Tuscora Park Ferris wheel to be dedicated after rebuilding project

NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ The newly rebuilt 1926 C.W. Parker Ferris wheel at Tuscora Park will be dedicated at 3 p.m. May 28.

The Ferris wheel has been completely redone over the past two years, a process that kept it out of service and unable to provide rides for kids and families that has been a tradition at Tuscora Park for some 80 years.

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Julie Levengood, president of the Rotary Club, said the dedication event will be brief and will conclude with invited Ferris wheel passengers taking a ride before it's open to the public.

"We're inviting the many donors to the project, staff of the local companies that had a hand in the reconstruction project and everybody who values the unique treasure we have here at Tuscora Park," she said. "We'll thank those who've contributed to the project and then the first riders will enjoy the inaugural run of our new Ferris wheel."

The project has been under the direction of the Rotary Club of New Philadelphia and its non-profit arm, RTY Inc. Rotarian and RTY board Chairman Greg Rees has spearheaded the project, assisted by Rotarian Richard Geib II.

The project cost about $250,000.

Rees noted that local businesses, foundations and individuals made monetary donations, as well as in-kind contributions of materials and skilled labor. Dover Tank and Plate designed and fabricated an all-new steel structure and renovated the passenger gondolas, including the design and construction of two handicap accessible gondolas. Gradall completed the job by powder coating the gondolas in bright colors.

The project began in the summer of 2021 after state of Ohio ride inspectors determined that the newly enacted Tyler's Law would mandate extensive inspection and renovation of the Ferris wheel in order to gain operating approval. That inspection revealed that a total rebuilding of the steel wheel structure was necessary, along with improvements to the passenger gondolas.

"The Ferris wheel was manufactured in 1926 and has been operating at Tuscora Park since the early 1940s," Rees said, "but now we have what amounts to a brand-new ride. We've tuned and tested the ride, including loading one gondola with 2,000 pounds of weight. It ran perfectly without a slip, even with that huge imbalance in the load."

RTY will open the amusement rides at Tuscora Park on May 27 for the Memorial Day weekend and the regular summer season. The Ferris wheel will remain under wraps until the dedication ceremony on May 28.