The Pride of Canada Carousel, a One-of-a-kind Rideable, Fine Art Merry-go-round, Opens to the Public for a First Spin on Canada Day, July 1, Noon - 5:00 pm

    MARKHAM, ON, June 24, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Pride of Canada Carousel, a 50-foot, one-of-a-kind rideable, fine art merry-go-round located at 8080 Birchmount Rd. in Downtown Markham, will make its public debut at a celebration on Canada Day, July 1, Noon - 5:00 pm. Adults and children are invited to be among the first to take a fantastical ride on this interactive art piece created by Canadian-born, California-based urban folk artist, Patrick Amiot.

The 21st century carousel, which will serve the community as both cultural anchor and meeting place, is made from repurposed materials forming ingenious works of art.

The Pride of Canada Carousel is the signature piece of the Remington Contemporary Art Collection. This eco-friendly masterpiece features 120 sculptures including a moose, a Mountie, a bumblebee, a mermaid, a duck, a skate, a retro telephone and a beaver.

Christopher Bratty of The Remington Group, the pre-eminent real estate and development firm behind Downtown Markham, commissioned the Carousel to be a centerpiece not only of Downtown Markham, but the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Canada, joining the ranks of Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn, New York, and Pier 39 Carousel in San Francisco, California.

"Patrick's remarkable sculptures celebrate our culture, geography and history with an unrivaled joy while offering a Canadian history lesson in a unique and entertaining fashion," said Shelley M. Shier, Art Consultant/Curator for Concepts and Acquisitions, Remington Contemporary Art Collection. "There is not another carousel like this anywhere in the world. Its appeal is universal and generational."

The Pride of Canada Carousel is many things - a piece of kinetic art, whimsy and engineering in motion, a joyful lifestyle connection to tradition and a bucket list destination for globetrotters who seek an old-fashioned ride on a 21st Century Carousel.

The legendary Daniel Horenberger of Brass Ring Carousel Company built the Carousel structure. Some of his notable carousels include Disneyland's King Arthur Carrousel and the General Electric solar-powered Carousolar.

The Pride of Canada Carousel is housed in a dramatic open glass pavilion designed by acclaimed Toronto-based architect Sheldon Levitt of Quadrangle Architects, Ltd. and will serve as a cultural anchor and meeting place in the 243-acre Downtown Markham development.

Amiot works in tandem with his wife Brigitte Laurent. The creative duo works side-by-side out of Sebastopol, California. Patrick sculpts while Brigitte paints.

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