a designated National Historic Site. The 22 hectare (55 acre) year round gardens are located 20 km (13 miles) north of the city of Victoria, British Columbia, on the Saanich Peninsula.
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Media Contact:
Graham Bell
Public Relations
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