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Q. Last year, the city of St. Augustine gave the greenlight to a Jacksonville resident who wanted to put the carousel back in Carousel Park.
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Now known as Davenport Park, the park at San Marco and San Carlos avenues near downtown St. Augustine used to be the home of a much-loved carousel.
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When the old carousel’s operator, Jim Soules, died in 2019, his carousel was sent to his longtime home in Port Charlotte.
The city approved James W. Brinkley’s plans for a new carousel last May. Brinkley said then that the ride could be up and running as soon as that summer.
Jacksonville Today reader Greg D. wonders why it isn’t.
“Where’s the new carousel?”
According to past news coverage, Greg says, the carousel should be operating by now.
A: It’s been just shy of a year, and St. Augustine city officials aren’t sure either.
The city hasn’t heard a word from Brinkley recently, and there are steps he must complete to get the carousel project moving.
Brinkley still needs to file permits to build in Davenport Park, update his insurance and update the city on who will be installing the carousel.
In a letter the city sent to Brinkley last week, Director of General Services Cory Sakyrd expresses a “growing concern regarding the lack of recent communication and visible project progress” of the carousel.
The city executed an official agreement with Brinkley’s company, Olde Towne Merry Go Round LLC. But that company is listed as “inactive” in the state’s registry.
Olde Towne Merry Go Round has filed no documents with the state other than those creating the company in 2023.
Limited liability companies in Florida must submit reports every year. If business owners fail to submit a report, their company can be closed and the state can make it inactive.
“Since active registration is necessary for the lease to remain in effect,” Sakyrd wrote to Brinkley, “we encourage you to take steps to resolve this and share confirmation with the City once updated.”
St. Augustine Communications Director Melissa Wissel says the ball is in Brinkley’s court.
“At this time, the city is awaiting action from Mr. Brinkley, such as permits, defining laydown area, and construction,” she says. “But at the time, there’s nothing happening with it.”
Brinkley has not responded to multiple phone calls made by Jacksonville Today requesting a comment.
For now, the future of St. Augustine’s new carousel is uncertain.