San Juan Cosala Community Carousel and Pavilion Projet 2025-2026
“El Carrusel de Cutzalan”
“El Carrusel de Cutzalan”
ABOVE PHOTOS ARE MARDI GRAS 2024, A SCHOOL PRESENTATION, THE MALACON PARK AND LAKESHORE
San Juan Cosalá, Jalisco, Mexico: SJC is the oldest village on the shores of Lake Chapala, Mexico. Before the Spanish arrived it was named Cutzalan, the town between the forests. Population today circa 10,000. It is a busy town living in the Mexican traditions between a cluster of other towns and cities in the Lake Chapala region of Jalisco state.
“El Carrusel de Cutzalan": This is the name for our community project to make a carousel and pavilion for our lakeshore city park. We will also put in benches, tables and trees. The whole project will be done locally by local professionals, our students, local artists and other volunteers with local and regional materials. Education and community are at the core of our mission.
Guidance and assistance with Carousel-builder William (Guillermo) Dentzel: Guillermo is a fifth generation carousel maker, he has made 10 carousels and is now semi-retired. He wants to teach this craft and help it to live on where it can be enjoyed. The local malecon park is big and beautiful with many birds. Our carousel will also have birds, and many other ancient animals. The pavilion will protect the carousel from the sun and rain for many years. We will make this park area fun for the whole family and visitors. This will be a traditional, modern style, small hybrid hand-crank carousel.
Carries 15 riders total; 8 on animals, 2 in a chariot and 5 on swing seats.
6 meters in diameter.
Center pole is steel with a bamboo decoration.
The Rotating Frame is wooden beams.
Animals and chariot are wood, hand carved and painted locally.
Rounding boards (tablas) and shields (escudos) are wooden and painted.
Bell ringing game is for the riders as they ride on the carousel.
The pavilion:
10 meters in diameter.
Concrete and steel posts.
Steel rafters with colorful roof tiles (tejas) on a vented roof.
A low fence around it with only one gate for entry and exit or riders.
Community: The carousel will belong to the community. It will be open for operation at specific hours and special rental events. It must only be opened and operated by a trained operator. Everyone, locals and visitors, will be able to ride it. They must have a ride ticket, the operator does not handle money. Ride tickets will be available in many locations even those who cannot afford to buy one. The carousel management group oversees the use and maintenance of the ride and pavilion.
Funding Project: There will be several methods used to pay to build the carousel and pavilion. The "Carrusel de Cutzalan" group will create local fundraisers, donors will sponsor different parts of the carousel, and grant money for educational and community projects will also be used. Eventually artistic and practical items can be made locally in the carousel style and sold in a gallery.
We need a safe and family friendly site.
We need to expand our management group as the project grows, please let one of us know if you are interested in participating.
William Dentzel will come to stay long term in SJC to guide and teach professionals and students the art of making the carousel when the group is ready.
The first parts to be built will be the steel center pole and the pavilion.
The pavilion will become the assembly and staging area for putting the whole carousel together. The painting will happen there too. The pavilion will essentially become a community assembly and art studio.
When all the work is completed, and benches and trees have been put into the park, the carousel will open and begin operating.
Timing: This first carousel project will take one year from the starting time to complete. If a second project happens, for a nearby town for example, it will go faster because everyone will be ready and experienced.
This type of carousel is easy to crank, the operator can do it or he/she can show a young person the basic rules and how to do it (a 9 or 10 year old is able to do this). There are riding rules that will be clearly posted and enforced by the operator at the carousel. When the carousel is closed it is not for riding. The hours and days of operation will be posted.
Items Looking for Sponsors:
8 Animals (US$ each)
1 Chariot (US$)
10 Rounding boards (US$ each)
10 Shields (US$ each)
1 Steel center pole with rotating wood frame and bamboo decoration (US$) (this can be shared)
1 Bell ringing game (US$)
1 Pavilion (US$) (this could be broken down into smaller portions such as the foundation, structure, and roof and can be shared)
8 Observation benches (US$ each)
8 Trees planted in new holes with new topsoil (US$ each)
Current steering committee board members. You can contact one of them for more information: Join us on this amazing community and regional project. We will be improving the park, educating young people with new skills and supporting the local economy. Mucho Gusto!
If you would like to contribute to the launching of this project please contact William Dentzel for more information. Right now we are raising money to establish our local non-profit corporation Carrusel de Cutzalan to manage this community park and educational program.
Kany Garcia Villalobos (contact info)
Isidro Chivo (contact info)
Augustín Vasquez (contact info)
William Dentzel (Email)