“That’s really cool!”: New stamp features historic Calgary carousel

Some new national recognition might bring a much-needed boost at one of Calgary’s top attractions.

Canada Post is featuring Heritage Park’s historic Bowness Carousel in a series of new stamps paying tribute to old carousels across the country.

“That’s really cool!” park visitor Patti Wahl said. “Hopefully that will give it some good exposure.”

The park’s carousel was built in the U.S. in 1904 and installed at Bowness Park in northwest Calgary after it arrived in the city in 1919.

It ended up being moved to Heritage Park in 1969, since then proving to be a big hit with generations of local families.

“I remember coming here as a kid,” park visitor Anisha Venugopal said.

Much of the carousel is in its original form.

“The horses are wood, hand-painted, the eyes are glass and the tails are made of real horsehair,” Heritage Park’s Dominic Terry said. “They sure don’t make them like that anymore.”

The park is hoping the stamp helps bring visitors.

Like so many attractions, it’s struggling with a drop in attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s national exposure, so it’s one of those things, especially coming out of COVID, that might draw people in,” Terry said.

Affixed to cards and letters, the stamp featuring the Bowness Carousel may soon end up on mail heading out around the world.

“We’ve got family in the States and in the UK,” Venugopal said. “So probably one of those places.”