Berkshire Carousel Project Handicapped Again

By Dan GigliottiiBerkshires Correspondent
03:34AM / Tuesday, February 25, 2014Print Story | Email Story

Berkshire Carousel's opening may be delayed because of handicapped accessibility issues.

DALTON, Mass. — The opening of the Berkshire Carousel is handicapped again, this time because of accessibility issues.

The date of the grand opening of the attraction — about eight years in the making — was initially projected as June 21 by the group's leadership earlier this year. However, representatives of the non-profit organization said they believe the project's start date will be delayed to install a pair of handicapped accessible bathrooms.

Director Maria Caccaviello told the Select Board on Monday night that the Berkshire Carousel will be ready for the public sometime later in the summer, with no certainty as to exactly when.

"There might be a slight delay, because we're putting in handicap bathrooms. But we really don't know how far along in the process that is. We're working forward to make that happen," Caccaviello said.

The Berkshire Carousel has moved multiple times to different towns in Berkshire Count during its construction period, in search of a permanent residence. Though group and town leaders expect the project to be permanently located in Dalton, no formal agreement has been reported.

The carousel is currently housed in a former Crane & Co. stationary factory at 63 Flansburgh Ave., with tentative plans for a $1.6 million facility to be constructed on the property as an amusement and multi-purpose facility. The project was being slated for a grand opening in June with the amusement ride under a tent outside the former Flansburgh factory.

What once was a hard-and-fast date is now a relative uncertainty, given knowledge of the accessibility issues learned late last week.

"Our goal was to do something this summer, but we're just not sure what date, until we get the full plans for the bathrooms under way and we just got that information," Caccaviello said.

She said the carousel will "definitely" be ready for its unveiling this summer; and if only for a short time, it will be displayed for the public.

"I'd like to be open at least 30 days, sometime, because I'd like to put it out for people to see what it's going to look like, but until I see a timeline, I don't know," Caccaviello said.

Caccaviello said the operating mechanism for the carousel will be delivered on March 7, delayed from its reported date of sometime in January because of weather issues among others. All of the horses set to be mounted on the carousel are complete. Additional work is being done to ready the chariot features.

The Select Board, functioning as the town's Licensing Board, approved a petition on Monday granting an entertainment license for the Carousel to open from June 21 to Oct. 20. Operating hours are scheduled daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., except for Sundays, when it opens from 1 to 5 p.m. The board also reserved the right for Town Manager Kenneth Walto to grant additional operating hours when necessary for yet unforeseen special events.

Select Board members also provided positive commentary supporting the approval of a special permit by the town's Zoning Board of Appeals for the erection of a tent in the parking lot of the stationary factory. If the ZBA receives comments from all necessary boards by March 4, the topic will be discussed at its April 1 meeting.

Tags: berkshire carousel, handicapped accessibility,

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"Berkshire Carousel Project Handicapped Again" I don't think having a public resource accessible to all is a "handicap." It would be a handicap if it wasn't. Also, this phrasing implies blame to the all those silly handicapped people for holding up this project. The blame lies instead with the planners, who despite 8 years of project time, have apparently only just now realized they haven't conformed to the ADA - which is hardly a new act. Mr. Gigliotti, could you rethink this phrasing?
from: EK	on: 02-25-2014 09:32AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (3)

Following this unbelievable article that implied the carousel builders would slight the handicapped, I looked into this story. It seems that the iBerkshires reporter did a poor job in getting his story correct and must have some agenda about this project. This is the slight and to over 300 volunteers and the backers who have created this great community project. Yes there is an implication that the carousel project is insensitive to handicapped people or stupid in its planning. Neither could be further from the truth. From Day 1 this gift to the Berkshires has been special needs sensitive, designing and building a chariot for seniors and a chariot for wheelchairs plus a ramp system. I saw plans that showed permanent handicapped rest rooms from initial designs years ago. The carousel will be complete this summer, but the community that invited the carousel for and offered to provide a location and building is not ready. Nor will the conversion of the mill for retail businesses and may not be for years. To help the community's fund raising, Berkshire Carousel received a $250,000 grant andalusia offered to set the carousel up for the summer operation. This temporary set up included a port-a-potty that is fully handicapped accessible. The community and Town of Dalton government are 100 percent behind this. The only party not supporting the set up and restroom rental plan is the owner of the mill. He insists on permanent restrooms in the mill and the handicap issue is a smoke screen. What the reporter did not understand or tell readers is that these restrooms that would cost Berkshire Carousel $20,000 - 30,000, would not even be near the carousel itself or unlikely reachable by a wheelchair this summer. It is an underhanded way to get the carousel project to pay for restrooms for the owner to make the mill more attractive to other potential tenants. For less than four months operation it is not only economically not feasible, but absurd to build such restrooms. Having met with the volunteers and backers of the project, I admire their incredible enthusiasm and also share their disappointment with the media's ostensible lack of support as evidenced by the nature of such reporting. The saddest part of this project is when people give such a gift of their time and money to their community the media turns lemonade back to lemons
from: Just	on: 03-03-2014 02:31AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:23PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.

Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.

"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.

"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."

The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.

Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."

"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."

The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

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