Fantastic.

That's the word Madelyn Shermeyer used to describe the new carousel building recently constructed at Brookside Park in Dover Township.

"It's fantastic because I'm 73 years old and I've been around the Dover area all my life," she said. "I remember the original building and the rides on the carousel. The carousel isn't around anymore. At least the carousel building was rebuilt."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the circular structure is from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 18, at the park along Fox Run Road. The Dover Community Orchestra will provide entertainment.

The township's supervisors, county, township officials and representatives from C.S. Davidson Inc., which built the new structure, are expected to be at the event.

The new structure replaces the original carousel building that was built between the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was part of the park when the park was donated to the township by the late local weightlifting legend Bob Hoffman.

The building was torn down more than a year ago after it was deemed unsafe as a result of powder post beetles eating away at the round structure's main support.

The new carousel steel building has a concrete foundation and shingle roof, said David Durst, building project manager.

He said construction started in June 2011 and was mainly completed in December 2011. The paint job is currently being completed.

"We had to wait until after winter for painting," Durst said. "The project was challenging and interesting at the same time."

The new 4,300-square-foot building is 75 feet in diameter and includes a mechanical room, a catering kitchen, and plenty of room for parties, meetings and banquets, according to a news release from C.S. Davidson Inc.

The township has already tried the building.

"We had to get a temporary occupancy permit from the township to hold a Christmas in the Park (event) there in December," Shermeyer said. "It was such a wonderful event."

Shermeyer said she will give a speech about the carousel building project at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Money from the township's recreation funds, as well as residents' fundraising projects, were used to pay for the new structure, which cost between $350,000 and $400,000, Shermeyer said.

Fundraisers included sales of personalized or memorial bricks, which have been placed at the building's entrance.

The building also will generate money, as it is rented for wedding receptions, reunions and other community functions, township officials have said.

After tearing down the old building, the township's goal was for the new structure to be similar in size and style to the old carousel building, which was about 75 feet in diameter and had windows around it.

"We kept the footprint of the building as close to the original as possible," Shermeyer said. "We kept as many windows as possible all around the building. That's the way the original was."

Eyana Adah McMillan at 505-5438 or emcmillan@yorkdispatch.com.