Oakland Beach was once THE beach for Providence residents during sweltering summer weekends. The electric trolly ran south, along Warwick Neck, past Rocky Point amusement park, continuing on to Oakland Beach, where restaurants and cool Narragansett Bay waters awaited. The carousel, with its caliope music and hand-carved wooden horses made cooling off in the bay a magical experience.

The carousel was the focus of the Oakland Beach midway, which survived until the 1970's, long after the trolly tracks were pulled up and the shore dinners ended. When the carousel was sold, a fond memory was lost.

But not completly lost. People like Doreen Kosciusko and the members of the Oakland Beach Foundation (OBF) want to bring the memory back.

After failing to purchase an antique carousel when Rocky Point amusement park closed in 1996, the OBF decided to build its own carousel.

Carving under way! Staff Photo

Hand carved horses are built in the Friends of Oakland Beach's workshop at 2438 West Shore Road in Warwick. A hippocampus -- sort of a mythological sea horse -- takes shape on a frame as carvers carefully trace out its curving fish tail and its horse front-half. Finished horses, like OBF's first horse, "Acorn", stand on display, awaiting their day to be mounted aboard the carousel turntable.

"Each of the 39 horses will be unique," Kosciusko says. "We plan them one at a time, research, look at real horses, draw pictures, and then start making our templates." The templates guide the first step of the building process -- cutting the dozens of pices of fine-grained bass wood on a band saw. These pieces are carefuly planned and measured, glued into position and then carved by skilled volunteers.

Carousel horses can weigh up to 300 pounds, requiring a hefty suspension system in the final carousel.

Even the three chariots and hundreds of decorations on the carousel will be hand-carved. OBF has chosen an acorn and oak leaf motief to go throughout the entire carousel.

The building for the carousel will be enclosed and heated for year-round fun, and will be built on concrete piles to withstand hurricanes like the one that wiped out Oakland Beach in 1938. The building will be handicapped acessible, and will feature snacks and souveniers, along with a wide veranda to enjoy the cool bay breezes in the summer.

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When will the carousel be up and running? Progress is slow, but steady, thanks to dedicated volunteers and fund raisers. It won't be too much longer before you can ride on the Oakland Beach Carousel and remember the days of electric trolleys, steam caliopes, and shore dinners.

To contact the Oakland Beach Foundation, call (401) 732-2727 or email info@obcarousel.org. Their website is at www.obcarousel.org. They're always looking for volunteers, particularly wood carvers, so call them today! [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]