New Castle County announced Tuesday it has slashed all events traditionally hosted at Carousel Park in an effort to reduce costs at the 217-acre park and stables.
Riding classes and the therapeutic riding program will continue to be offered at the stables, but special events like bull riding, equestrian competitions, even hay rides, pony rides and family events like the popular Sleep Under the Stars are history.
The announcement, made Tuesday by Park Manager Bob Merrill at the county council's Special Services Committee meeting, is designed to slash overhead from the park that has been a lightning rod for the government for years.
Once leased to private horse boarders, then reconfigured into a showcase park by former County Executive Thomas Gordon, the cost of programming there has become a routine conversation around council chambers as the government's fiscal picture grew murkier over the last few years.
As part of the move, Merrill said three full-time employees that had worked at the park have been reassigned to other positions within the county. Their combined salaries and benefits were $280,000, Merrill said.
Before the cuts, Merrill said the park's operating budget was roughly $1.3 million each year, while its programs and lessons only brought in about $500,000.
Despite being in the red, Councilman Penrose Hollins (D-Wilmington North) said he had concerns about cutting such popular programs.
"There are certain things we provide as a county that have value to the community even if we're not recovering dollar-for-dollar for it," he said.
Merrill also said there are plans to reduce the number of horses the county owns and boards at the stables, prompting Councilman David Tackett (D-Christiana) to suggest stables again be leased to private boarders.
